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Paul Reichardt's avatar

There’s a lot of discussion about the rise of populism in the US--the causes, consequences, and so forth. Yet this is a case study in why.

This is just a long-term guaranteed bonanza for defense contractors and careerists in the American Middle East policy establishment. Can’t have Chinese defense firms elbowing in displacing them in the Saudi arms gravy-train. Can’t have all this talk from the rabble about isolationism and pulling-out anywhere—time to lock-in ASAP. There’s nothing more to it.

It isn’t the Republican base that wants to be entrenched in a security pact in the Persian Gulf in perpetuity. And it is isn’t the Democratic base that has “shared values” with the autocratic Saudi Royal family.

Yet here we are being signed up for it anyway while we argue about Donald Trump’s stance on abortion and Hunter Biden’s crackpipe

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TomG's avatar

It seems to me we do share the "values" of the Saudi government. There is little on their list of atrocities that we haven't done and don't continue to do. The only real difference is we just stand in front of the UN General Assembly and lecture the world on human rights.

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