General Discussion
Related: Editorials & Other Articles, Issue Forums, Alliance Forums, Region ForumsSaudi Prince Joins ISIS Bombing Run
The prince was pictured in the cockpit of his Tornado jet, after piloting it in strikes against ISIS, in photos which were released by the Saudi government.
Should there be any doubts about the commitment of Saudi Arabia in the current U.S.-led attacks on ISIS, these photographs are clearly designed to lay them to rest.
They show Prince Khaled bin Salman, a very senior Saudi prince (he is the son of the heir to the Saudi Arabian throne) in a Top Gun pose, having apparently just arrived back from taking part in a U.S.-led bombing run on the strongholds of ISIS militants in Iraq.
Robert Lacey, author of The Kingdom: Arabia and the House of Sa'ud, told the Daily Beast: "Quite a number of the brighter and more hard-working Saudi princes are fighter pilots - trained in Britain or America and happy to get up at dawn to go out on patrol. They see it as being in the tradition of their grandfather, Abdul Aziz, the great warrior of the desert who created the Kingdom. He built it with camels. They defend it with Typhoons and F-15s."
The princes involvement is designed to telegraph a very clear message, and help refute claims that senior elements in the kingdom sympathizes with the radical group.
The prince - whose father is defense minister - was pictured in the cockpit of his Tornado jet, reportedly after piloting it in strikes against ISIS, in photos which were released by the Saudi government.
more...
http://www.thedailybeast.com/articles/2014/09/25/saudi-prince-joins-isis-bombing-run.html
JI7
(89,287 posts)delrem
(9,688 posts)If that truly is the real face of the US Coalition in the Great War on Terror, I'm totally onside.
Even tho' it's been photoshopped to hell and gone.
You can't believe how totally onside I am with the House of Saud.
I wonder if he could do a joint photo-op with Prince Harry?
That'd push the Kardishians off the top spot for US consciousness, I'm sure!
GGJohn
(9,951 posts)How do you know? Got proof?
delrem
(9,688 posts)I'm just guessing by the smirk on the Saudi prince's face, that he'd ensure it was shopped, first, before distribution to for war propaganda.
So ya got me, GG.
GGJohn
(9,951 posts)I couldn't tell, so I thought maybe you have more experience in recognizing a photoshop.
delrem
(9,688 posts)GGJohn
(9,951 posts)and I wouldn't put it past the Kingdom to pull something like what you suggest.
SomethingFishy
(4,876 posts)it could be Photoshopped... I'll grab it and see if I can see it up close..
GGJohn
(9,951 posts)I can't tell if that's a necklace or a pixel line on his neck.
l
SomethingFishy
(4,876 posts)near the blue marking on the neck of his uniform, however the rest looks good, if it's a photoshop it's a good one.
I do a lot of photoshops and the lighting is always the most difficult and here the light all seems right.
Purveyor
(29,876 posts)Purveyor
(29,876 posts)GGJohn
(9,951 posts)I would think that those news organization's would know the difference between a photoshopped picture and a genuine picture.
delrem
(9,688 posts)But maybe today, now that we're well into the bombing of Syria, it doesn't fucking matter whether anyone "gets it" anymore.
nationalize the fed
(2,169 posts)Scootaloo
(25,699 posts)The Saudis don't allow non-royals to be pilots.
whatchamacallit
(15,558 posts)jaysunb
(11,856 posts)No $$$$ no terrorism. Fuck em.
GeorgeGist
(25,326 posts)He's sitting in a spotless cockpit in a hanger. I'm so not buying it.
Octafish
(55,745 posts)I'll say.
Secrets of al-Yamamah.
Baclava
(12,047 posts)Islam forbids Muslims from divorcing out of anger or for petty reasons, but this injunction did not stop a Saudi man from leaving his wife because she refused to close their car door, according to recent reports in local media and on social networking sites.
The couple reportedly went out on a picnic and when they returned home, the wife got out, helped their children to do so and then moved to go into their house.
Her husband then called out for her to close the door, but she refused, saying he should do so because he was closer to it. Incensed at her reply, the husband reportedly said: You are forbidden to me and should not enter my home if you do not close the door.
The woman then reportedly left and returned to her father's house. Many people have tried to reconcile the couple, but the woman has rejected all attempts, saying that she does not want to remain married to such an "irresponsible" man
Arab News spoke to well-known Saudi Sheikh Asim Al-Hakim on the matter, who said that the divorce is valid based on the man's actions.
http://www.arabnews.com/saudi-arabia/news/635346