Saudi deputy crown prince requests meeting on Yemen with U.N. chief

[bemildred]

Saudi Arabia's powerful deputy crown prince requested a meeting with U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon after the United Nations infuriated Riyadh by briefly blacklisting a Saudi-led coalition for killing children in Yemen, a U.N. spokesman said on Friday.

Mohammed bin Salman is expected to be in New York on Tuesday for meetings with business leaders after a visit to the U.S. West Coast, a diplomatic source told Reuters.

"An official request has come to the office of the secretary-general for a meeting with the deputy crown prince and as soon as we're able to confirm something we shall," U.N. spokesman Stephane Dujarric said.

He added that the U.N. had not yet responded to a June 8 letter to Ban from Saudi U.N. Ambassador Abdallah Al-Mouallimi on behalf of the Saudi-led coalition in Yemen asking the United Nations to reveal details on the sources of information for its report on violations of child rights during armed conflicts.

http://www.reuters.com/article/us-yemen-security-saudi-un-idUSKCN0Z324R

[Jesus Malverde]

1. Mohammed bin Salman might end up in the Hague.

He's right to be worried. There is a cell available right next to Milošević.

[bemildred]

2. Saudi Arabia repeats call for US strikes on Assad

Saudi Arabia on Friday reiterated its call for air strikes against Bashar al-Assad's regime in Syria, after US diplomats broke ranks with the White House to push for robust action.

Briefing journalists after talks at the White House, Saudi Foreign Minister Adel al-Jubeir said the kingdom had long urged Washington to lead a military response to undermine Assad's control.

At the Saudi Embassy, Jubeir noted that from the very start of the crisis, Riyadh had pushed for "a more robust policy, including air strikes, safe zones, a no fly zone, a no drive zone."

He said Saudi Arabia wanted to arm Syria's "moderate opposition" with ground-to-air missiles and repeated an offer to deploy Saudi special forces in any US-led operation.

http://www.digitaljournal.com/news/world/saudi-arabia-repeats-call-for-us-strikes-on-assad/article/467961

The Israelis seem upset too, worried about Hezbollah.

Assad Regains Enough Strength To Arm Israel’s Enemy

http://dailycaller.com/2016/06/17/assad-regains-enough-strength-to-arm-israels-enemy/

[KoKo]

3. Interesting....

For some..."Time is of the Essence."

Such a flurry of warlike news.

[bemildred]

4. The Mighty Wurlitzer is not what it used to be.

But they keep trying.

I consider it a good thing when the War Party is forced to defend its warmongering in public, like with the Junior King or the "51 Diplomats", but it doesn't mean they will go away, far from it, they get more strident.

But this effort here is probably framing the debate for the next President, who will get the bums rush for war as soon as he or she hits office.

And that leaves Obama with an incentive to settle things now.

[KoKo]

5. I hope so...

And that leaves Obama with an incentive to settle things now.

He doesn't have many choices, except to "wait and watch" using Kerry for diplomacy or work with Putin, if things get really out of hand with the Saudi's, and those who favor the Saudi's. We've seen that there are many in the PTB who want an endless Cold War with Putin plus the Iran Deal overturned. Their power is still strong...with 51 mid-level Diplomats and their backers and the hope and plan that Hillary will follow a more hawkish policy than Obama. Obama is truly "between Iraq and a Hard Place," imho.

I think we are at some kind of crossroads....which direction...who knows.