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Whistleblowers Raise Grave Concerns with White House Efforts to Transfer Sensitive U.S. Nuclear Technology to Saudi Arabia (1 Viewer)

Feb 19, 2019 

Press Release

Cummings Releases Interim Staff Report and Corroborating Documents, Launches Investigation of White House, Agencies, and Others

Washington, D.C. (Feb. 19, 2019)—Today, Rep. Elijah E. Cummings, the Chairman of the Committee on Oversight and Reform, issued an interim staff report after multiple whistleblowers came forward to warn about efforts inside the White House to rush the transfer of highly sensitive U.S. nuclear technology to Saudi Arabia in potential violation of the Atomic Energy Act and without review by Congress as required by law—efforts that may be ongoing to this day.  The report states:

“The whistleblowers who came forward have expressed significant concerns about the potential procedural and legal violations connected with rushing through a plan to transfer nuclear technology to Saudi Arabia.  They have warned of conflicts of interest among top White House advisers that could implicate federal criminal statutes.  They have also warned about a working environment inside the White House marked by chaos, dysfunction, and backbiting.  And they have warned about political appointees ignoring directives from top ethics advisors at the White House who repeatedly and unsuccessfully ordered senior Trump Administration officials to halt their efforts.”

The report warns that that White House efforts to transfer sensitive U.S. nuclear technology to Saudi Arabia may be accelerating after meetings last week at the White House and ahead of a planned visit to Saudi Arabia by the President’s son-in-law, Jared Kushner:

“The Committee’s investigation is particularly critical because the Administration’s efforts to transfer sensitive U.S. nuclear technology to Saudi Arabia appear to be ongoing.  On February 12, 2019, the President met with nuclear power developers at the White House about sharing nuclear technology with countries in the Middle East, including Saudi Arabia.  In addition, next week Mr. Kushner will be embarking on a tour of Middle Eastern capitals—including Riyadh—to discuss the economic portion of the Administration’s Middle East peace plan.”

The report highlights concerning events involving Saudi Arabia, including the brutal murder of Washington Post columnist Jamal Khashoggi, which was met with equivocation by President Trump and other top Administration officials, and the refusal by the White House to submit a report on Mr. Khashoggi’s killing that was requested on a bipartisan basis by the Senate Committee on Foreign Relations.

The report indicates that there is now serious, bipartisan concern with the Trump Administration’s efforts to transfer sensitive U.S. nuclear technology to Saudi Arabia.  For example, on October 31, 2018, Republican Senators Marco Rubio, Todd Young, Cory Gardner, Rand Paul, and Dean Heller sent a letter to President Trump urging him to “suspend talks related to a potential civil nuclear cooperation agreement between the United States and Saudi Arabia” due to “serious concerns about the transparency, accountability, and judgment of current decisionmakers in Saudi Arabia.”

The report describes new documents and communications between White House officials, including former National Security Advisor Michael Flynn, former Deputy National Security Advisor K.T. McFarland, and former NSC Senior Director for Middle East and North African Affairs Derek Harvey, as well as with Thomas Barrack, President Trump’s personal friend of several decades and the Chairman of his Inaugural Committee, and Rick Gates, President Trump’s former Deputy Campaign Manager and Deputy Chairman of the Inaugural Committee who has now pleaded guilty to financial fraud and lying to investigators.

Today, Cummings also sent letters to multiple entities involved with promoting this plan, including the White House; the Departments of Commerce, Defense, Energy, State, and Treasury; the Joint Chiefs of Staff; the Central Intelligence Agency; Flynn Intel Group; IP3; ACU Strategies; Colony NorthStar; and Mr. Barrack.

 
I mean everyone knew we had a "Marshall Plan for the Middle East", right? Hasn't that been widely discussed? No? Dang, must have fallen through the cracks. Weird.

 
Some light reading from a Lawfare article from December, 2017.

Why Flynn’s Nuclear Advocacy Was So Dangerous

“Importers must get U.S. permission to modify any U.S. material or material used in U.S.-provided facilities to prevent unauthorized enrichment or reprocessing, which can be the first step to developing a nuclear weapon.”

 
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Just insane that this guy is still in office. He has had a 100 years worth of scandals and we haven't even finished 1 term yet. 

 
A couple key names in the story - Flynn and Gates. Mueller knows everything that happened here and that’s not good news for anyone else listed as being involved. It could very well be the next blue shoe to drop with both Flynn and Gates being sentenced soon especially now that this story is out there.

 
Just from a policy standpoint - and totally leaving foreign and domestic corruption out of this, including Russian backdoors to the Oval, which is its own national security issue - it's insane.

We opposed Iranian nuclear proliferation - Dems and Gopers agreed on that - like we opposed nuclear proliferation - and Dems and Gopers agreed on that. The parties disagreed as to how, but these things were longstanding common, American principles. 

But then lo, wait Trump actually said during the campaign that he was for nuclear proliferation. I mean (!), but he was elected anyway. And specifically it turns out that Trump and Flynn were for proliferation in the mideast (!!!), just to counter Iranian nuclear proliferation, which we had in theory halted, but no (!) of course not we had cancelled that agreement, so natch Iran would ramp up its nuclear capability again, so of course KSA needed nukes to counter that. That's KSA, which has physically cut off Qatar and opened a hot/proxy war in Yemen (admittedly with Iran on the other side). But wait, our allies have kept the nuke deal in place.

It's hard to keep corruption out of this because it sure looks like we are altering policy so some ex-mil can make millions off it.

And make no mistake there was just a conference in DC on just this point as apparently the Trump administration is still trying to push this somehow. Flynn's client, in part led by Fox News' Former Gen. Jack Keane (who goes on tv to promote Trump and comment on policies), sponsored it.

 
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Some light reading from a Lawfare article from December, 2017.

Why Flynn’s Nuclear Advocacy Was So Dangerous

“Importers must get U.S. permission to modify any U.S. material or material used in U.S.-provided facilities to prevent unauthorized enrichment or reprocessing, which can be the first step to developing a nuclear weapon.”
Flynn had been working with a company known as ACU Strategic Partners that had been trying to persuade Middle Eastern countries to buy nuclear power plants from a consortium that included Russian companies. Propublica reports that he later was hired by a different company, IP3/IronBridge, which had been advocating a similar deal but with Chinese, instead of Russian, partners.

First, in order for this deal to go through, Flynn would have to convince the Trump administration to “rip up” the sanctions imposed by the Obama administration on Russia for their interference in the U.S. election. These sanctions represented a first step in holding Russia accountable for their attempts to interfere with America’s sacred process of choosing its own leaders.  Flynn has pled guilty to lying to the FBI concerning his contacts with the Russians about softening these sanctions. Now, a whistleblower has come forward with information suggesting that Flynn’s true motive to soften these sanctions wasn’t to ease tensions with Russia, but to further the financial interests of those selling these reactors.

Second, it is troubling that Flynn would have considered partnering with foreign consortiums to sell nuclear technology because U.S. civilian nuclear technology sales require significant national security provisions, which Russian and Chinese technology agreements do not have. By law, U.S. nuclear energy technology cannot be exported without what is known as a “123 Agreement,” the terms of which are specified by the Atomic Energy Act. These agreements must contain legally binding commitments that limit the potential for U.S.-provided material and technology to be used to make nuclear weapons. 
@Opieyou should read this article.

 
How is this not a hyuuge story?

Just one more example of the corruption and lies we've all had to accept from the current person staining the WH?

 
our good buddies the Saudi's...what's the problem?   who cares if federal laws were broken, they'll pay Trump and his cronies BILLIONS...it's all good for the most corrupt admin ever....

 
How is this not a hyuuge story?

Just one more example of the corruption and lies we've all had to accept from the current person staining the WH?
Because people don't understand it.  You can't put it into a sound bite or a slogan to shout at a rally.  It's a complex international policy issue that requires real consideration and understanding of the rules, the players, and the ramifications of some pretty high level stuff.

"The gay black guy lied about being attacked" is easy.  Everyone's got an idiot cousin who lies.  Very few people understand the nuances of nuclear non-proliferation agreements and sensitive technology.

 
Because people don't understand it.  You can't put it into a sound bite or a slogan to shout at a rally.  It's a complex international policy issue that requires real consideration and understanding of the rules, the players, and the ramifications of some pretty high level stuff.

"The gay black guy lied about being attacked" is easy.  Everyone's got an idiot cousin who lies.  Very few people understand the nuances of nuclear non-proliferation agreements and sensitive technology.
If anybody understands this stuff it's Trump.  He has lots of stats.  Better stats that you and I have.  

 
Because people don't understand it.  You can't put it into a sound bite or a slogan to shout at a rally.  It's a complex international policy issue that requires real consideration and understanding of the rules, the players, and the ramifications of some pretty high level stuff.

"The gay black guy lied about being attacked" is easy.  Everyone's got an idiot cousin who lies.  Very few people understand the nuances of nuclear non-proliferation agreements and sensitive technology.
I am pretty sure the GOP/Trump showed your point is not true. One just needs to make it real simpl, give it a catchphrase and repeat it over and over. 

 
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The Trump campaign didn't just collude with Russia.  There is a reason that SA was his first visit and that they have covered for the brutal murder of a WaPo journalist.  Trump and his family is getting lots of :moneybag:

 
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Sure, the administration wants to pass along nuclear technology to Saudi Arabia in violation of international treaty and US law, but what's the harm here?  It's not like Saudi Arabia has any ties to terrorist groups or anything.
My friend has a coffee mug with the Saudi flag and "15 of the 19" inscribed on it. 

Never forget. House of Saud. What a disaster this will be.  

 
IvanKaramazov said:
Sure, the administration wants to pass along nuclear technology to Saudi Arabia in violation of international treaty and US law, but what's the harm here?  It's not like Saudi Arabia has any ties to terrorist groups or anything.
Oh please, name just one time we’ve ever given weapons to another country only for it to come back to bite us in the ###? Just one. 

 
Oh please, name just one time we’ve ever given weapons to another country only for it to come back to bite us in the ###? Just one. 
Your sarcasm meter needs batteries, my friend.  

eta* Or maybe mine does.  :bag:

 
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Your sarcasm meter needs batteries, my friend.  

eta* Or maybe mine does.  :bag:
lol I think it’s all sarcasm.  Has anyone defended this other to say the source isn’t credible because there’s some kind of deep level conspiracy that is trying to remove Trump? 

 
lol I think it’s all sarcasm.  Has anyone defended this other to say the source isn’t credible because there’s some kind of deep level conspiracy that is trying to remove Trump? 
It seems -- to me --  indefensible, that's why.  

 
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