REX TILLERSON/SAUDI ARABIA/STATE/TRUMP AS PRESIDENT: “Secretary of State Rex Tillerson said Friday [11-10-17] that a wave of arrests among the elite in Saudi Arabia raises ‘a few concerns,’ as he is awaiting word on ‘how these particular individuals are dealt with.’
His assessment of the Saudi corruption investigation contrasted with comments from President Donald Trump, who on Monday said he had ‘great confidence in King Salman and the Crown Prince of Saudi Arabia, they know exactly what they are doing.’…
Among those detained is the billionaire investor Prince al-Waleed bin Talal, one of the most widely known members of the royal family outside Saudi Arabia. He has been accused of money laundering, bribery and extortion.
The State Department’s worries about Saudi Arabia come as the U.S. is wrestling with how closely it should align its policies with its longtime ally while confronting a mutual foe, Iran, as tensions rise between the Middle East rivals.
Mr. Tillerson warned on Friday that Mideast powers mustn’t turn Lebanon into a venue for a proxy fight—a clear reference to Riyadh and Tehran, both of which have seen the country as a battleground for influence.”
-Felicia Schwartz, “Tillerson Sees Some Cause for Concern in Saudi Arabia Crackdown,” The Wall Street Journal online, Nov. 10, 2017 05:28pm