....weave an intricate tapestry. Mike Pompeo Goes to Saudi Arabia and UAE to talk Iran and undoubtedly Turkeyabove is the original image included in the Guardian article this morningDon't forget the targeting of Turkey in all this. ( the next news item will broach that subject) Saudi Arabia and the UAE have been targeting Turkey, as has Egyptian dictator el- Sisi. All three nations Saudi Arabia, UAE and Egypt have embedded themselves with the Usrael Kurdish allies in the annexed Syrian territory.
"Mike Pompeo has met Saudi Arabia’s king and crown prince for talks as the US secretary of state seeks to promote an anti-Iran alliance at a time of mounting tensions in the region.“You are a dear friend,” King Salman told Pompeo, who is due to fly to the United Arab Emirates later on Monday for further discussions.Before his departure from the US, Pompeo said Saudi Arabia and the UAE were “great allies in the challenge that Iran presents”. He added: “We’ll be talking with them about how to make sure that we are all strategically aligned and how we can build out a global coalition.”
Nothing about Khashoggi mentionedAs Donald Trump increases sanctions against Iran:
"Donald Trump has ordered new sanctions against Iran’s supreme leader, Ali Khamenei, and other officials including eight Revolutionary Guard commanders in the latest step of an escalating pressure campaign.Iran’s foreign minister, Javad Zarif, will also face fresh sanctions in a few days, US officials said. He negotiated the 2015 nuclear deal with the US and other major powers, and has spearheaded Iranian diplomacy since.Signing an executive order in the Oval Office, Trump called the increased sanctions “hard-hitting”, saying they would deny the supreme leader, his office and and those closely affiliated with him access to key financial resources. “These measures represent a strong and proportionate response to Iran’s increasingly provocative actions,” Trump said.“We do not seek conflict with Iran or any other country,” the US president added. “I can only tell you we cannot ever let Iran have a nuclear weapon.”Standing alongside Trump, the treasury secretary, Steven Mnuchin, said the measures would freeze billions of dollars in Iranian assets.But analysts said their impact on an already heavily-sanctioned country would be limited"
Was all the talk about cutting arms sales to Saudi Arabia, last week, just a pressure tactic?Or simply perception management for the masses? UK and US were both on this meme last What arms manufacturer really wants any reduction in sales? Arms are big business. War is big business. And big business runs the governments. Had to have been spin for the gullible masses.What is al Sabhan doing in Manbij?
Saudi minister Thamer al-Sabhan has visited parts of eastern Syria under the control of the Syrian Democratic Forces to form an Arab force with members of the Arab tribes at its core
Two helicopters landed in the Saudi-American base, northwest of the city of Manbij, a few days ago, with Saudi minister Thamer al-Sabhan on board one of them to continue his tour of parts of eastern Syria under the control of the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF), according to Al-Modon’s correspondent Adnan al-Hussein.
Afterward, Sabhan headed in a convoy of three American military vehicles to Manbij, vowing to offer major support to the region in exchange for some conditions. The secrecy which accompanied the visit—the first of its kind—indicates that Saudi Arabia is trying to avoid an escalation with Turkey, at least superficially.
Reality is Saudi Arabia and co are looking for an escalation with Turkey
Immediately after his arrival, Sabhan held a broad meeting with the SDF’s “civil council,” responding for running affairs in Manbij. The meeting addressed the continuation of support for the council’s projects, and offering additional support to the city and services there. The council has been working to pave roads, build additional bridges and raising the level of services.Sabhan met with Manbij tribes as part of his intensive project to form an Arab force with members of the Arab tribes at its core, which would be linked to Saudi Arabia and under the authority of the SDF and the protection of the United States.
The aim of Sabhan’s visit is the beginning of the second stage of the war against the Islamic State and to develop the areas under the control of the International Coalition. It has taken on a tribal character in order to heal the rifts between the tribes and the SDF. The visit is also an attempt to win over the tribes and keep them away from Turkey, through Saudi support to build up military councils under Arab command, in a superficial division of powers within the SDF.
Superficiality is the media presentation- reality is the intent to destabilize Turkey further. Finally Turkey and the Istanbul election rerun:
Erdogan congratulates the winner of the Istanbul mayoral election"Erdogan congratulated Imamoglu, who beat the AKP candidate by more than 700,000 votes."
I saw the figures for the election and it wasn’t a landslide, but, it was a solid win. Clearly Erdogan is not the ‘dictator’ the spin doctors would have us believe. He handled the loss well. Accepted it. Congratulated the winner. And moved on with the business of running the country. The electoral process looks to be on solid ground. Despite, again, what the spin doctors would have us believe. That all said... the win in Istanbul could lead to a separatist movement being kicked off, down the road, in “european turkey” With lots of outside help, of course. Not written in stone but it’s definitely possible, more so now that this win has been confirmed.From Turkey to Georgia and Russia:
Parliamentary elections in Georgia in 2020 to be held based on proportional system Saakashvili Responds to Decision on Proportional Elections
"Western sponsors are ready to turn a blind eye to the violent riots by nationalists and their Russophobia, just to sever all ties of the Georgian people with our country and rewrite our common history," Lavrov said."We have taken an unbiased look at the role of the US and its allies on the international arena," he noted.