Kerry: Arab Countries Offered To Pay for (Syrian) Invasion

[big_dog]

Source: The Washington Post

Secretary of State John Kerry said at Wednesday’s hearing that Arab counties have offered to pay for the entirety of unseating President Bashar al-Assad if the United States took the lead militarily.

“With respect to Arab countries offering to bear costs and to assess, the answer is profoundly yes,” Kerry said. “They have. That offer is on the table.”

Asked by Rep. Ileana Ros-Lehtinen (R-Fla.) about how much those countries would contribute, Kerry said they have offered to pay for all of a full invasion.

“In fact, some of them have said that if the United States is prepared to go do the whole thing the way we’ve done it previously in other places, they’ll carry that cost,” Kerry said. “That’s how dedicated they are at this. That’s not in the cards, and nobody’s talking about it, but they’re talking in serious ways about getting this done.

Read more: http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/post-politics-live/liveblog/the-houses-syria-hearing-live-updates/?id=e68f139f-e012-476c-876e-2467ba30e5e3

[MotherPetrie]

1. Warpowers for hire. So the U.S. is now a mercenary.

[mrdmk]

3. No kidding!!!

Plus we have heard this before...

How is a person's life?

[CincyDem]

5. At least we're starting to be honest about who we're working for.

[wordpix]

41. true & I seem to recall something similar about Iraq: "Iraqi oil will pay for this war"

I am paraphrasing but that was the gist. Do not believe the BS

[CincyDem]

50. You mean it didn't? nt

[lumpy]

60. NO

[indepat]

27. doing the bidding of others. This is soooo in the national interest: American lives, limbs, brains,

and other body parts plus treasure through doing the bidding of others. How quaint: just what the founding fathers had envisioned.

[KamaAina]

34. Basically, we're the Hessians.

[karynnj]

58. Read - "That's not in the cards"

Note -GHWB did do this with the Gulf War

[lumpy]

59. No. It won't be accepted.

Putting words in other peoples mouths

[MotherPetrie]

61. The words in Kerry's mouth are exceptionally malleable.

[wordpix]

63. how are you so sure? Our puppetmasters in SA are calling and OIL

is the ace in the hole.

[kelliekat44]

74. They already paid for the rebel uprising. They have money to burn. nt

[Sand Wind]

2. Saudi Arabia paid around US$36 billion of the US$60 billion cost.[20]

Kuwait's invasion by Iraqi troops that began 2 August 1990 was met with international condemnation, and brought immediate economic sanctions against Iraq by members of the U.N. Security Council. U.S. President George H. W. Bush deployed U.S. forces into Saudi Arabia, and urged other countries to send their own forces to the scene. An array of nations joined the Coalition. The great majority of the Coalition's military forces were from the U.S., with Saudi Arabia, the United Kingdom and Egypt as leading contributors, in that order. Saudi Arabia paid around US$36 billion of the US$60 billion cost.[20]

[hobbit709]

6. how much did we get in 2003?

[Sand Wind]

8. The Iraq war was the most stupid war from a long time ago. Every single mistake

Possible have been done.

[hobbit709]

9. That's not what I asked.

[Sand Wind]

11. the Department of Defense's direct spending on Iraq totaled at least $757.8 billion.

I don't recall that the Arabian pay for that.

[Nuclear Unicorn]

17. Buy 1, Get 1 FREE

[Divernan]

16. Out-sourcing our military out to further Saudi interests.

Last edited Wed Sep 4, 2013, 06:13 PM - Edit history (1)

You know - Saudi Arabia - where 15 of the 19 9-11 hijackers were citizens and had Saudi passports to get into the US.

Here's my post from another thread today:
15 of 19 9/11 hijackers had Saudi passports;this year new special travel benefits for Saudis from DHS are a slap in the face to Americans.

We can just start calling Prince Bandar Bush, Prince Bandar Obama.

http://patdollard.com/2013/03/obama-grants-saudia-arabia-who-produced-911s-15-of-the-19-hijackers-special-travel-benefits/
This link has photos and names of each of the 15 Saudi hijackers. "Obama drops passport control requirements for Saudi Arabians entering U.S. Despite Fact Country Produced Most 9-11 Hijackers."

Back in 2002, the Saudi government admitted the 15 were Saudi citizens.
http://usatoday30.usatoday.com/news/world/2002/02/06/saudi.htm

Official: 15 of 19 Sept. 11 hijackers were Saudi

RIYADH, Saudi Arabia (AP) — Saudi Arabia acknowledged for the first time that 15 of the Sept. 11 suicide hijackers were Saudi citizens, but said Wednesday that the oil-rich kingdom bears no responsibility for their actions.
Previously, Saudi Arabia had said the citizenship of 15 of the 19 hijackers was in doubt despite U.S. insistence they were Saudis. But Interior Minister Prince Nayef told The Associated Press that Saudi leaders were shocked to learn 15 of the hijackers were from Saudi Arabia.

"The names that we got confirmed that," Nayef said in an interview. "Their families have been notified."


Now flash forward to last January, when Obama's DHS announced special priority/reduced security for Saudis entering the US.
http://www.investigativeproject.org/3947/special-travel-benefit-for-saudis-a-slap-in

Saudi Arabia, the nation which produced 15 of the 19 hijackers in the 9/11 attacks, is about to become one of a handful of countries whose travelers can bypass normal passport controls at major U.S. airports. Sources tell the Investigative Project on Terrorism (IPT) that this will mark the first time that the Saudi government will have a direct role in vetting who is eligible for getting fast-tracked for entry into the United States.

An agreement to accept Saudi Arabian applicants into the Global Entry trusted traveler program drew little notice when it was announced in January. Now, some officials question why the country merits such a benefit – which is similar to a theme park "fast pass" to avoid long lines – when other allies like Germany and France are not yet included. A program for Israeli travelers was reached last May but has not been implemented.

Travelers approved for the program can skip the normal Customs and Border Protection (CBP) lines starting next year and enter the country after providing their passports and fingerprints at a kiosk. Only Canada, Mexico, South Korea and the Netherlands currently enjoy the benefit, although pilot programs could expand it to a handful of others.

Homeland Security Secretary Janet Napolitano announced the agreement in January after meeting with Saudi Interior Minister Prince Mohammed bin Nayef. It "marks another major step forward in our partnership," Napolitano said at the time. "By enhancing collaboration with the Government of Saudi Arabia, we reaffirm our commitment to more effectively secure our two countries against evolving threats while facilitating legitimate trade and travel."

[eissa]

23. Careful -- I used a word less offensive (I think) than "whoring"

in a thread on this topic in GD and DU jury shut me down. Though I totally agree with your description.

[Divernan]

33. Point taken, I edited it to "out-sourcing"

A rose by any other name, as it were. It boils down to renting out the bodies/minds of our servicemen and women at bargain basement prices, compared to making the Saudis hire mercenaries.

[pkdu]

78. PAt Dollard?...really?...read the comments at the end of that article....wise choice of source?nt

[Divernan]

81. That's why I included back up links to USA Today et al.

I don't care what comments were made by other readers; I care about the truth of the facts which were reported, and BACKED UP by another source.

[DJ13]

4. They know whats important to US politicians

$$$$$

[christx30]

15. To be fair, that's an objection

I see from a lot of American citizens on the boards I'm on. "Why should we risk our soldiers lives and spend billions to get rid of Assad?! It's not our problem."
And I don't blame them. 12 years of war and trillions of dollars of taxpayer money disappears and what do we get for it?

[wordpix]

65. also BigOil - Syria has "largest proved reserve of crude oil in the eastern Mediterranean"

http://www.ibtimes.com/syrian-oil-gas-little-known-facts-syrias-energy-resources-russias-help-1402405

snip: Russia, the chief backer of the Assad regime, is the only remaining international partner still helping develop Syria’s oil and gas resources in the past year.

I'm putting it together this is all about oil, with various other factions, religious and otherwise, thrown in the mix.

[DJ13]

67. I think you're right, its (mostly) about oil

And keeping Russia away from exclusive access to the Syrian supply.

A great many in our government seems to still have a Cold War mentality.

[hobbit709]

7. The whole M.E. situation can be described in two words.

Cui bono? Who has the most to gain by replacing a halfway secular government with a most likely theocratic form.

[wordpix]

68. no the two words are Big Oil

http://www.ibtimes.com/syrian-oil-gas-little-known-facts-syrias-energy-resources-russias-help-1402405

[DeSwiss]

10. So wha choo wan? You wan I break 'es legs?

Cause dat'll cost you 5bs right there. You wan' more dan dat, you gotta talk to the big boss.

- Choo wan me to intorduce you to the big boss, that'll cost xtra......

K&R

[Brickbat]

12. And that's...a good thing?

Jesus Christ, shut this whole thing down.

[spin]

13. If we do put our boots on the ground in Syria ...

will those arab nations help us pay for the necessary treatment to our soldiers who end up severely injured? Of course that would also involve treatment for those who suffer PTSD from combat.

Will they reimburse us for the wear and tear on the aging equipment our military uses? Will they volunteer to provide some combat forces to help us in the effort and also to provide a "police" force to insure peace in Syria once the initial war is won?

Of course we will try to rebuild Syria as we always do any nation we invade. Will the Arab nations help finance this also?

[Dr Fate]

20. Yes. They will pay for it all. Kerry is no BS artist. He is honorable.

If Kerry says "...they’ll carry that cost,” then they will carry the costs.

Yes, yes and yes. They will too pay for it, so yes, we can too afford it.

[arewenotdemo]

29. Honorable?

Kerry's talking head floats in a sea of blood.

[Dr Fate]

30. He is going to get the Arabs to pay for this. Now we can afford all that liberal stuff....

...once we are done paying for the other 2.

And yet you are still not happy.

[spin]

49. I suspect your posts are largely sarcastic but not everyone realizes this. (n/t)

[arewenotdemo]

53. yeah, I missed that

[YOHABLO]

71. "liberal stuff" ????

[wordpix]

44. "they have offered to pay for all of a full invasion" - and send their own army to Syria?

So now we're not talking about air strikes to take out targeted chem weapons but a full invasion with our BigOil puppetmasters in control of the purse strings?

WTF?

[Renew Deal]

14. Jobs!

We'll be a nation of mercenaries

[Divernan]

21. These developments establish what the US govt./military is; now they'll just haggle over price.

[phantom power]

18. So, what -- if Assad doubles their offer, we'll bomb the Arab League instead? WTF??

[Renew Deal]

24. lol

Good point

[Dr Fate]

19. We can too afford it! I knew it!

Suck on that, far left!

We are not going to pay one single cent for any of this- all of that money can now go to your precious "schools" ,social security and other far left pipe-dreams. After we pay off the 1st 2 wars, that is.

I KNOW that this is the way it will turn out too- we will not have to tighten our belts at all-the Araba are going to pay for all of this!

"...they’ll carry that cost,” is all you need to read.

Happy now?

[Brewinblue]

22. Well sure.

If the Arabs will pay for it, then why would we not declare full blown war?

Yay, free war!

[eissa]

25. Doesn't accepting free stuff make us moochers? n/t

[Baitball Blogger]

26. red blood for black oil?

[sulphurdunn]

28. Those "Arab nations"

Kerry so conveniently fails to credit by name are Saudi Arabia and its client states in the oil patch kingdom. I think the Israelis and the Turks, who are also complicit in this, should ante up a big chunk of the cost as well since they are pulling all the levers behind the curtain with their Sunni allies and both are bribing and threatening those whores we call legislators. If you want to know what's going on here, follow the money and forget the BS about moral outrage over the deaths of children. That is disgusting. These war mongering pigs couldn't care less.

[warrant46]

54. As in---- pay no attention to the man behind the curtain--Thanks Dorothy

[arewenotdemo]

31. "Go do the whole thing...."

“In fact, some of them have said that if the United States is prepared to go do the whole thing the way we’ve done it previously in other places, they’ll carry that cost,” Kerry said.

Kerry is a monster at this point.

[Xolodno]

32. I'm looking at this a little differently.....

...this could be why Obama tossed it to Congress. To show other nations around the world....the USA has no more stomach for war.

There have been heated discussions about the repercussions, benefits, moral duty, etc. about doing a "limited strike"....but very few (if any) discussion on the reason why Obama tossed it to Congress and what kind of precedence this sets for future Presidents.

[arewenotdemo]

35. Very interesting question.

For one thing, I don't think Obama was ever "the smartest guy in the room".

I also think that throwing the ball to Congress is an attempt to extricate himself from the huge mess that he's essentially created by one foreign policy blunder after another (Libya, Egypt and Syria).

[Xolodno]

42. Yes....but good leaders surround themselves with smart people...

....its just a question who he listens to.

In Libya...he did the right thing. No troops on the ground, provide air support....get rid of fruit loop dictator. But there will be hiccups on the way. I wouldn't consider that a blunder, but rather the best scenario possible. The President can't micro-manage everything.

Egypt...two ways to handle it, let its people choose or "heavily influence the elections". He let the people choose and gambled they would throw whomever out if he tried to go to far. Very big gamble as the CIA, British, French, etc. always "helped elections" install someone to their liking during the Cold War.

Syria....there is nothing you can do to fix that. It was drawn up to be like Lebanon...constant internal strife so that European powers can influence one side for awhile...and when they got too confident...offer services to the opposition, and back and forth. They never expected dictators to take the helm. But none the less worked with them....until they served out their usefulness.

When it comes to Syria, either Russia and the USA work this out that is acceptable to them...or they just wait and see who gets exhausted first like Lebanon.

[florida08]

36. ummm

And who are these "Arab" countries? The only one I've seen that supports it is Saudi Arabia

[Ash_F]

38. If Saudi Arabia wants it, it is probably a bad idea. /nt

[Coyotl]

43. Saudi Arabia created the situation by supporting the opposition in Syria.

This boils down to a proxy war for iran and Saudi Arabia. Now the Saudis want the US to act as proxies too.

[wordpix]

46. good point + we used to pay our proxy & now we ARE the proxy. We're truly a 3rd World nation now

[jakeXT]

45. Qatar paid 3 billion

The gas-rich state of Qatar has spent as much as $3bn over the past two years supporting the rebellion in Syria, far exceeding any other government, but is now being nudged aside by Saudi Arabia as the prime source of arms to rebels.

http://www.ft.com/intl/cms/s/0/86e3f28e-be3a-11e2-bb35-00144feab7de.html

[florida08]

47. ahhh

my mistake. Forgot about Qatar. Probably the Emirates too

[freshwest]

80. Actually, it's a lot more than them:

The Arab League was founded in Cairo in 1945 by seven countries, Egypt, Iraq, Lebanon, Saudi Arabia, Syria, Transjordan (Jordan from 1946), and Yemen. There was a continual increase in membership during the second half of the 20th century, with additional 15 Arab States being admitted, with a current total of 21 member States due to Syria's suspension following the 2011 uprising.

On 22 February 2011, following the start of the Libyan civil war and the use of military force against civilians, the Arab League Secretary-General, Amr Moussa, stated that Libya's membership in the Arab League had been suspended: "the organisation has decided to halt the participation of the Libyan delegations from all Arab League sessions".[9] This makes Libya the second country in the League's history to have a frozen membership. Libyan leader Muammar Gaddafi declared that the League was illegitimate, saying: "The Arab League is finished. There is no such thing as the Arab League."[10][11] On 25 August 2011, Secretary-General Nabil Elaraby announced it was "about time" Libya's full member status was restored. The National Transitional Council, the partially recognised interim government of Libya, will send a representative to be seated at the Arab League meeting on 17 August to participate in a discussion as to whether to readmit Libya to the organisation.[12]

The Arab Parliament recommended the suspension of member states Syria and Yemen on 20 September 2011, over persistent reports of disproportionate violence against regime opponents and activists during the Arab Spring.[13] A vote on 12 November agreed to formally suspend Syria four days after the vote, giving Assad a last chance to avoid suspension. Syria, Lebanon, and Yemen voted against the motion, while Iraq abstained.[14] A wave of criticism rose as the Arab League sent in December 2011 a commission "monitoring" violence on people protesting against the regime. The commission was headed by Mohammad Ahmed Mustafa al-Dabi, who served as head of Omar al-Bashir's military intelligence, while war crimes including genocide were allegedly committed on his watch.[15][16][17] On 6 March 2013, the Arab League granted the Syrian National Coalition Syria's seat in the Arab League.[citation needed]

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Arab_League

They represent 22 nations composed of over 400 million people. They have not wanted Assad there for some time, seem to see Assad as a threat to them and their people.

The only reason I've heard stated for us for to do the action, is that they are not trained to do so. Each of these countries have military forces but they don't have the kind of know how American armed forces do.

IMO this is a sorry state of affairs for us, but the truth is that is what we have that others don't. I don't like us playing this role, but it's fact that is who we have become after the Cold War years. Success can be a failure.

The goal is what is called a just peace established after the conflict is ended. The Syrian conflict under the Assad family has been waged for generations now, no end in sight. It is now pulling in fighters from all Arab nations, some sponsored and some with nothing better to do. It's out of control. Millions are displaced. The countries most affected are Lebanon, Jordan and Turkey, with the latter calling for Assad to be removed by any means possible to stop the cycle.

That's all I know so far, this is a major mess.

[cstanleytech]

37. Does that include pensions to anyone disabled, survivor benefits to surviving spouses and children

as well as the cost to repair and or replace any equipment lost? Somehow I kinda doubt it.

[warrant46]

52. Will the Arabs Pay for the PTSD, the Wooden Legs the Plastic Hands, the Catheter Bags ?

Lifelong disability, the wheel chairs and the Nursing Homes ?

(some kool aid drinker made fun of this in another thread) called me stoopid and ignorant

[The Stranger]

39. Holy fuck, has Kerry lost his mind?

Even if they said something so fucking stupid, why would he admit to it?

[arewenotdemo]

51. It's like a bad science fiction movie where the human mask

splits apart to reveal the Roach Within.

That's what is happening to Kerry now.

[wordpix]

62. he is the 1% now, his Vietnam days far behind:-(

[quadrature]

40. perhaps it is time for a regional war..nt

[dixiegrrrrl]

48. Jsut when I thought I could not be any more gob smacked......

I went to the article just to make sure it was not the Onion or Borowitz, or the voices in my head.

ah, hell, why not? We have taken Czechoslovakia, then Poland, and Belgium......might as well go whole hog, seeing as how it is free and all that......

[KansDem]

55. Quick! Take the money and run!

Oh, wait! They may come after us. Maybe even fly a few airliners into our tallest buildings again.

May need to rethink this...

[Ocelot]

56. So our military has been annexed by Saudi Arabia

Kerry said they have offered to pay for all of a full invasion.

First it was limited strikes, then possibly boots on the ground, now a full invasion. And it's clear we're going to be mercenaries for "Arab countries". Kerry is getting creepier by the day...

[abelenkpe]

57. Yeah

Why am I reminded of: "The oil in Iraq will pay for the war?"

[Mysterysouppe]

64. Sound familiar? The Iraq War was supposed to pay for itself.

[wordpix]

66. well it did pay Cheney & his cronies at KBR Hollowburden

[arewenotdemo]

76. That's right!

Wolfowitz, I believe.

Kerry has transmogrified into Paul Wolfowitz.



I loved it when a House member asked him whether the power was "intoxicating", considering that as a young man he had protested the Vietnam War. Kerry proudly asserted that as a U.S. Senator he's backed one military action after another!

[Adam-Bomb]

69. That wasn't the smartest point to make...

by the SoS. It will cost the Administration, all right, in even greater lack of support.

Dumb.

[JustanAngel]

70. US, Syria and Saudi Arabia

Get the cash up front!

[Caretha]

72. This makes me truly sick

I will never be able to say this mad man's name without spitting first.

[daleo]

73. So, the U.S. is now a paid army for Arab countries

Well, I hope the price is right.

[Alamuti Lotus]

75. the Gulf dictatorships have been financing US militarism for decades

all involved parties are just being a bit more open and reckless when speaking about such matters at this time, starkly demonstrating the unbridled avarice and desperation of all involved.

[SammyWinstonJack]

77. Honestly who cares and what is the point and again who cares?????

[Scootaloo]

79. You know, it strikes me...

That if Saudi Arabia is willing to bankroll something, but not get involved in first-hand... then it's probably not a good idea.

[King_Klonopin]

82. Get me Luca Brazzi.

The lure of a "Free War" may be too great a temptation for the
war lusters. Kerry tries to soft-shoe around the term "full invasion"
and emphasize the "free" part.

We are, once again, getting ourselves mixed up in Arab in-fighting.
Can anyone clearly dilineate who are the players involved in this ?
The region is a mess. There are so many factions that you would
need to use calculus to figure out who's who. Who comprises "the
rebels"? What does Al Queda and Iran stand to gain? Who backs
Assad, besides Russia? What are the possible unintended
consequences?

"Arabs" are not all one, big, indiscernably happy family, as we are
lead to believe. Tribal and political fueds date back to Ishmael. The
Saudis, Turks, Jordanians, Iranians, and even some Lebanese would
just love for us to do their dirty work. The heads of those families
want Assad (the head of the Syrian family) to be whacked, and we
are their Luca Brazzi.

[PuffedMica]

83. Have gun; Will travel

The United States is moving to the business position of the AC/DC song "Dirty Deeds (done dirt cheap)"

What will be the next money making endeavor the Government moves into? How much could we collect using the old Mafia 'protection' racket? I can see it now, "You have a very pretty city there, it would be a shame if anything bad happened to it ..."

[jakeXT]

84. They don't need the US for that

As-Safir said Prince Bandar pledged to safeguard Russia’s naval base in Syria if the Assad regime is toppled, but he also hinted at Chechen terrorist attacks on Russia’s Winter Olympics in Sochi if there is no accord. “I can give you a guarantee to protect the Winter Olympics next year. The Chechen groups that threaten the security of the games are controlled by us,” he allegedly said.

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/finance/newsbysector/energy/oilandgas/10266957/Saudis-offer-Russia-secret-oil-deal-if-it-drops-Syria.html

[Nihil]

85. So it's out in the open now (with an unsurprising lack of shame) ...

Kerry is a pimp and is happily whoring out the bodies of American soldiers, sailors & airmen.

Like the sex industry, some will be willing volunteers for everything that is inflicted upon them
whilst others will have been seduced by the lies of the pimps into throwing away their futures,
their tears, their lives for the sake of money in the hand ... of someone else.

I hope the pro-war cheerleaders are truly proud of the depths to you have now attained.