Is this political cartoon accurate?

[llorando]

Can say that it is

Can't say tha it is

[nightdrot]

Nope, it is nonsense on stilts. It is the oversimplification of foreign policy and a long history of American relations with Saudi Arabia specifically and the Middle East generally. More to the point, it is - literally - an illustration of the self-satisfied tripe that is characteristic of an age sopped in populist self-satisfaction and pristine innocence of the way the world works.

To start, cards on the table, I am a Republican who is no fan of Mr. Trump and who did not vote for him. So I have no ax to grind on his behalf. However, for all his many, many faults, one of Mr. Trump's redeeming virtues is that in his foreign policy he has not lost sight of Lord Palmerston's dictum. To wit, "We have no eternal allies, and we have no perpetual enemies. Our interests are eternal and perpetual, and those interests it is our duty to follow."

To that should be added the observation of President Theodore Roosevelt, "World peace comes not from human kindness or moral restraint, but from balanced power; equilibriums of force restraining the selfish aims of nation-states." In grown-up world - and TR was nothing if not very grown up - it is recognized that the international arena is the realm of Machiavelli and not Mother Teresea. It is the realm of power not principle.

Principles prevailing only to the extent that a dominant power, by being successful, may either impose its principles or be imitated by other states seeking to replicate the factors that conduced to the accomplishments of the successful power. Even then, never perfectly or completely.

The problem with the cartoon is that it presumes mere narrow crass political motives specific to President Trump. This ignores the fact that the United States has maintained a close relationship with Saudi Arabia since the 1940s. This ignoring the fact that there has been an identity of interests between the two powers, albeit not an identity of values, since at least the late 1970s when Iran became a disruptive force in the Middle East. This ignoring that the United States has served as the guarantor of the oil and natural gas assets of the the kingdom and the region not just for itself, but for its even more energy dependent allies and - this is key - trading partners.

(The last being important because the economic health of our allies conduces to America's own economic health. It also being notable that Saudi Arabia purchases American manufactured weapons. This boosting further the American economy at the margins and - even more significantly - giving the U. S. a marginally greater advantage in influencing Saudi military and foreign policy.)

This does not mean that Saudi Arabia and the United States share the same values. Moreover, it does not even mean that they completely share each other's strategic interests or view them in the same way. This is an alliance of convenience and interests, not love and affection.

Even then, the relations between even the closest allies pursue their interests first. See also the "special relationship" between the US and the UK. Bound together not only by strategic interests but many shared values, even during the life-and-death struggle against a palpable evil in World War II, Roosevelt put so much pressure on Britain to dissolve the Indian empire that at one point Churchill threatened to resign if he did not back off. Back off FDR did, as by any cold calculating cost/benefit analysis the UK was more important to the US than any effort to put paid to the British Empire.

The cartoon that is the subject of this question is prissy and naive. It assumes that "making nice" with less than savory allies is a moral failing that is pertinent to foreign policy. Indeed, one wonders what the cartoonist thought of Mr. Obama's illicit planeloads of cash to Iran - a nation with whom US relations were even then very bad and whose interests and values even more blatantly clash with America's.

CONT.

[nightdrot]

The relationship between Saudi Arabia and the United States is one of cold calculating interests and conduces to a relative - and these things are always relative in an imperfect world - stability in the region and the wider world. Good enough for government work as the old saw has it. If that offends the cartoonist's tender sensibilities he might do well to consider what the alternatives in a sad and brutal world would look like.

[jiffyjeff1029]

Now why would Trump kiss the Saudis ass?

That was Obamas job!!
He just opened all the oil wells in the gulf of Mexico and Alaska so we produced American produced oil and gasoline. We are no longer dependent on Middle Eastern oil. He cut 2 skids full of regulations that were taxing and penalizing small and large businesses. Made a law that for every new regulation passed they had to get rid of 2 old regulations. The Dems have done nothing for the border wall. So Trump took the money out of the 800 billion defense budget to build it.

Now for all you that say the wall is bullshit...

Do you have a point of entry on your home?
Do you have walls that keep unwanted people out and from stealing your stuff?
Do you get assistance from the taxes you pay?

Well there you go.
Cheap oil.
The wall.

Now look at the democratically ran state of California.

Thousands of American citizens on the streets with no public assistance.
While illegal aliens come over the border and get free housing, Food stamps, an ID, money and the right to vote in our elections!!

The democrats use the Illegals to fill their voter ranks. Which IS ILLEGAL!!

IF you were 47 years old like me you would not be singing the praises of socialism at all because you would have seen the communist north Vietnamese rolling down the streets of South Vietnam killing everyone in their paths. You would have seen Nixon take the United States off the Gold standard and put the country into deep debt to the federal reserve!!
You would have seen Bush Sr. And Bill Clinton fight for president, while a business man named Ross Perot also running for President told the American people what was going to happen the minute we signed the North American Free Trade Agreement aka. NAFTA. AND I QUOTE.
"Hear that giant sucking sound?"
"There goes all your jobs to Mexico"
And what happened in the 90s people?
Our factories began shutting the doors and laying off American workers that were making 10 dollars an hour, now they make 0 dollars and their jobs go to Mexico and the Mexicans make 4 dollars an hour, there is no environmental laws so they dumped crap in the water. And then shipped the products once made here back across the border with no Tarriffs!!
So the Americans could not even buy the products that were being shipped across the border.
And what was Ross Perot?
A BUSINESS MAN!!
WAS BUSH SR. OR CLINTON TAUGHT ABOUT ECONOMICS?
NO THEY WERE NOT!!
KNOW HOW YOU CAN TELL A POLITICIAN IS LYING?
THEIR LIPS ARE MOVING!!
Why couldn't Obama take care of ISIS in 8 years?
Just like Vietnam, And Vietnam was a police action not a war.
It's called keeping the leash on your attack dog.
The military is a trained attack dog with one purpose and one purpose only to kill the enemy and win the war.
Apache pilots would see ISIS fighters moving supplies and attacking cities. The would call head quarters to get permission to fire in those troops. What was their answer to asking permission?
"PERMISSION DENIED"
Trumpunleashed them

[Ally247]

We would actually study cartoons like this for History lol, the future generation are going to have a blast.

[PrinceOfAljazeera]

go to bed nonce

[Ally247]

No, slut

[PrinceOfAljazeera]

i feel very disrespected by that word slut, im not a girl

[Ally247]

Damn, so sensitive. Sure you're not a girl?

[PrinceOfAljazeera]

no :(

[Ally247]

I think I am

[PrinceOfAljazeera]

you sure? last time i checked you were trans

[Ally247]

As if you had the privilege to check

[PrinceOfAljazeera]

im very privileged fella , i always have it my way

[Ally247]

As fun as this- goodnight

[Shamalien]

Lol the golden age of political cartoons has long since passed

[PrinceOfAljazeera]

about time u go to bed kiddo, gn.

[Ally247]

@Shamalien it is what it is

[Ally247]

@PrinceOfAljazeera night, slut

[UnknownGagsUser]

I don't know political in America though but the pic quite funny

[SMPlSl]

We don't particularly like the Saudis but we have important economical trade with them as the spike in oil prices show. Therefore it is in our national interest to ensure that trade goes uninterrupted. So when Iran decides to blow up they Saudi oil, they are actually interfering with our trade. The source makes no difference, if the oil was coming from Germany we would react the same. If the oil was coming from Argentina we would act the same. We're condemning Iran for attacking our economy not defending Saudis out of pity.

[llorando]

Did you know Iran denied carrying out the attack on Saudi oil while Yemen claimed responsibility for the attack?

[SMPlSl]

Yemen did not claim responsibility, the Iranian Houthi group which is in Yemen claimed responsibility, and evidence suggests that Iran put the group up to the task. We also know the drones and missiles belonged to Iran and were launched out of southern Iran so that's more pointing towards direct government involvement. Especially when the Houthi group wouldn't have access to these systems without a supporter.

[Madeziner]

He is wise and stay intact with his business skills and used his political influence to boost his business. Why would he would'nt do it? Business and politics are two diff entitiez. For some people politics is business and for some business got boost after political career by using unfair means and their resources. This is a whole new level. But every one of us doing same by any means. Juniorz to their seniors and seniors to their superiors. Manufaturers to their suppliers, suppluers to manufActurers. Normal people to authorities. Every one. Students to teachers. At some point we all experienced same. Its just an opinion i hope no one take it personally. Thanks

[The6ix]

Yes, Saudi Arabia's government is an evil, tyrannical, oppressive regime following orders from the royal family from the likes of Mohammad Bin Salman. But is the US truly different? The US was behind 9/11, the US funds terrorist groups, the US invades the Middle-East to steal oil. The US, Israel and Saudi Arabia are the 3-headed snake of society, they are all evil. This is why I support Iran, Iran has fought back to keep ISIS and other extremist Wahabbi/western funded groups to distort Islam. Is this really any different throughout history? Christianity has been distorted by extremists and Judaism has been distorted by Zionists.

So until we change for the better, until we wake up and fight back against the government, we believe in God and western extremism, Zionism and Wahabbism falls this dishonest, greedy, manipulative and hateful world we live in today will continue to pulsate through the core of society and throughout this world.

[Liam_Hayden]

The reality is that Japan gets 2/3 of their oil from the Arabian Peninsula and other "allies" get a lot, too. If the flow is cut off then, by treaty, the United States has to share its domestic oil production with the "allies." That would kick our prices up to double or triple the current prices. The US has to prop up the Saudis in order to protect its own economy and that of the it allies.

[donnny2367764]

Trump may claim to donate his presidential salary as if it were pocket change... yet he clearly demands the American people to pay for shit he certainly does not... this funny yet accurate animated illustration only points the obvious... Which is HIS business is for his own gain.. not anyone else's... he is a true market bully... and the far right are all right behind him in line

[DanOh2018]

The sad fact is that you need money to run for office, until that changes issues like this will always be present.

[llorando]

Even when you have the money, it still doesn't matter as you'll facing smears from the establishment and MSM. Tulsi is a good example of the cheap smears used to take down anyone who is a threat to the status quo.

[Chadnelson1973]

Every US president kisses the ass of the Saudi Prince going all the way back to Carter, Nixon and Reagan it's nothing new. It's sad but true that our government bows to other leaders

[JohnAlaska43]

Nope its not right.
Its an idiots attemot to say something evil about Trump.

[guilyang]

As far as realpolitik is concerned the Saudi relation is normal in the Trump admin. But maybe something else will die to a NATO nerve agent. Not certain if anyone who ups this cartoon is more intifada than sex revolution. So no.

[IAMNathanael]

Not very much. Those lips are too big for those kiss marks.

[wankiam]

its accurate to a degree but it maybe should have been apartments and arms

[NorthwestRider]

Anyone with a working brain knows that he’s the bitch boy for Saudi Arabia

[Anonymous]

No, we have to keep our allies. Obama bowed to Saudis remember. Trump never went that far. From what i understand its for or againt us. Keep your enemies close by.. Also we can launch wars from their. A must have.

[Gabriella094]

So he’s cheating on Putin?

[llorando]

Na, they have an open relationship.

[Gabriella094]

Ah ok he’s the goomah?

[jiffyjeff1029]

Well you know what putin did in Russia?

Ever noticed that both China and Russia have little to no terrorist activity?

Wanna know why people?

When Putin took office in Russia he went on the national news station and said " If there is one terrorist attack in my country I WILL KILL EVERY MUSLIM IN RUSSIA IN ONE HALF HOUR!!!"

China doesn't have terrorists attacks either because they will kill terrorists on the spot with no trial!!

Remember President Bush having saddam hussein executed?
Saddam Hussain was not a nice guy but the one thing he truly HATED was a terrorist!!
He would kill terrorists in the most horrible ways to send the message to stay out of Iraq!! And when he was killed ISIS took over!

Bush Sr, Clinton, Bush Jr and Obama were all working to bring the United States down and bring in the Globalist government called the "New World Order"
Putin has swore and vowed to destroy this Global government.
The Bush Family, Rothschild Family and Rockefeller Family ALL HAVE MORE MONEY THEN THE ENTIRE POPULATION OF EARTH INCLUDING DONALD J TRUMP. THAT'S 7,000,000,000 PEOPLE FIGHTING OVER THE SCRAPS. now you know why people are starving in Africa. They don't need that money to spend people they only want to keep the rest of us poor. They want to take our guns and constitutional rights away. They want to take God out of the picture and turn us into a global dictatorship run by elites and serviced by you and I as slaves.

[jiffyjeff1029]

And here is some helpful videos from a Democrat turned Republican, he was an actor before entering politics. He Brought Down the USSR aka The Union of Soviet socialists Republics better known as the soviet union. His name was Ronald Reagan and Bush Sr was a former CIA director that became vice president under him. In case you didn't know the CIA does not operate on American soil and has armed drug cartels, started dirty little wars. Did you know where President Bush Sr Got the nick name "Poppy" when he ordered tropps to Afghanistan guess what some of the American soldiers did while there?
They guarded the Poppy fields in that country because Afghanistans major cash crop was herion. And The CIA helped keep the war on Drugs going by keeping the drugs flowing.

[jiffyjeff1029]

Won't let me load video sorry

[goaded]

@jiffyjeff1029 "Well you know what putin did in Russia?"

It's easy to do that if you're running a dictatorship. He also kills politicians, journalists, and innocent British bystanders.

en.wikipedia.org/.../2016_Shchelkovo_Highway_police_station_attack
en.wikipedia.org/.../2017_Saint_Petersburg_Metro_bombing

[jiffyjeff1029]

You actually believe that crap?

I suppose you believe Russia is still communist too don't you, and put is the anti christ and going to make us take the mark of the beast?

Dude when President Carter cancled the M1 Abramms tank Program, and the B1b low level super sonic bomber Program. We had this thing called "The cold War" and a situation called an arms race. You know there was 2 global super powers before 1990 right? Well President Reagan brought back the Abramms Tank (The world's most lethal and survivable tank?) And The B1b Lancer ( The bomber that forced the soviet union to have to produce 2nd and 3rd generation fighters to shoot it down?) So the soviet union lost the arms race and collapsed!! Boris yelsten took over as the RUSSIAN FEDERATION WAS BORN. PUTIN WAS IN THE kGB at the time. He later used the Rothschilds to get into office and turned his back on them and made it illegal for them or the central banks from operation in his country and declared Russia a Christian nation.

[Cairo99]

Not really. The cartoon would be accurate if he was kissing Netanyahu's ass.

[HaveNoName]

Not entirely true. They suck Israel's balls.

[Rob171977]

If it was the president of israel then it would be more accurate

[RobertToast1828]

There does seem to be an unusual relationship between the two countries, that's for sure.

[lacaras]

It is in the same way every US president has sucked up to the Saudis, why we're 'allied' with a country that promotes radical Islam and produces and arms terrorists is beyond me.

[HaveNoName]

That is ALL in US's interest.

[nerms123]

It’s funny but I don’t know the real situation

[Sevenpointfive]

damn that's a nice ass!