If you read Arabic, please rush to this site! http://www.aawsat.com/...
I have no idea what the article says but I'm sure we will know soon.
I picture every media in the country is calling in their interpreters STAT!
If you can interpret, you will have a real scoop.
http://blog.foreignpolicy.com/...
In a move that is sure to set conspiracy theorists aflutter, former Vice President Dick Cheney popped up yesterday in Saudi Arabia, where he met with King Abdullah. Accompanying him was former State Department diplomat and its top interpreter, Gamal Helal, who recently left the government to form a consulting firm, Helal Associates.
While the Arabic press has caught on to this story, I haven't seen it reported in the U.S. media as of yet.
There is a glorious picture of Cheney sitting with the king.
Why is he there?
And speaking of pictures, I went to photobucket in hope of finding the photo. In the search box, I put in Dick Cheney. This is what came up.
Your search term probably relates to adult content. Photobucket DOES NOT host sexually explicit content.
How cool is that?!
Hat tip to MJB for finding this: http://motherjones.com/...
So, what was the ex-veep doing in Riyadh?
The obvious answer would be: something financially advantageous. Cheney, who oversaw the Saudi staging of Gulf War I, has always maintained good relations with the kingdom and its elites—relations that certainly came in handy after the war, when his oil-services and all-around shady operation, Halliburton, won lots of US and Saudi contracts to help extract the kingdom's petroleum wealth—and buttress its national defenses.
But those sorts of financial entanglements—and high-level contacts—can quickly deteriorate into policy interference. Which wouldn't be new territory for Cheney, who as CEO helped Halliburton skirt international and US terror sanctions on trade with Iran in order to make a quick buck.
If his Saudi expedition is intended in any way to undermine the US administration's foreign policy—and his track record here isn't great—then some politicians might argue he's skirting the law...the longstanding Logan Act, to be exact.
UPDATE 2:
ericlewis0 gives us translation!
Letter to King Abdullah of Japanese Prime Minister
Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques, upon receiving the former U.S. Vice President Dick Cheney and his accompanying delegation yesterday (SPA)
Riyadh: «Middle East»
The Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Abdullah bin Abdul Aziz, in his palace in Riyadh yesterday evening, former U.S. Vice President Dick Cheney and his entourage, were reviewed during the meeting a number of issues of common concern.
Meeting was attended by Prince Miteb bin Abdullah bin Abdul Aziz, Deputy Chairman of the National Guard for Executive Affairs, and Prince Abdul Aziz bin Abdullah bin Abdul Aziz, Advisor to the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques. The meeting was attended by Saudi ambassador to the United States Adel al.
To the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques, a message from Japanese Prime Minister Yukio Hatoyama, the message was received by Sheikh Dr. Abdullah Al-Sheikh President of the Saudi Shura Council during a meeting in his office in Riyadh yesterday, Deputy Prime Minister of Japan House of Representatives member Yoshikatsu Nakayama and his accompanying delegation. During the meeting, a number of issues of common concern and ways to strengthen bilateral relations in various fields. Meeting was attended by Chairman of the Committee of Saudi friendship - Japanese Engineer Abdul Mohsen Alzakari, and the Japanese Ambassador to Saudi Arabia, Shigeru Ando.
(h/t google translate)