Middle East Trip (Part 2: Saudi Arabia)

This story is fiction but the links are to real events.

President John McCain visited Saudi Arabia today for the first time in his presidency. He has, of course, visited numerous times prior to this as a Senator. In Saudi Arabia, President McCain emphasized the United States' commitment to human rights. President McCain praised the Sunni nation's progress on women's rights, but asked that Saudi Arabia expand freedom of the press, and allow Christians to worship openly.

The president drew criticism for the size of the arms deal he signed with the King Salmon Saudi Arabia. We sold the Saudis nearly $190,000,000 ($190 billion) in tanks, helicopters, fighter jets, and bombers, with the expectation that Saudi Arabia will continue its war in Yemen. Numerous defense industry stocks are up on the news.

Next week, I will discuss President McCain's visit to Israel.

Middle East Trip (Part 1)

This story is fiction. John McCain is not president. Though the story is false, the links are real. I write this blog to maintain my sanity, to remind myself what a real president would do.

President McCain left today on yet another overseas trip, this time to visit our allies in the Middle East. His itinerary includes Saudi Arabia, Israel, Turkey, and Vatican City.

Before leaving, he made sure to congratulate President Hassan Rouhanni of Iran on his landslide re-election, a rejection of right-wing extremist candidate Ebrahim Raisi. Rouhanni was the leader who negotiated the deal which ended Iran's nuclear program.

Rouhanni's re-election signifies the third election in a row in which racist candidates have been rejected after the racism-inspired Brexit vote last year. First, the far-right racist Geert Wilders was defeated in Holland, and then centrist Emanuel Macron defeated far-right racist Marine LePen. In the four-way race between Clinton, Johnson, Stein, and McMullin, the United States appears to have avoided having a far-right racist candidate this time, though we have had such a candidate in the past.

Tomorrow, I will write about President McCain's trip to Saudi Arabia.