Navy suspends flight training for 300+ Saudi military personnel in the US

[Elderberry]

American Military News by  Laura Widener  December 10, 2019

The U.S. Navy has suspended flight training for at least 300 Saudi Arabian students on Tuesday, just four days after a Saudi military pilot killed three at Pensacola Naval Air Station.

More than 300 Saudi Arabian students currently training at three Florida military bases are indefinitely suspended from flight training, Navy Cmdr. Clay Doss confirmed to The Associated Press.

The suspension affects 140 students at Pensacola Naval Air Station, 35 at Whiting Field, and 128 at Naval Air Station Mayport.

More: https://americanmilitarynews.com/2019/12/navy-suspends-flight-training-for-300-saudi-military-personnel-in-the-us/

[dfwgator]

Closing the barn door, after the horse has already bolted.

[libertybele]

Didn't read the entire article, but it would seem to me that should have happened, oh, let's say around 9-11-2001!

[don-o]

That's more than what we would have had from Obama, Clinton and both Bushes...so there's that.

[DB]

We're training the Saudis because they are the mortal enemy of Iran and Iran needs to be held in check.

[TomSea]

We're training the Saudis because they are the mortal enemy of Iran and Iran needs to be held in check.

And... they've been our friends since 1948; some of these matters, well, sometimes  you need the allies. I'm not saying we do. And a ton of the oil goes through there.

I almost think once an article was posted here that was along the lines, "when Russia or USSR courted Saudi Arabia" but they ultimately failed. That was about 65 years ago actually.

Lots of things to deal with. Geopolitics.  I think we are trying to get them to reform. Their students have come over here for many years actually.

[dfwgator]

We're training the Saudis because they are the mortal enemy of Iran and Iran needs to be held in check.

Saddam was also the mortal enemy of Iran.  A lot of good that did him.

[TomSea]

George HW Bush, it seems clearly the first Gulf war had a lot to do with the flow of oil, when Iraq invaded Kuwait.

This article in the Atlantic was written by William Burns,  respected diplomat, first with Bush 41 and then Clinton. He seems a bit of a never-Trumper but he praises Bush 41's policies. Fairly good read.

https://www.theatlantic.com/ideas/archive/2019/12/end-magical-thinking-middle-east/602953/?utm_content=edit-promo&utm_term=2019-12-08T11%3A00%3A12&utm_medium=social&utm_campaign=the-atlantic&utm_source=twitter

[Fishrrman]

dfw observed:
"Closing the barn door, after the horse has already bolted..."

At least it's a start.
Hopefully a good number of them will be sent back (although I'd prefer to see ALL of them kicked out).

But, having said that...
What do you think obama would have done?
What do you think G.W. would have done?

[Elderberry]

Pentagon halts flight training for all 850 Saudi military personnel in the US: report

https://americanmilitarynews.com/2019/12/pentagon-halts-flight-training-for-850-saudi-military-personnel-in-the-us-report/

American Military News by   Laura Widener December 10, 2019

Secretary of Defense Mark Esper has ordered a military-wide halt on all flight training for 852 Saudi Arabian military members training in the U.S., a new report says.

Esper issued the order in a memo to Pentagon leaders, which was revealed late Tuesday, and also ordered a stronger vetting process for foreign military students who come to the U.S. for training, as well as a formal review of that process, which must be concluded in 10 days, ABC News reported exclusively.

“I direct the Under Secretary of Defense for Intelligence (USD(I)) to take immediate steps to strengthen personnel vetting for International Military Students (IMS), and to complete a review within 10 days of policies and procedures for screening foreign students and granting access to our bases,” Esper said in the memo, which was obtained by ABC News.

More at link.