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Trump Signs 40 Trade Agreements with Saudis

I have my doubts Donald Trump can even read 40 documents, but in Saudi Arabia, he signed the United States' name to them anyway. We're now a party to 40 economic agreements totaling $350 billion , (or $280 billion,depending on which press release you read) most of which, from what I can tell, create jobs for the Saudis in Saudi Arabia, give them a huge amount of war toys and line the pockets of the shareholders of companies like Dow Chemical, Lockheed Martin and General Electric.

The Saudi Official News page for the economic summit couldn't be more different than the spin Donald Trump is putting out. Examples: [More...]

Minister of Finance Mohammed Al-Jadaan held a press conference at the Marriott Media Center in Riyadh today.[He]said that the agreements signed today with the US side strengthen the Saudi economy in various fields and contribute to creating job opportunities for Saudi youths.

He pointed out that today an agreement was signed to localize the arms industry in the Kingdom, which will achieve the vision of the Kingdom 2030 to provide 50% of the kingdom's purchases of arms in 2030, noting that the signed agreement is an investment agreement and not a purchase of weapons.

On Dow and General Electric:

Among the more than 40 agreements signed during President Trump’s visit are investments valued at $15 billion by GE to build capacity in the Kingdom, generate power, deliver skills training and drive digital transformation.

Dow, the second largest global chemicals company, signed an agreement to invest more than $100 million to construct a facility to produce a range of polymers for coatings and water-treatment applications.

Another version:

Dow, the second largest manufacturer of chemicals in the world, signed an agreement to invest more than $100 million to construct a state-of-the-art manufacturing facility to produce a range of polymers for coatings and water-treatment applications, and a memorandum of understanding for a feasibility study related to a proposed investment in the Company’s Performance Silicones franchise. These agreements are expected to create nearly 450 permanent job opportunities upon completion.

More on GE:

With the aim of building capacity in the Kingdom, generating power, facilitating supplier
training and development and driving digital transformation, GE announced in partnership with the Kingdom a range of Memorandums of Understanding (MOU) and projects valued at $15 billion. Expanding its presence in the Kingdom, GE’s agreements will significantly elevate power generation capabilities; provide a large-scale boost to the global industrial supply chain; and introduce massive productivity and efficiency savings through digital solutions in both the oil and gas and mining sectors.

Here's the graphic the Saudis distributed on Lockheed and Dow.

In yet another release, the Saudis tout:

  • 150 Blackhawk helicopters to be assembled in Saudi Arabia in partnership with U.S. company, Lockheed Martin
  • Raytheon announces plans to establish new Raytheon Arabia business unit
  • Agreement with General Dynamics on localization of ground combat vehicle manufacturing and support.

The Saudis make sure to point out the jobs from these projects will be in Saudi Arabia:

A landmark defense and armaments agreement was reached in Riyadh today at the Saudi-U.S. CEO Forum, including a Letter of Intent totalling $6
billion to assemble 150 Lockheed Martin Blackhawk helicopters.

...A significant number of defense agreements and announcements were made at the Forum and new licences issued for U.S. defense companies to establish their footprint in the Kingdom, further strengthening the established ties of economic interdependency.

An agreement reached with U.S. defense company Lockheed Martin will support the final assembly and completion of an estimated 150 S-70 Black
Hawk utility helicopters in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. The program is expected to support approximately 450 jobs in Saudi Arabia. It supports Saudi Arabia’s Vision 2030 by developing local capabilities through technology and
skills transfer.

In addition to establishing Raytheon Arabia, U.S. defense and cyber leader Raytheon will focus on implementing programs to create indigenous defense, aerospace, and security capabilities in the Kingdom....

U.S. defense contractor General Dynamics has agreed to localize design, engineering, manufacturing, and support of armored combat vehicles on current and future programs with a target of fifty-percent localization in support of Vision 2030. (my emphasis.)

Trump did sign an agreement that will increase Saudi investment in one industry in the U.S. -- oil. They have taken over Motiva Enterprises' U.S. operations at the company's facility in Port Arthur, Texas, which is the largest oil refinery in the U.S, with an output of 603,000-barrel-per-day. Until early this month, Motiva was owned by two companies, Royal Dutch Shell Oil and Saudi Aramco. They split up and divided the assets, which included the Port Arthur refinery, 24 oil distribution centers and 5,300 gas stations in 7 states.

Aramco would also take over 26 distribution terminals and have exclusive license to use the Shell brand for gasoline and diesel sales in Texas, the majority of the Mississippi River Valley, and the Southeast and Mid-Atlantic markets.

Shell is slated to become sole owner of two Louisiana refineries with a combined capacity of 472,700 bpd and Shell-branded gasoline stations in Florida, Louisiana and the U.S. Northeast.

According to the Saudis:

Following the announcement [2nd May] that Saudi Aramco has taken full ownership of Motiva Enterprises LLC, the Port Arthur facilities will become the first fully Saudi owned asset for oil refining and marketing in the U.S. Already covering over 24 distribution stations and 5,300 gas stations, Motiva’s existing operations in the U.S. cross seven states: Texas, Alabama, Georgia, Kentucky, Louisiana, Mississippi, and Tennessee.
Today’s agreement will see new investment in increased oil refining capacity at Port Arthur, as well as an expansion of Motiva Enterprises LLC’s operations in the petrochemicals value chain across the United States.

Donald Trump is so desperate for his Administration to be able to claim it accomplished something, and so hungry for approval, that for a little flattery and a lot of pomp and circumstance, he's willing to sign whatever is put in front of him.

< Ivanka Subs for Pops at Saudi Twitter Forum | Report: Body of Suicide Bomber Found at Manchester Arena >
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  • Display: Sort:
    this has to be the best Trump pic (5.00 / 2) (#4)
    by CaptHowdy on Mon May 22, 2017 at 08:43:26 AM EST
    since the one of him and Mitt having dinner
    BE AFRAID


    Between the (5.00 / 1) (#6)
    by KeysDan on Mon May 22, 2017 at 11:26:57 AM EST
    artless deals and the seance with the glowing orb, those Trump voters in MI, WI, and PA will feel relief from their economic anxiety.

    Cheeto is reportedly (none / 0) (#1)
    by MKS on Mon May 22, 2017 at 06:42:54 AM EST
    exhausted.    And this is just the first country on his trip.  Low energy.

    Bad diet and no exercise. (none / 0) (#2)
    by fishcamp on Mon May 22, 2017 at 07:54:25 AM EST
    Heh, man, (none / 0) (#7)
    by MKS on Mon May 22, 2017 at 11:44:00 AM EST
    Cheeto puts catchup on his well done steak.  All- American!

    Parent
    A steady stream of burnt steak and catsup (none / 0) (#20)
    by Militarytracy on Tue May 23, 2017 at 08:53:39 AM EST
    How is he not tick tock tick tock?

    Parent
    tick tock (5.00 / 1) (#21)
    by CaptHowdy on Tue May 23, 2017 at 08:59:58 AM EST
    Ugh (none / 0) (#22)
    by Militarytracy on Tue May 23, 2017 at 09:14:31 AM EST
    Bottom line (none / 0) (#3)
    by Abdul Abulbul Amir on Mon May 22, 2017 at 08:04:45 AM EST
    There will be jobs in both Saudi and the US. Of course the Saudi press focused on the Saudi jobs.

    For example, those Blackhawk assembly jobs will be assembling parts made in the US, the assembly equipment will be US designed and sourced as well.

    On a related note, there are plenty of Americans happily employed assembling Hondas, Nissans, Toyotas, and Hyundais with foreign sourced components.

    The American (5.00 / 3) (#9)
    by Ga6thDem on Mon May 22, 2017 at 12:01:33 PM EST
    Press said it was almost all Saudi jobs because they are going to be made over there.

    The Trump apologia never ends it seems.

    Parent

    The assembly jobs (none / 0) (#23)
    by Abdul Abulbul Amir on Thu May 25, 2017 at 11:27:14 AM EST

    Yes, the assembly jobs will be primarily Saudi.

    The assembly equipment will be designed built and shipped from the US. As will the component parts to feed the assembly process.

    If your source in the American Pess was only considering assembly jobs instead of total jobs, then it is misleading at best.

    Parent

    Actually, the bottom line here is that ... (5.00 / 1) (#12)
    by Donald from Hawaii on Mon May 22, 2017 at 01:36:20 PM EST
    ... the United States is continuing to support and prop up a 21st century feudal kingdom which is being run and exploited by one single family -- the House of Saud -- as its own exclusive personal fiefdom, AND which was also further complicit in enabling the 9/11 tragedy in our own country that was perpetrated by malcontented Saudi citizens.

    Money isn't everything, you know -- nor should it be.

    Parent

    Deck chairs (none / 0) (#11)
    by MKS on Mon May 22, 2017 at 12:11:26 PM EST
    gimmes anyway.

    Parent
    Eat your heart out, David Lynch (none / 0) (#5)
    by jondee on Mon May 22, 2017 at 09:37:21 AM EST


    Trump's confirmation (none / 0) (#10)
    by KeysDan on Mon May 22, 2017 at 12:07:21 PM EST
    was surely very helpful--to the Russians; might as well have given names.  Also, Trump said to President Rivlin and a group of Israelis, that he had just got back from the Middle East, and was treated very, very well.  Espionage and geography are not among his terrific points.

    that comment was deleted (none / 0) (#13)
    by Jeralyn on Mon May 22, 2017 at 01:43:15 PM EST
    Trump denied he said it came from Israel, and denied it did come from Israel.

    (I think it came from Jordan which passed it on to Israel who passed it on the U.S., and no one told Trump the source)

    Parent

    this is the kos post (none / 0) (#14)
    by CaptHowdy on Mon May 22, 2017 at 02:06:45 PM EST
    In case anyone had any concerns about the provenance of the highly classified information that Donald Trump spilled during his meeting with Russian Ambassador Kislyak and Foreign Minister Lavrov, Trump cleared up any remaining doubts.

    "Just so you understand, I never mentioned the word or the name Israel," Trump insisted ahead of a bilateral session with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.

    He said the story was misreported.

    "You have another story wrong," he said.
    Trump gave up information gleaned from a carefully placed Israeli agent ... but that's okay because he never said the word or the name.

    The Russian officers in charge of marking the source of that information as 75 percent certain can now add that last 25 percent. Thanks for the confirmation, Don!

    but if the NYPost says no.....

    Parent

    Yes, the deletion (none / 0) (#15)
    by KeysDan on Mon May 22, 2017 at 02:38:58 PM EST
    was confusing.  The Daily Kos reporting is what is being widely reported.

    Parent
    meh (none / 0) (#16)
    by CaptHowdy on Mon May 22, 2017 at 02:44:42 PM EST
    legal blog.  accuracy is important.  i did say he confirmed it.  whats being reported by TPM, Mother Jones, Daily Beast and others is that he seems to have confirmed it.

    what he definitely without doubt did do is confirm he leaked to the Russians by saying he never used the word Israel when he leaked.

    Parent

    True Story: (5.00 / 2) (#17)
    by KeysDan on Mon May 22, 2017 at 03:14:59 PM EST
    Early in my professional career, another young colleague and me suspected that my department would be promoting Jones (whom we felt was unqualified but likely to be promoted), during a meeting that day.

     Shortly after the promotions committee adjourned, we encountered the Department Chair in the hallway, and remarked: "so, you promoted Jones, huh."  The Chair was quite upset and proceeded to send a memo to all members of the promotion committee wanting to know who broke their pledge to maintain silence on Jones promotion until the official announcement.  We never told the Chair how we found out.  

    Parent

    Some sort of attack in UK (none / 0) (#18)
    by Militarytracy on Mon May 22, 2017 at 07:53:48 PM EST
    I thought Trump was stopping this, quickly, and he was the only person who could do that?

    Explosion at an Ariana Grande concert (none / 0) (#19)
    by caseyOR on Mon May 22, 2017 at 08:02:05 PM EST
     At a large arena in Manchester England. Lots of young girls at this concert. Grande is very popular with young teens.

    Police have said 19 dead. 50 injured.

    Parent