FIDE World Rapid and Blitz Ch in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia

[Nigel Hanrahan]

A Storm in a Teacup and other tales of the Arabian Nights

There have been a few noteworthy developments around the future of the tournament.

1. An article appeared in Saudi Gazette, "Storm in a Teacup" in which the author makes it very clear that the KSA has no intention of restoring diplomatic relations with Israel - and, therefore, presumably, of granting visas to Israeli chess players for future events - " until the Israelis agree to a fair and just peace process with the Palestinians." The article is full of harsh denunciations of Israeli cruelties, which, given the censorship on this discussion board, I will leave for readers to evaluate for themselves.

I would also just add that it is my understanding that Saudi Arabia broke off diplomatic relations with Qatar recently and yet ... some Qatari GMs played in the Blitz portion of the recent World Championship held in Riyadh. Bizarre as it sounds, they also allowed a Yemeni player in the event. Saudi Arabia, in case you forgot, is currently bombing Yemen rather indiscriminately. So I am not sure if visas cannot be granted even for players from countries without diplomatic relations.

This would solve the problem for both the Israeli chess players and the Saudi organizers who wish to appear to side with the Palestinians while actually doing nothing for them.

http://www.saudigazette.com.sa/artic...-Championships

2. The 2nd thing is that the Norwegian television channel NRK conducted an interview with World Champion Magnus Carlsen. Russian-language media reported the following:

We have already stressed that the world champion plays the most important role in the legitimization of chess tournaments in the territories of, say, ambiguous states. Magnus Carlsen came to Saudi Arabia and was pleased with the organization. But in an interview with the Norwegian television channel NRK, he said that the next time the question with participation of Israeli chess players should be solved. "And if not, then the championship should not be held here," ...

http://chess-news.ru/node/24122

3. The President of the Israeli Chess Federation, Zvika Barkai, wrote a public letter to GM Carlsen in which he thanked the World Champion for saying that he would not play in the future event unless all players, including Israeli players, were granted visas to play, etc. In the opinion of the author of the chess-news.ru article, Barkai's letter is "rather psychological in nature" , as if cutting off "Carlsen's possible further ways to retreat from his words". [The letter is reproduced, in English, on the Russian-language website article.]

So, we'll see. More, undoubtedly, will follow.

GM Magnus Carlsen may be the World Chess Champion but they'll cut him to pieces in the world of international politics if he's not careful.

[Nigel Hanrahan]

Jorge Vega "3 out of 4 ain't bad."

Jorge Vega, FIDE Continental President for the Americas, reported on the event. His report can be found on the FIDE website.

See A Report of the King Salman Rapid and Blitz World Ch. etc.

Vega's article confirms my argument that the recent action of the US President was to blame for the failure of FIDE to get the KSA to arrange visas for the Israeli players. What it does not say, naturally enough, is that the Saudis must appear to be "doing something" when, in fact, they're doing nothing, other than not processing some Israeli visas. It is a sad and bitter truth that plenty of states in the Arab world, the most egregious of which is the KSA, would just as soon forget entirely about the Palestinians.

Russian media reported on this story as well. See http://chess-news.ru/node/24128 and use google translate.

I stick to my prediction that the Israeli players will get their visas by the time next year's event rolls around. Unless, of course, the US Administration decides to embarrass the Saudis once again ... by putting them into yet another political zugszwang.

Perhaps the Americans are annoyed with how badly the war in Yemen is going? Maybe. Mind you, everyone has noticed that the current POTUS has taken a distinctly aggressive approach at the UN; for example, he was threatening states that don't go along with US voting, especially on this embassy issue, cutting funding and other hegemonic and petulant actions. Nothing says "empire in decline" like such naked threats to the world. And when the POTUS says that "my nuclear weapon is bigger than your nuclear weapon" to the DPRK leader, who obliges by saying something equally foolish, it surely seems that what we're dealing with are testosterone-crazed teenagers ... and not the Heads of State of two nuclear weapons countries.

If the Israelis were smart, which I have no doubt they are, then they might just work things out with the Saudis on their own and just tell the US to stay out of it. The paradoxical thing here is that with this pro-Israeli step of moving the embassy, the US has undermined their position as a "neutral" or "fair" mediator between the Israelis and the Palestinians. Others, e.g., even Russia, for example, may step in. And so something that is supposed to help the Israelis winds up doing harm.

Like ruining the chances for Israeli chess players to play in the recent tournament in the KSA. But then, everyone knows that the Americans are very good at making a mess and not so good at cleaning it up. ;)

[Nigel Hanrahan]

Mohammed bin Salman comes to Washington

The Crown Prince will be coming to Washington later this month as part of his first foreign "tour" as de facto King of Saudi Arabia.

Just as Oscar Host Jimmy Kimmel made a joke of Harvey Weinstein, alleged Hollywood serial rapist, with rather more jabs at the current POTUS Donald Trump, so too the horrific war on Yemen by Saudi Arabia will be mostly discreetly ignored by the MSM (including our own CBC, no doubt) during the visit of the "reform" Prince.

I predict many photos of happy kittens and nice, warm puppies while the Prince is here. He will have plenty of chances to denounce Iran generally, and perhaps a jab at Syrian President Assad over East Ghouta's thousands of civilians in danger, but rest assured nothing will be said about the famine, horrific food and water shortages, the largest preventable cholera epidemic in the modern world, blockade, civilian bombing, etc., etc., of millions of Yemenis.

Notwithstanding the display of protest by Progressive Senator Bernie Sanders, along with Tea Party Conservative Senator Mike Lee, the Senate objections to the war on Yemen will probably be watered down to nothing but a vague denunciation of ... Iran. Because while everyone knows "Russia did it" elsewhere, in the Middle East, "Iran did it".

The Saudis are rather more interested in their own nuclear program. Because nothing says, "We're important" or "You can't bomb us" like the development of nuclear technology and, eventually, nuclear weapons. With a somewhat improved relation with the Russian Federation, they have that country as a fall-back supplier if their kind friends in Washington don't give them what they want. Recent news indicates that

...Saudi Arabia has hired an international law firm specializing in energy regulation in its efforts to extract a favorable agreement on civil nuclear cooperation from the United States.

Furthermore

Section 123 of the Atomic Energy Act of 1954 stipulates that the US government and Congress must sign off before American firms can transfer nuclear technology abroad. The US-based firm Westinghouse is competing with Russian, Chinese, French and South Korean firms for a lucrative contract to build Saudi Arabia's first two nuclear reactors but would need a green light from Washington to proceed.

Read more: http://www.al-monitor.com/pulse/orig...#ixzz58tqzeNW3

The Canadian connection here is that Westinghouse - a subsidiary of Toshiba involved with nuclear technology - is in bankruptcy proceedings and there is a pending sale to Brookfield, a Canadian asset management company.

Human rights is one thing, but business is business. I predict that large contracts will be signed and Yemenis will continue to die. Call me prescient.

[Nigel Hanrahan]

The "Butcher of Yemen" is getting the Red Carpet in the UK.

And the CBS show 60 Minutes plans to do a nice "fluff" piece about the "reform" Prince MBS this Sunday.

No really. And cuddly white puppies. By the time he gets to the US he may achieve Sainthood in the MSM.

Think of the children. No, not those children. I mean the 130 Yemeni children that die every day from malnutrition, lack of potable water, and so on.

Britain's red carpet for the Saudi ruler is shameless

https://www.theguardian.com/commenti...ms-sales-yemen

[Nigel Hanrahan]

The covers are lifted on the heaping piles of Canadian arms sales to KSA

Recent press coverage of Canadian-Saudi arms sales indicates that these deals are mostly secret for a reason. They're embarrassing for both sides.

Canada's arms deal with Saudi Arabia includes 'heavy assault' vehicles

http://www.cbc.ca/news/politics/cana...deal-1.4579772

Both former PM Stephen Harper and the current placeholder, PM Justin Trudeau, trivialized these arms sales by calling them "trucks", "jeeps", etc., when, really, these are combat-ready troop carrying attack weapons that the Canadian government - of whatever political stripe - has given its blessings to. They come with oodles of "embedded teams" for ongoing maintenance, expert training in Canada, etc., etc., etc..

Canada is up to its neck in whatever the Saudis are doing with these state-of-the-art weapons. And believe me, you can do a lot of damage with a 30 mm chain gun. Ever see Arnold in the Terminator series?

added November 2018: Experts say there's proof that Canadian-made weapons are being used for Saudi war in Yemen.

[Nigel Hanrahan]

Shopping Spree by the GM of human rights violations

MbS is in Washington on a real shopping spree for war. All items must go! There is that annoying motion at the Senate by Bernie Sanders and a Tea Party Republican, but the motion to table that [indefinitely] is also due for a vote at 430 pm today.

The Trump administration may very well put the kibosh on Barak Obama's Iran "P5+1" deal, but, rest assured, Saudi plans for a nuclear industry of their own are going ahead at, er, explosive speed.

As predicted, the "reform" Crown Prince is meeting all of the important people in the USA over the course of the next few weeks.

[Nigel Hanrahan]

I stick to my prediction ...

I stick to my prediction that the Israeli players will get their visas by the time next year's event rolls around. Unless, of course, the US Administration decides to embarrass the Saudis once again ... by putting them into yet another political zugszwang....If the Israelis were smart, which I have no doubt they are, then they might just work things out with the Saudis on their own ...

And, right on cue ...

Saudi Arabia Allows Flights to Israel to Use its Airspace

https://viewfromthewing.boardingarea...-use-airspace/

Basically, the KSA is allowing Air India flights to Tel Aviv to fly over their airspace. This saves the airline plenty of money in fuel costs - about which there are already complaints of "unfair competition" in Israel - but, more significantly, it opens the door to allowing other airlines - like El Al - to do the same thing. From there it's a short hop and a jump to direct flights between Riyadh and Tel Aviv. Happy days!

And look! Saudi Arabia is between Israel and Iran. That would shorten the flight time to Iranian "destinations" as well. Win-win all around!

[Nigel Hanrahan]

Recent events MAY put in doubt future Rapid and Blitz World Championships in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA). The Turkish government has noted that dissident journalist Jamal Khashoggi went INTO the Saudi Consulate in Istanbul but, it seems, he did not come out.

Well, in one piece anyway. The Turkish TV even broadcast a video showing Khashoggi going into the Saudi Consulate, a team of 15 or so Saudi Nationals involved, a dark van leaving the Consulate, and Khashoggi's fiancée waiting forever for her future husband to come out.

Both the Democrat establishment and the Republicans, including the current President, owe a great deal to the largesse of the KSA. So even if it turns out that Khashoggi was chopped up as an example to other dissidents, it may not move the US Adminstration to rebuke the "reform" Prince MbS.

Get popcorn. This is going to be interesting.

Where is Khashoggi?

added later: By and large, the muted criticism from, e.g., US, UK, Canada, etc., is more about pre-bargaining on the latest (arms) deal, but it may be very difficult now to play that game. When a Washington Post journalist gets "disappeared" then it's hard to look the other way and pretend nothing is amiss.

[Nigel Hanrahan]

Jamal Khashoggi's disappearance, and likely gruesome Goodfellows-style death inside the Consulate of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA) in Istanbul, is causing all sorts of scurrying around by longtime supporters of the KSA's Crown Prince, Mohammed bin Salman (MbS for short). Glenn Greenwald, of Wikileaks fame, has recently pointed out that the very publication whose reporter is now missing and presumed murdered has all sorts of ongoing ties with the KSA.

As I noted above, both the Democrat establishment and the GOP are up to their necks in business with the KSA and MbS. Ditto for Canada that, while recently getting into a squabble with the KSA, has no intention of putting those lucrative LAV-6 contracts in danger.

Here is Greenwald's key remarks...

Much has been made of the glaring and truly infuriating hypocrisy that so many western elites were perfectly happy doing all sorts of business with Saudi tyrants while they murdered Yemeni civilians and domestic dissidents en masse (with the direct help of numerous administrations from both parties, led by Trump’s predecessor), and only became outraged once one of the Saudis’ victims was someone with whom they empathized. And all of that is true enough.

But the Washington Post’s particular righteous fury as expressed in words, while understandable in one sense, is very difficult to reconcile with their actual actions, including their ongoing relationship with numerous individuals who either work directly for the Saudi regime, financially benefit from propaganda and lobbying work performed on their behalf, or have a history of taking the lead in doing P.R. work for Saudi tyrants under the guise of journalism. Post Editorial Page Editor Fred Hiatt, who oversees all of this as he tries to shame others for maintaining relationships with the Saudis, failed to respond to any of the Intercept’s inquiries regarding these multiple ethical and behavioral contradictions.

Hiatt managed to jettison some of his connections post facto, but it was too late.

This is serious enough that the Saudi Royal Family could, conceivably, get rid of their weak link in MbS and replace him with someone more suitable. I understand that the former Head of Saudi Intelligence, recently let go by MbS and an alleged CIA asset in the past, could be an ideal (i.e., pro-US) candidate. But what if he is implicated? And do not these recent events - and others, such as the 2017 purges - show that MbS is more than willing to "dispose" of his potential rivals?

OTOH, US President Trump has already acted as public relations man for MbS by hinting that "rogue elements" may have been responsible, etc. After all, what are friends for if not to provide assistance in difficult moments? It's all quite delicious were it not for the murderous details.

So the complications are, well, complicated. Needless to say, the fate of the World Blitz and Rapid Chess Championships are not the current top priority of the KSA. lol. In hindsight, it's too bad that the KSA didn't put the same effort into producing strong chess players as their hated rivals in Iran have done. They might have seen deeper into the position and not carried out such apparent and petulant cruelties.

Greenwald: The Washington Post Shames Others, but ...

[Nigel Hanrahan]

fyi, the recently held FIDE General Assembly decided ...

GA-2018/57. To note that the FIDE President will provide a final decision on the organization of the 2018 World Rapid and Blitz Championships in Saudi Arabia, in November 2018.

89th FIDE Congress - General Assembly List of Decisions

[Nigel Hanrahan]

We should know very soon whether the World Rapid and Blitz Ch will take place in the KSA next month.

According to FIDE President, the situation with the World Rapid and Blitz Championships, scheduled to be held in December in Saudi Arabia, is not clear yet. The country's authorities have not provided guarantees of admittance and safe participation of representatives from all countries. If the guarantees are not received in the coming days, the Championship will be transferred to another country.

See Press Conference with FIDE President Arkady Dvorkovich

It's all rather too late for Jamal Khashoggi, or, for that matter, journalist Turki Bin Abdul Aziz Al-Jasser, who was also (recently) killed while in Saudi custody.

[Nigel Hanrahan]

FIDE website today:

"Dear chess friends,

We are doing our utmost to stage the World Rapid and Blitz Championships this year, and we know players are really looking forward to it. At the same time, FIDE shall ensure that all eligible participants can take part in the Championships regardless of their nationality, ethnicity, race or gender.

We apologize for the delay and certainly expect to have an event confirmed this week, and we will update the chess community accordingly."



updated!

Dear chess friends,

FIDE is happy to confirm the World Rapid and Blitz 2018 Championships to take place between December 25 (arrival day) and December 31 (departure day), with the prize giving ceremony on December 30 early evening.

While we are still finalizing the details in order to publish the official regulations next week, we found it essential to update our players, thus allowing them to plan their schedule accordingly.

FIDE is looking forward to stage an exceptional event, and let the strongest win!

Whoops! The location of the event seems to be missing. I hope it's not inside the KSA Embassy in Istanbul, Turkey!

World Rapid and Blitz Ch to be held ... somewhere!

[Nigel Hanrahan]

Meanwhile, (live) journalist Glenn Greenwald hits it out of the park.

Trump's Amoral Statement, etc.

Basically, Greenwald points out that the odious justification of decades of Saudi atrocities has been going on for a long time and by the very same people - ie the Democrats - who are now out of power in the USA and noisily denouncing Trump for what they've been doing all along.


Supplemental: Russian media is reporting: Killers cut Khashoggi apart in 7 MINUTES while listening to MUSIC and LIKED IT – Turkish FM


Nasty!
...........................................................................................

There is even a Canadian connection. Canadian activist sues Israeli surveillance company over Jamal Khashoggi's killing

A Saudi dissident living in Canada has filed a lawsuit against an Israeli surveillance company, claiming its sophisticated spyware targeted him and helped lead to the killing of his friend, Saudi journalist Jamal Khashoggi.

The suit, filed in a Tel Aviv court on Sunday, follows others previously filed against the company. But because of the dissident's ties to Khashoggi and his high-profile killing Oct. 2 at the Saudi Consulate in Istanbul, it is likely to shine a greater spotlight on the Israeli company and the Israeli government, which licenses the export of the surveillance technology.

[Hugh Brodie]

The events will be held....in St Petersburg, Russia.

http://ruchess.ru/en/news/all/world_...j23lyumzvy2Nio