Blackwater founder held secret Seychelles meeting to establish Trump-Putin back channel

[don-o]

Blackwater founder held secret Seychelles meeting to establish Trump-Putin back channel

https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/national-security/blackwater-founder-held-secret-seychelles-meeting-to-establish-trump-putin-back-channel/2017/04/03/95908a08-1648-11e7-ada0-1489b735b3a3_story.html?tid=ss_tw&utm_term=.1634b572d4d8

The United Arab Emirates arranged a secret meeting in January between Blackwater founder Erik Prince and a Russian close to President Vladi­mir Putin as part of an apparent effort to establish a back-channel line of communication between Moscow and President-elect Donald Trump, according to U.S., European and Arab officials.

The meeting took place around Jan. 11 — nine days before Trump’s inauguration — in the Seychelles islands in the Indian Ocean, officials said. Though the full agenda remains unclear, the UAE agreed to broker the meeting in part to explore whether Russia could be persuaded to curtail its relationship with Iran, including in Syria, a Trump administration objective that would likely require major concessions to Moscow on U.S. sanctions.

Though Prince had no formal role with the Trump campaign or transition team, he presented himself as an unofficial envoy for Trump to high-ranking Emiratis involved in setting up his meeting with the Putin confidant, according to the officials, who did not identify the Russian.

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It's gonna be never ending until some one is jailed.

[Cripplecreek]

Erik Prince is the brother of Betsy DeVos.

[txradioguy]

Didn't they (Blackwater) change their name to something like Triple Canopy?

[Sanguine]

Didn't they (Blackwater) change their name to something like Triple Canopy?

Pretty sure they changed their name.  Which may or may not be relevant to the veracity of this story.

[don-o]

I find it good news that Trump may be looking for ways to encourage Russia to uncouple from Iran. But, that's just me.

God knows, Obama completely screwed our whole foreign policy, Iran being one of his most masterful messes.

[Cripplecreek]

Didn't they (Blackwater) change their name to something like Triple Canopy?

If he's talking to Putin I would hope he asks that Russia stop arming the Taliban.

U.S. Gen. Votel: Russia providing weapons, support to Taliban in Afghanistan

http://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2017/mar/29/us-gen-votel-russia-providing-weapons-support-tali/

[don-o]

Pretty sure they changed their name.  Which may or may not be relevant to the veracity of this story.

Dealt with in the article.

Veracity?

WaPo don't need no steenkin' veracity.

[Sanguine]

Dealt with in the article.

Veracity?

WaPo don't need no steenkin' veracity.

My bad.  I usually read them before I comment, but I didn't want to click on WAPO.

[mystery-ak]

I can't keep up with all these stories and characters...I thought Monicagate was bad but this has nothing on that!

[don-o]

If he's talking to Putin I would hope he asks that Russia stop arming the Taliban.

U.S. Gen. Votel: Russia providing weapons, support to Taliban in Afghanistan

http://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2017/mar/29/us-gen-votel-russia-providing-weapons-support-tali/

Headline is not supported by what the General is quoted as actually saying in the article.

[geronl]

I find it good news that Trump may be looking for ways to encourage Russia to uncouple from Iran. But, that's just me.

Russia and Iran are close allies.

If this story is true it might be an impeachable offense.

[Cripplecreek]

Headline is not supported by what the General is quoted as actually saying in the article.

Anything you say comrade. 

“I believe what Russia is attempting to do is they are attempting to be an influential party in this part of the world,” the four-star general said. “I think it is fair to assume they may be providing some sort of support to [the Taliban], in terms of weapons or other things that may be there,” he added.

“There are several entities looking into this, and …  I will say that [Gen. Votel‘s] response speaks for itself,” White House Press Secretary Sean Spicer said regarding Moscow’s alleged ties to the Taliban. “We understand the intelligence on this [and]  president’s been briefed on it,” he told reporters Wednesday.

[don-o]

Russia and Iran are close allies.

If this story is true it might be an impeachable offense.

On what basis? What is the high crime or misdemeanor?

[ABX]

Didn't they (Blackwater) change their name to something like Triple Canopy?

They broke into a couple of pieces.
XE Services and Academi.

Triple Canopy is another similar security contractor that is under Constellis Holdings financial arm. All a lot of wink and nod CIA fronts mostly.

[Sanguine]

They broke into a couple of pieces.
XE Services and Academi.

Triple Canopy is another similar security contractor that is under Constellis Holdings financial arm. All a lot of wink and nod CIA fronts mostly.

Yes, but the relevant point is that Erik Prince was the founder of the scandal-laden Blackwater. 

[don-o]

“I believe what Russia is attempting to do is they are attempting to be an influential party in this part of the world,” the four-star general said. “I think it is fair to assume they may be providing some sort of support to [the Taliban], in terms of weapons or other things that may be there,” he added.

 

Words mean things.

[LonestarDream]

Words mean things.

Washington Compost.

Lots of innuendo @don-o

[don-o]

Washington Compost.

Lots of innuendo @don-o

The headline I was commenting on is from The Washington Times. It's a rabbit trail that  @Cripplecreek has being throwing down recently.

[Cripplecreek]

The headline I was commenting on is from The Washington Times. It's a rabbit trail that  @Cripplecreek has being throwing down recently.

Take it up with your pals at wikileaks. They also have no problem endangering American troops their families and killing our allies. I know you couldn't care less as long as it doesn't harm the reputation of your treasonous orange baboon king.

Go ahead and block me, I'm a big boy. I'm just going to ignore you from here on out and keep repeating what CENTCOM said anyway.

[TomSea]

UAE arranged secret meeting to establish Trump-Putin back channel: Report (Washington Post)
Prior to inauguration in January, founder of Blackwater and prominent Trump supporter met with an unidentified confidant of Putin

Erik Prince, the founder of Blackwater, met with an ally of Russian President Vladimir Putin in January in what appears to be an attempt to set up a back channel between Moscow and US President Donald Trump, the Washington Post reported on Monday.

American, European and Arab officials told the Washington Post that the United Arab Emirates helped set up the meeting, which took place at the Seychelles islands in the Indian Ocean, about 10 days before Trump took office, according to the report. Sources cited Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed al-Nahyan, crown prince of Abu Dhabi, as the central figure in arranging the meeting.

While details of the meeting remain unclear, the pretenses of the secret arrangement centered around Russia shedding its alliance with Iran. The UAE shares US animosity towards Iran, and Zayed had hoped the meeting would help Russia distance itself from the Islamic Republic, according to the Washington Post. Zayed reportedly asked Putin in 2016 to rid its relationship with Iran.

However, the Post reported that Moscow demanded major concessions, such as easing US sanctions, for them to consider the proposal.

Continued: http://www.middleeasteye.net/news/uae-arranged-trump-putin-secret-backchannel-seychelles-report-343118887

I'm not sure if this was posted anywhere.

[don-o]

http://www.gopbriefingroom.com/index.php/topic,256866.0.html

[Frank Cannon]

So the eff what. I commend Donny for doing this if he did do it. Why wouldn't we want the President trying to deal with the Soviets if they are such a threat.

[Maj. Bill Martin]

So the eff what. I commend Donny for doing this if he did do it. Why wouldn't we want the President trying to deal with the Soviets if they are such a threat.

@Frank Cannon -- exactly.  The story makes absolutely zero sense.  This alleged meeting happened in January, by which time Trump already had communicated directly with a bunch of world leaders.  And if Trump had a plan to try to separate Russia from Iran...what the hell is wrong with that, and why would he even need to be secretive about it?  And of course, if a new President wanted to establish a back channel...he's allowed to do that.  But going through a guy like Prince, with all this cloak and dagger, doesn't make sense.

[Frank Cannon]

@Frank Cannon -- exactly.  The story makes absolutely zero sense.  This alleged meeting happened in January, by which time Trump already had communicated directly with a bunch of world leaders.  And if Trump had a plan to try to separate Russia from Iran...what the hell is wrong with that, and why would he even need to be secretive about it?  And of course, if a new President wanted to establish a back channel...he's allowed to do that.  But going through a guy like Prince, with all this cloak and dagger, doesn't make sense.

And it is nothing new. Nixon triangulated with the Chinese.

[DB]

Where's that overload button when you need it? Maybe his good friend Hillary can locate it for him...