By Jordyn Phelps & RYAN STRUYK ABC news
President Trump signed a $110 billion arms deal with Saudi Arabia on Saturday, the initial day of his first foreign trip since taking office. "That was a tremendous day. Tremendous investments in the United States," Trump said. "Hundreds of billions of dollars of investments into the United States and jobs, jobs, jobs," he said. The agreement commits Saudi Arabia to buying military equipment from the U.S. and to hiring American companies to build such equipment in Saudi Arabia, according to Gary Cohn, the president's chief economic adviser. The deal includes tanks and helicopters for border security, ships for coastal security, intelligence-gathering aircraft, a missile-defense radar system and cybersecurity tools, according to the State Department.
In a joint press appearance on Saturday with the Saudi foreign minister, Secretary of State Rex Tillerson praised the pact as a "historic moment in U.S.-Saudi relations." He also expressed an openness to talks with Iran. “I’ve never shut off the phone to anyone that wants to talk or have a productive conversation,” he said. “At this point, I have no plans to call my counterpart in Iran, although in all likelihood we will talk at the right time.”. Tillerson said the pact sends a "very strong message to our common enemies" on trying to disrupt "violent extremist messaging" and "financing of terrorism." He also said the deal "lowers the cost to the American people of providing security in this region."
The Trump administration has been working to finalize the deal over the past several months. White House press secretary Sean Spicer called the deal "huge news for U.S. companies and American workers who will benefit" in a tweet on Saturday morning. This is huge news for US companies and American workers who will benefit #jobs https://t.co/9RarqOwVAy — Sean Spicer (@PressSec) May 20, 2017
Trump's son-in-law and adviser Jared Kushner personally called the president of Lockheed Martin, a major supplier of U.S. military equipment, in order to negotiate a lower price for the radar system, according to the New York Times. "This package of defense equipment and services supports the long-term security of Saudi Arabia and the Gulf region in the face of malign Iranian influence and Iranian related threats. Additionally, it bolsters the Kingdom's ability to provide for its own security and continue contributing to counterterrorism operations across the region, reducing the burden on U.S. military forces," the State Department said in a statement. A White House official added that in addition to demonstrating the U.S. commitment to Saudi Arabia "and our Gulf partners," it also expands "opportunities for American companies in the region, and supporting tens of thousands of new jobs in the U.S. defense industrial base."
by ABC news Alexander Mallin and Adam Kelsey -
President Trump on his first foreign trip has arrived at the Royal Court Palace in Saudi Arabia where he will begin a full day of meetings with the country's royalty. The president was greeted by King Salman and honored with an elaborate red carpet ceremony. A Saudi military band then played the Star-Spangled Banner. The White House staff with the president -- Ivanka Trump, Jared Kushner, Steve Bannon, Reince Priebus, Joe Hagin, Hope Hicks, Dan Scavino, Sean Spicer and Dina Powell -- all shook hands with Trump and King Salman as they arrived. Trump was also presented with the Collar of Abdulaziz Al Saud, the Saudi nation's highest honor. After the award was bestowed, the president and king spoke briefly. Their conversation at one point touched on Syria, with King Salman heard noting that the now war-torn country used to be an advanced nation and pondering how quickly a country can be destroyed.
"Syria too used to be one of the most advanced countries," the king said. "We used to get our professors from Syria. They served our kingdom. Unfortunately, they too brought destruction to their own country. You could destroy a country in mere seconds, but it takes a lot of effort." President Donald Trump arrived in the Saudi Arabian capital of Riyadh Saturday morning, marking the kick-off of his first foreign trip as president.
The ceremony at the palace came after the president and first lady Melania Trump landed at King Khalid International Airport around 9:45 a.m. local time after an overnight flight from Washington on Air Force One.The Trumps descended down a set of stairs from the plane onto a red carpet, where they were greeted by King Salman. Ivanka Trump and husband Jared Trump exited the jet from the back steps, prior to the president. Ivanka wore an ankle-length dresss
At the airport, King Salman joined the president for a walk down a red carpet, with the Saudi Royal Guard lined up at attention along either side with trumpets playing. Jets also flew overhead, leaving behind a stream of smoke in red, white and blue. The first lady followed behind, dressed in a flowing black jumpsuit and a gold belt.The president and first lady then walked into the terminal where a coffee reception with King Salman was held. The pair spoke through an interpreter inside the terminal, according to The Associated Press.
by Arab News RIYADH: US President Donald Trump Saturday dined at Al-Yamamah Palace in Riyadh during an official luncheon hosted by King …
by Makram Rabah - middleeasteye.net/ The views expressed in this article belong to the author and do not necessarily reflect khazen.org
Since the 9/11 attacks, it's mostly been radical Sunni groups that have been branded by governments and the media as responsible for militant activities. This predisposed singling out of Sunni Islam, however, is occasionally disturbed by the US government's issuance of financial sanctions against groups organically linked to the Iranian Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC). Hezbollah, the IRGC's Lebanese affiliate, has been foremost among them. Accused of blowing up the US Embassy and Marine Barracks in Beirut in 1983 and an assortment of other violent acts, Hezbollah, a fully-functioning and legal political party in Lebanon, has been the target of financial sanctions, the most recent and inclusive of which is the law (Public Law No: 114-102) passed by the US Congress two years ago.
The Hezbollah International Financing Prevention Act, which placed major restrictions and measures on the Lebanese banking sector, seems to be under review by the US government, which is convinced of its shortcomings. Washington believes it needs urgently to widen the sanctions net and cripple Hezbollah, whose activities are no longer restricted to Lebanon but stretch to Syria and, according to some, on to Iraq, Bahrain and Yemen.
Setting off alarms
These forthcoming revised sanctions have naturally set off alarm bells within Lebanese political and economic circles, which cannot afford to be further discredited and branded as patrons of terror. Consequently, the government has dispatched several defunct parliamentary delegations to appeal to the US administration and to declare Lebanon’s commitment to abiding with these sanctions in a way which will not implode the economy. The intended message was palpably heard by all sides concerned: continuing to implement these sanctions would not bode well for anyone involved These lobbying efforts were augmented with more effective and practical outreach efforts by the Association of Banks in Lebanon (ABL), which naturally, and for practical purposes, wants to avoid having its member banks blacklisted merely for dealing with a client that happens to be a member of Hezbollah.
Population Movements to Keserwan - The Khazens and The Maans
ما جاء عن الثورة في المقاطعة الكسروانية
ثورة أهالي كسروان على المشايخ الخوازنة وأسبابها
Origins of the "Prince of Maronite" Title
Growing diversity: the Khazin sheiks and the clergy in the first decades of the 18th century
Historical Members:
Barbar Beik El Khazen [English]
Patriach Toubia Kaiss El Khazen(Biography & Life Part1 Part2) (Arabic)
Patriach Youssef Dargham El Khazen (Cont'd)
Cheikh Bishara Jafal El Khazen
Patriarch Youssef Raji El Khazen
The Martyrs Cheikh Philippe & Cheikh Farid El Khazen
Cheikh Nawfal El Khazen (Consul De France)
Cheikh Hossun El Khazen (Consul De France)
Cheikh Abou-Nawfal El Khazen (Consul De France)
Cheikh Francis Abee Nader & his son Yousef
Cheikh Abou-Kanso El Khazen (Consul De France)
Cheikh Abou Nader El Khazen
Cheikh Chafic El Khazen
Cheikh Keserwan El Khazen
Cheikh Serhal El Khazen [English]
Cheikh Rafiq El Khazen [English]
Cheikh Hanna El Khazen
Cheikha Arzi El Khazen
Marie El Khazen