Remember Prince Bandar 'Bush'?

[Ichingcarpenter]

Syria, the Saudi connection: The Prince with close ties to Washington at the heart of the push for war



He has been gone from the capital for eight years, but Prince Bandar bin Sultan, who as Saudi Arabia’s ambassador to Washington wielded influence over no fewer than five different US presidents, has re-emerged as a pivotal figure in the struggle by America and its allies to tilt the battlefield balance against the regime in Syria.

Appointed by the Saudi king, his uncle, last year as the head of the Saudi General Intelligence Agency, Prince Bandar has reportedly for months been focused exclusively on garnering international support, including arms and training, for Syrian rebel factions in pursuit of the eventual toppling of President Bashar al-Assad.

It is a long-term Saudi goal, that in the past several days has been subsumed by the more immediate crisis over the purported use of chemical weapons by Damascus, which, according to Riyadh, must be met by a stern response. That message is being delivered to President Barack Obama by the current Saudi Ambassador in Washington, Adel al-Jubeir, who is a Bandar protégé.

It was Prince Bandar’s intelligence agency that first alerted Western allies to the alleged use of sarin gas by the Syrian regime in February.


http://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/middle-east/syria-the-saudi-connection-the-prince-with-close-ties-to-washington-at-the-heart-of-the-push-for-war-8785049.html


Now if you don't remember him then



Iran/Contra Prince Bandar
He was exposed for his involvement in the Iran-Contra scandal. He had arranged $32 million in Saudi financing for the Nicaraguan Contras.[3] Nancy Reagan used him to relay messages to the Cabinet

He was also the “bagman” for the Iran-Contra deal, transferring American money to the Iranians during this controversial episode in American history.


911/ Prince Bandar

A Saudi named Omar al-Bayoumi housed and opened bank accounts for two of the 9/11 hijack­ers. About two weeks after the assis­tance began, al-Bayoumi’s wife began receiv­ing monthly pay­ments total­ing tens of thou­sands of dol­lars from Princess Haifa bint Faisal, the wife of Saudi ambas­sador and Bush fam­ily con­fi­dant, Prince Ban­dar bin Sul­tan, through a Riggs bank account. [1] (Jonathan Bush, uncle of Pres­i­dent George W. Bush, was an exec­u­tive at Riggs Bank dur­ing this period.)

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Riggs_Bank
http://www.vanityfair.com/politics/features/2011/08/9-11-2011-201108






Iraq war/ Prince Bandar

In 2003 helped the administration of George W. Bush make the fateful decision to enter Iraq to find elusive weapons of mass destruction.


http://theprincethesecretstory.wordpress.com/

[malaise]

1. K & R

n/t

[AzDar]

2. K & R

[Junkdrawer]

3. He just told Putin: Play ball or we'll send more Chechen (AQ) terrorists to the Olympics....

Bandar told Putin, “There are many common values ​​and goals that bring us together, most notably the fight against terrorism and extremism all over the world. Russia, the US, the EU and the Saudis agree on promoting and consolidating international peace and security. The terrorist threat is growing in light of the phenomena spawned by the Arab Spring. We have lost some regimes. And what we got in return were terrorist experiences, as evidenced by the experience of the Muslim Brotherhood in Egypt and the extremist groups in Libya. ... As an example, I can give you a guarantee to protect the Winter Olympics in the city of Sochi on the Black Sea next year. The Chechen groups that threaten the security of the games are controlled by us, and they will not move in the Syrian territory’s direction without coordinating with us. These groups do not scare us. We use them in the face of the Syrian regime but they will have no role or influence in Syria’s political future.”

Putin thanked King Abdullah for his greetings and Bandar for his exposition, but then he said to Bandar, “We know that you have supported the Chechen terrorist groups for a decade. And that support, which you have frankly talked about just now, is completely incompatible with the common objectives of fighting global terrorism that you mentioned. We are interested in developing friendly relations according to clear and strong principles.”

Bandar said that the matter is not limited to the kingdom and that some countries have overstepped the roles drawn for them, such as Qatar and Turkey. He added, “We said so directly to the Qataris and to the Turks. We rejected their unlimited support to the Muslim Brotherhood in Egypt and elsewhere. The Turks’ role today has become similar to Pakistan’s role in the Afghan war. We do not favor extremist religious regimes, and we wish to establish moderate regimes in the region. It is worthwhile to pay attention to and to follow up on Egypt’s experience. We will continue to support the army, and we will support Defense Minister Gen. Abdel Fattah al-Sisi because he is keen on having good relations with us and with you. And we suggest to you to be in contact with him, to support him and to give all the conditions for the success of this experiment. We are ready to hold arms deals with you in exchange for supporting these regimes, especially Egypt.”

...

Putin: Our stance on Assad will not change

Regarding the Syrian issue, the Russian president responded to Bandar, saying, “Our stance on Assad will never change. We believe that the Syrian regime is the best speaker on behalf of the Syrian people, and not those liver eaters. During the Geneva I Conference, we agreed with the Americans on a package of understandings, and they agreed that the Syrian regime will be part of any settlement. Later on, they decided to renege on Geneva I. In all meetings of Russian and American experts, we reiterated our position.

....

Read more: http://www.al-monitor.com/pulse/politics/2013/08/saudi-russia-putin-bandar-meeting-syria-egypt.html

Tip 'o the hat to Catherina:

http://www.democraticunderground.com/?com=view_post&forum=1002&pid=3567138

[Ichingcarpenter]

6. Been sorta off line... but tips to Catherina

I don't know who I distrust more

Saudia Arabia, Iran or Israel

They all do nasty things.

[iamthebandfanman]

21. i know right? n/t

[KittyWampus]

8. Tip of the hat to CATHERINA? I posted that info TUESDAY. This illustrates agendas very nicely.

http://www.democraticunderground.com/10023547082

[Junkdrawer]

13. I acknowledged where I read it...

I don't monitor DU 24x7....

[Divernan]

34. Kitty posted after 11 p.m. & it sank w/ only 3 recs -

How could ANY of us have missed it!?!? (sarcasm)

[NealK]

43. Lol!

[bahrbearian]

16. Hey every body KittyWampus can cut and paste too.

[KittyWampus]

22. Unlike Catherina, I can cut/paste without bogus editorializing.

My thread title- "Saudis offer Russia secret oil deal if it drops Syria (Telegraph, UK)"

Catherina's title- "Duped? Doubt they're duped. We kneel to the Saudis. " US & Saudi Arabia tried to bribe Russia ""

[delrem]

17. +1 for pettiness.

[KittyWampus]

24. No, this speaks to the need for some to cling to their bias and stick to their narrative

Even when that narrative is foolishly simplistic.

I posted the two thread titles for comparison.

I'll repost here it here once more:

My thread title- "Saudis offer Russia secret oil deal if it drops Syria (Telegraph, UK)"

Catherina's title- "Duped? Doubt they're duped. We kneel to the Saudis. " US & Saudi Arabia tried to bribe Russia ""

[GeorgeGist]

37. Yours sounds like a headline.

Hers sounds like a protest sign.

Point KittyWampus.

[rhett o rick]

38. I prefer to hear how the poster feels about the item. It's easy to post

without committing yourself to a stand.

[malaise]

41. My question is whether he was/is connected to those

Chechens who blew up the Boston Marathon. How did they all get political asylum.

[Berlum]

4. xCommander AWOL Bush (R - BFEE) & his intimate Saudi crony

Republicons & Cronies up to their usual nefarious, cesspool 'Family Values' evil shit.

[MindMover]

36. ..........enough said

src="" width="225" height="275" alt="OasamaBush"></a>

[louis-t]

5. Prince Bandar bin Curveball.

We're screwed.

[BlueMTexpat]

7. Bandar is the Saudi equivalent to

the Kochs in the US: the unofficial leader of the as yet unofficial Saudi Tea Party.

And when you're talking about Saudi Arabia, that means the farthest right of the far RW. Bandar likely considers the Kochs as "leftists."

Thanks for the links!

[Jesus Malverde]

19. Closer to eric prince

Billionaire son, turned CIA operative.

[MADem]

23. No he isn't. He's closer to a combo of a Director of National Intelligence and National

Security Advisor to the King.

He has an official role in government; the Koch Brothers do not.

[BlueMTexpat]

28. That makes him even worse. eom

[MADem]

29. Well, the bottom line is this--he's not just some corporate asshole. He's an integral

part of the government of the KSA.

[BlueMTexpat]

30. OK, we agree.

He's an integral part of the KSA who is also an asshole who has and is aligned with significant corporate interests - many of which also happen to be those of the far RW in the US.

It's a distinction without a difference. Why are you pushing this? I really don't understand why my phraseology seems to bother you so much.

[MADem]

31. I'm not "pushing" anything--but calling a government official, one who holds not one, but

two, major intelligence posts in the KSA, with direct access to the ruler of that nation, the "equivalent" of those wealthy bullshitting dabblers, the Koch Brothers, who have no such influence and no such access, is just not on.

It has nothing to do with phraseology--it has everything to do with accuracy. There is a huge difference between them.

[sabrina 1]

9. Not surprising then that Al Queda is a big part of the 'rebel army' in Syria. He

A Saudi named Omar al-Bayoumi housed and opened bank accounts for two of the 9/11 hijack­ers. About two weeks after the assis­tance began, al-Bayoumi’s wife began receiv­ing monthly pay­ments total­ing tens of thou­sands of dol­lars from Princess Haifa bint Faisal, the wife of Saudi ambas­sador and Bush fam­ily con­fi­dant, Prince Ban­dar bin Sul­tan, through a Riggs bank account. (Jonathan Bush, uncle of Pres­i­dent George W. Bush, was an exec­u­tive at Riggs Bank dur­ing this period.)

No wonder the Brits backed out of this disaster.

[KoKo]

10. Pepe Escobar did an incredible rant on Bandar Bush and Syria....

It was on RT last night.

[Junkdrawer]

11. This it?

[KoKo]

12. yes..

[HooptieWagon]

14. Yep, Bandar Bush is in it up to his eyeballs.

He's the one behind a Saudi gas pipeline through Syria to Europe, threatening Russia's monopoly. And given his involvement in Iran/Contra, 9/11, and the Iraq War; I'd say whomever hitches their wagon to that horse is gonna get played for a fool.

[Scootaloo]

15. And the al-Sauds continue their career as human blights against the people of the middle east

Just think, with all that money, and with the prestige of holding Arabia, all the actually good they could be accomplishing in the entire region, and beyond.

Instead they flush all the money down the toilet in Monaco casinos and use what's left to propagate salafism.

BlueMT has it right in his post above; these ambulatory asspipes are pretty much the equivalent of the Kochs... worse, perhaps, since at least the Kochs have to cut deals with middlemen to get their bullshit implemented, the Sauds just have to implement it.

[BlueMTexpat]

20. LOL - just one correction ...

"BlueMT has it right in her post above ..." but thanks all the same!

And you are right - you don't have to cut deals with middlemen when you are one of the Saudi royals.

[Douglas Carpenter]

18. knr

[Zorra]

25. nice find, thanks K&R nt

[reusrename]

26. Yep, he's trying to topple Assad.

Officials inside the Central Intelligence Agency knew that Saudi Arabia was serious about toppling Syrian President Bashar al-Assad when the Saudi king named Prince Bandar bin Sultan al-Saud to lead the effort.

They believed that Prince Bandar, a veteran of the diplomatic intrigues of Washington and the Arab world, could deliver what the CIA couldn't: planeloads of money and arms, and, as one U.S. diplomat put it, wasta, Arabic for under-the-table clout.

http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424127887323423804579024452583045962.html

Some folks are starting to implicate him directly in the gas attacks:

The article co-authored by a veteran AP reporter, said interviews with doctors, residents, anti-government forces and their families in Ghouta suggest the terrorists in question received chemical weapons via Saudi spymaster Saudi Arabia's intelligence chief Prince Bandar bin Sultan Al Saud.

The report quoted the father of a militant as saying that his son and 12 others were killed inside a tunnel used to store weapons supplied by a Saudi militant leader, known as Abu Ayesha.
http://www.presstv.ir/detail/2013/08/30/321260/syria-militants-use-saudisupplied-gas/

[MADem]

32. Some folks? You mean the Iranians? He hates them and they hate him--surprise, surprise!

Press TV is not a legitimate source--they make RT look credible.

[Dems to Win]

27. K&R Thanks for links.

[Spitfire of ATJ]

33. "Remember Prince Bandar 'Bush'?"

Yup:

[Judi Lynn]

35. He seems to love the Bushes.

[center]



[/center]

[itsrobert]

39. Congress just won the lotto

if you know what I mean.

[niyad]

40. darn--and I was really hoping he had been relegated to the jail cell he so richly merits.

[tex-wyo-dem]

42. When are people finally going to connect the dots...

It is all connected.

Every action of war, power, money, resources, wealth.

It is all connected.

If you ever question why things are the way they are, follow the money.

It's really that simple.

[bobthedrummer]

44. The House of Saud has accepted his resignation as spymaster and Syrian policy-maker n/t

[bobthedrummer]

45. Worth another read-kick n/t