The U.S. treasury has released Saudi Arabia’s treasury holdings for the first time, coming in at just $116 billion, down from $123 billion achieved in January. Normally, I’d read this data point, sneer at it, then go about my day. However, given Saudi Barbaria’s (remind me to never travel there) $587 billion current account surplus, one has to imagine where in the world all of that money is being domiciled?
To house all of that money, you can’t just leave it in a checking account, or even a bank for that matter. Money of this size is normally held in treasuries, due to the implicit safety of the U.S. treasury and liquidity.
In comparison, both China and Japan own upwards of $1 trillion a piece in treasuries. For the love of Christ, Belgium owns $143 billion in treasuries and they make a living selling chocolate bars around the world.
So why, all of a sudden, are the finances of Saudi Barbaria being laid bare? That’s the bigger question. Moreover, why is this important, occurring at the same time they try to whore off Saudi Aramco, their state own oil crown jewel, in a $2 trillion IPO?
Perhaps by removing the secretive veil that’s been in place since 1973, this is a warning shot of sorts for them to fall in line with something America deems important? Who knows? I find it interesting that we first became besties with Iran after oil collapsed by 60%, followed up by surprise transparency in The House of Saud’s finances.
One thing is for certain, they aren’t important holders of U.S. debt.
One last thing, maybe it has something to do with a NYT report from several month’s ago, claiming that Saudi Arabia would dump $750 billion in U.S. assets if a certain bill was passed?
If you enjoy the content at iBankCoin, please follow us on Twitter
No one can blame the Saudis for saying it is unfair to pass a law that would allow the Saudi government to be held responsible in American courts for a role in the Sept. 11 attacks, or for trying to stop that bill from being passed– especially if they were not responsible. The public still has no information on whether or not the Saudi government is actually responsible, or, if so, in what way or to what degree to what degree.
I wish those 28 pages would hurry up and get released. I am sick of people speculating on what is in there, and hearing contradictory reports from different people who have read it about what it shows or proves, or does not show or prove.
If you don’t believe Saudi Arabia had something to do with it by now, you’re more delusional than I thought.
So you’ve read the 28 pages that have not been released to the public?
FROG: I never speak like this- but you need some serious HELP. The House of Saud is the Number One exporter of radical Islam. They behead citizens for doubting The regime, they throw gay men over cliffs, they rape woman, they let female students burn in dormitories for trying to exit buildings on fire, because their veils weren’t on. 9/11 perpetrators were Saudis…Osama Bin Laden was a Saudi…Heck even the Mecca event murders thousands every year with some barbaric strategies in handling crowds. Frog…?
There is still the question: If we take down the House of Saud militarily or economically, what will replace it? Will what replaces it be worse?
We thought nothing could be worse than Saddam ruling Iraq. We found out differently.
Yes, Osama Bin Laden was a Saudi. And he hated the House of Saud. He was very clear that he saw them as his enemies, because they weren’t religious enough for him.
The Saudi government is horrendous, of course. The Saudi clerics are even worse. And Al Qaeda and ISIS are even worse than the clerics.
Al Qaeda is not the same as the House of Saud, which is not the same as the Saudi clerics. There are different factions within Saudi Arabia.
Would it make sense to say that all Americans are the same, that if any American is guilty of a crime, that all Americans are, especially the American government? There are different people and factions there that are very different from one another.
We are VERY fortunate in the U.S. When some Middle Eastern government is the worst we can imagine, then we think that it can’t be worse. But it can. Look at Iraq before and after Saddam.
I do believe Obama had something to do with the failures of Iraq’s sovereignty.
Don’t assume I approve of the House of Saud just because the information I have read leads me to believe that there are even worse groups of people there who could take power over that country in place of the House of Saud, if it came down.
“FEINSTEIN: I’ve read the 28 pages now over the years three times. I just read them again last week. And it’s my belief that investigative bodies have found essentially no evidence that the 28 pages relate to any specific government’s culpability.”
http://www.npr.org/2016/05/16/478188342/debate-rages-over-28-pages-in-sept-11-report-still-classified
WELNA: A later report by a Blue Ribbon 9/11 Commission did indeed find no evidence that quote, “the Saudi government as an institution or senior Saudi officials had funded al-Qaida.”
Since I am not a Right Winger, I do not enjoy jumping to conclusions without evidence.
And if you have news articles with evidence rather than speculation, I would like to read them.
What makes you think the “28 missing pages” will be an actual account of what took place?
I don’t know what they are. But I want to know what they are. So I want them released.
You’re right.vlisten to FEINSTEIN. Saudi Arabia is a friendly nation, whose 19 people who crashed into our buildings were only coincidental. And their brand of Islam, which is at the vanguard of global Islamic terrorism, is also friendly to our interests.
I’m just a rube right winger who only relies upon Fox News for information.
Apologies
Yes, some people who were from Saudi crashed into our buildings on 9/11. But I know of no evidence that they were sanctioned by the Saudi government. In fact, Al Qaeda is a sworn enemy of the Saudi royals and wants to overthrow them– thinking they are not religious enough. Maybe it would be better if the people who “are not religious enough” to be terrorists, are allowed to keep their rule over the country.
And yes, brand of Islam practiced in Saudi, is at the vanguard of global Islamic terrorism. But that is yet another reason not to hurt the Saudi government. Because the government may be backward, but it’s less backward than the Saudi clerics are. The government is trying to very slowly modernize the country. The clerics are trying to drag it back to the 16th century or so. If we weaken the government so that the clerics are free to take over, the situation there will be much worse.
Just as in Iraq, if we think we are ready to militarily or economically try to take down a government, we need to ask the question: Is the group that is likely to replace that government even worse?
WOMEN AREN’T ALLOWED TO DRIVE.
True. And I would never live in Saudi to save my life. But I wouldn’t have wanted to live under Saddam in Iraq either. Just as ISIS in Iraq has been even worse than Saddam was, the Saudi clerics are even worse than the Saudi government is. So the Saudi royals seem to be the lesser evil, as far as I can tell.
We don’t get good choices in the Middle Eastern governments. The best we can do is figure out lesser evils. Because not much is good there– well, actually the food is good, and some of the art and architecture in various places in the M.E. are good, from what I read and see in photos. But most of the governments pretty much suck big time.
Women not being allowed to drive sounds like a win to me. Take away their right to vote and then we got something to work with.
Thanks for giving us the neanderthal viewpoint.
Also, please ignore the Bush-Saudi ties and the fact that the Bin Laden family were ushered out of this country after 9/11 without being questioned.
It’s only a conspiracy in my right wing head.
Saddam and Assad were both secular leaders. Understand what we did? We ousted secular leaders for religious fanatics.
We did that. Not republican. Not democrat. The United States made the world a much unsafer place through illegal wars, dropping $4 trillion in the process.
I guess the Powers That Be must have had some benefit to themselves or the country, or to some group or company or country they are aligned with, in ousting these leaders. I can’t imagine they did it just because the leaders were secular.
I do agree with you that ousting leaders in the M.E., with great expense, and by putting our soldiers in harm’s way, is an outrageously horrendous disaster and that we should never repeat.
That’s a big part of why I am for Bernie.. I’m sad that it sure doesn’t look like he will win the nomination. He seems to be the least neocon major party candidate.
I have a nephew in the military who has been to Iraq twice and Afghanistan twice. He’s currently stationed in a country that is at peace, knock on wood.
I don’t feel like I can tell what Trump would do in foreign relations. But it scares me that Sheldon Adelson is Trump’s big supporter now. Adelson’s one issue seems to be Israel, which seems to translate into the U.S. getting involved in one expensive bloody war after another in the M.E.
I do see differences between the parties, although the difference are not as large as I would like. Regarding war, both parties have been war lovers, I agree. And that is very frustrating. Some people say that we are a war like country, so a peace loving candidate can not get elected in any case. I hope such people are wrong.
I’m not here to defend them, but that bin laden family thing has been debunked. Wouldn’t want you to look like a right wing conspiracy theorist…
I’m actually not surprised at all that it is that size. Anybody thought it was anywhere near $750B did not do their homework.
https://ibankcoin.com/flyblog/2016/04/16/the-house-of-saud-threatens-to-sell-750-bill-worth-of-treasuries-if-blamed-for-911/#comment-487401
It is a good question as to where all the money went. Considering Saudi Goverenment Debt/GDP went from 100%+ in 1999 to 1.6% at present, I guess that’s part of the answer. I’m guessing a lot of it was “lost” in gov’t officials bank accounts, as well.
Flights of Fancy
Did a secret flight whisk Saudis and Osama bin Laden’s relatives out of the USA during a ban on air travel?
Status: False
http://www.snopes.com/rumors/flights.asp
Now the Bush-Saudi business ties were definitely there. I’m certainly aware of that.
Paid for by the CIA.
Unlike all the things on your Right Wing web sites, which you believe are true.
I don’t think you are a rube right winger, Fly. I know a couple of medical doctors, married to each other. One is a cardiovascular surgeon. Brilliant people. They have no idea that their Right Wing “news sources” are lying to them. Propaganda works. And it works just fine on intelligent people. People can easily come to trust “news sources” that lie to them.
As a Trump supporter, having seen how the media treats him, ask yourself: What if the media is just as unfair to Obama, Hillary and Bernie?
I suppose the Right Wing media may be changing now re: Trump though, with the various endorsements from GOP establishment folks that Trump is getting? Are they starting to rally behind him? Anyone know? I don’t regularly read Right Wing media, but a lot of folks here apparently do.
I regularly read all media, right, left and foreign, and do not living a bubble.
And yet you only seem to trust and believe the info on the Right Wing sites.
lol says the Rachel Maddow cheerleader!! That’s rich….
I don’t watch Rachel Maddow, actually. I keep meaning to, but have not yet.
Tell us your primary source of information please cuz I know you’re lying. RM is your hero.
sweetbillyv No I’ll cite an article now and then when I want. But others here generally do not even do that as often as I do.
Stop being demanding and contribute something constructive to the discussion.
If you disagree with me, state what you think and why.
Bashing people is easy and pointless. Is expressing what you think and why too challenging for you?
The delicious irony of your misguided belief system is that you’re the one fooled by a govt-media propaganda arm, lashing out at so called ‘right wing’ news sources as the culprit of bad information.
I entreat you to idle the idea that the fabric from which your sand castles are built upon aren’t nearly as sturdy and reliable as you believe.
I do not care to convince you or win you over to the truth. Those who see things through an altered prism, tend to live in their fantasy world until the tomb. If there’s one thing I’d strongly suggest that you do is accept the fact that your ideologies and ‘news sources’ aren’t necessarily the correct ones. Moreover, do not believe for a second that your leaders are benevolent and care one iota about you, just because you’re a democrat card carrying citizen, wholly sold on the idea that you’re making the world a better place.
Thanks, Fly. I feel exactly the same about you– except substitute “lashing out against Left Wing news sources as the culprit of bad information”– instead of Right Wing. And substitute GOP card carrying citizen– instead of Dem card carrying.
frog – If you truly are a woman (and married), you have to be of the battered variety
Why would you say something like that?
Right Wingers seem to start talking about physical violence, for the purpose of trying to get a woman to stop saying things that are true but that they don’t want to hear. Is that what you are doing?
Or maybe you are just assuming that I approve of the barbaric House of Saud– which I do not. It’s just that my readings point to the likelihood that there are WORSE things in Saudi than the horrendous royals. Just as there were worse possibilities in Iraq than Saddam’s rule.
@ frog
Wait, you’re a chick? No.
If that’s the case, I can assault you now. However you still keep saying right winger and nonsense like that. You are on a side which is not on yours
Advice, don’t be on a side.
The only thing worse than the house of Saud are the people they are creating.
Take your blinders off
Regards
Chuck Bennett
It’s possible to label groups “right wingers,” “left wingers,” “terrorists,” etc. if the shoe fits.
It’s also possible to agree with some left-wing views (that the Saudi government is playing a similar role to other goverenment in heavily religious countires: moderation. Lesser of two evils, and such.) while still noting that not those in power on the left don’t neccesarily represent the people on the left (“Chaos At Nevada Democratic Convention; State Party Chair Flees Building As Sanders Supporters Demand Recount”).
After all isn’t that what Trump supporters are about: right wing views, but not supportive of right-wing power structure/establishment?
@btn. Short answer is no.
Trump is no right winger. His positions give it away.
Just a few.
Pro gay- supports planned parent hood- doesn’t want to invade other countries – lastly, when he talks about forcing companies to stay in America he is to the left of sanders.
The TV and others will have you believe otherwise.
Regards
Chuck Bennett
The main side I am on is the side of staying clear of the Middle East. A lot of people thought nothing could be worse than Saddam so we should take him out. Big expensive mistake. Now people are acting like nothing could be worse than the House of Saud, as if we should take them out militarily or economically.
But there are even worse factions. The Saudi clerics are even worse. If we took out the royals, and the clerics took over, that would be a worse disaster than now. And ISIS and Al Qaeda are worse, and if they took over Saudi Arabia, it would also be worse than the royals.
I am firmly in favor of the Obama doctrine: “Don’t do stupid shit.”
You say there are not sides. Yet you believe most of the Right Wing ideas, maybe specifically the Libertarian ones. And you seem to never believe any of the progressive ideas. You are also in favor of a major party’s candidate– one who may, as we write, be getting converted over to that party’s establishment policies and opinions.
Maybe you are so used to your Right Wing friends and news sources that you do not realize there are other ways to look at things. It’s easy enough for that to happen.
@ frog
The Obama doctrine took down a country with the highest GDP on their continent. Highest standard of living , housing , health care and cars all for free.
Now the place is a shot hole. Poorest and most dangerous. This is a bad doctrine.
You can say cool shit all day, actions speak louder.
Regards
Chuck Bennett.
Btn, well said. I hope one day to learn to be as concise as you are.
@Chuck
1) I wrote that Trump’s *supporters* are generally right wing, not Trump himself.
2) As for Obama on Iraq: he may not have improved things, but he holds much less repsonsibility than Bush’s adminsitration
If you can’t concede those two points, then I think you are “on a side”
@frog Thanks
Chuck, if you have information about Libya that shows that what you say above is true, then cite a link.
I will cite one. If it’s wrong, then cite one that gives what you think is the correct info. If you just say what you think and not where you got it from, there is no reason I should believe it. You are a guy on the Internet who seems to know a lot about stocks. Maybe you know a lot about foreign relations also. But I can’t just believe that because you say so, without any objective evidence of what you say are facts. Nor more than you would believe what I say, without any objective evidence.
Everyone says the Libya intervention was a failure. They’re wrong.
http://www.vox.com/2016/4/5/11363288/libya-intervention-success
I quote ZERO ‘right wing’ sites. My thoughts are my own. If you consider my views ‘right wing’, so be it.
The main difference between you and I is you believe the government’s lies and I do not.
The main difference between you and I is that you believe that everything the Democratic government’s president says is a lie and I do not. And that just happens to be the view of every Right Wing web site also. But I am sure that is just a coincidence.
I thought Israel was responsible for 9/11
It’s in Israeli banks of course.
Regards
Chuck Bennett
Lots of right wing slash left wing labeling and bantor being thrown around as if there is no inbetween. Too much for me to care about. As chuck points out, watch lsreal. And to the question, where did the money go?
Of course there’s an in between. But when someone believes every word that comes out of Fox News and Right Wing radio and Right Wing web sites, and puts down facts from the New York Times as if they are lies, then that person is not in between.
I know of no evidence that the money went to Israeli banks, although I see no reason why it couldn’t have. If someone has an article saying so, please post it.
I felt as though Chuck was making a joke. Why do you care so much about right wing radio and websites? Is there too many to individually name, as opposed to every other major media outlet?
@ frog
Clearly you don’t know much.
Not putting you down. Do you think everything is in the news on TV buddy?
I know, it’s safer in the bubble. Maybe I will pretend you are 7. Yes. Santa is real.
Regards
Chuck Bennett
But the NYT is an arch left wing rag. It isn’t objective journalism at all.
You’re a divisive person, Frog.
Fly: And Fox News is objective journalism? And Alex Jones?
Chuck we can all say the other doesn’t know much. I could say your are 7 years old too. I have read a lot about the Middle East. I do the best I can to gather knowledge. What do you do?
Moosh, yes there are too many to individually name. I care because the U.S. is immersed in Right Wing propaganda. People moving here from other countries often are shocked by the extent of it.
Would it be surprising if the Saudis put their money in Israeli banks? It seems they are in favor of having peace with Israel, rather than wiping Israel off the map– which would make them Israel’s best friend in the Middle East, it seems.
I spent a LOT of time in Saudi and the ME during my military days. It is completely laughable to suggest any Arab has money in Israeli banks.
You completely misread Saudi’s relationship toward Israel.
@izzy
You are completely wrong judging the book by its cover.
It’s to my point. They teach their citizens one thing and they operate another.
It’s classic and there are many many examples of this.
I actually happen to know much more about this than you. This is not my opinion.
Regards
Chuck Bennett.
You are laughable believing that nonsense. No Arab indeed. That’s humor.
Regards
Chuck Bennett.
Chuck, have you ever been to the ME? Have you ever read military academic papers written by Arabs? I’ve had more than enough contact with ME Arabs to know what they think. It may be a broad brush, but it’s ingrained into their society to hate Jews.
But you know better than me about all of this based on???
At frog
I’m going to show you something one day. For now let me explain something.
Pay no attention to the space alien behind the curtain.
Question. Let’s say Saudi and Israeli are friends. Which they are.
How come the kingdom is creating, facilitating and funding these extreme groups?
How come ISIS never says anything about Palestine ?
Thing about that for a few hours before you answer.
Regards
Chuck Bennett
I am aware that the Saudi government says/does one thing on the surface and other things behind the scenes. Probably all governments do.
And many friends are frenemies, so Israel and Saudi may be that.
The Saudi royals are wanting to modernize their country more than the Saudi clerics are. And the Saudi government likely disagrees with many of their citizens, and obviously disagrees with their clerics. If the clerics had their way 100%, women would still not be allowed to vote.
The government is likely trying their best to keep stability in their country, in some way that makes sense to them, but is not the way any Westerner would do it.
I don’t know to what extent the kingdom itself is creating, facilitating and funding these extreme groups. Some of the extremist groups are attacking other Saudis or the government officials. So there are obviously factions that disagree. And the Saudi Arabian government sometimes fights ISIS, together with the U.S. If the government’s friends were ISIS, why would they do that?
It may be mostly the clerics creating, facilitating and funding these extreme groups. . And the Saudi government can’t stomp the clerics out, because the clerics actually have more power than the government.
If you have information about this that you think I should know, please give me a link to an article, like I do sometimes. I won’t just take your word for something because you said so, any more than you would do that with me or anyone else. It doesn’t make sense to. Maybe the people who know you do, because they know your background and how you got the information or opinions you have.
Is there some reason why ISIS should say something about Palestine? The Middle East is full of wealthy countries that could afford to help out Palestine but do not. No one cares about Palestine except the Palestinians, although some M. E. nations do sometimes give lip service to Palestine, when they feel like railing emotionally against Israel.
It seems to me like ISIS wants to control much of the Arabic M.E. But not Palestine which is poor and doesn’t have any oil or anything.
When Trump called out Chuck Shumer
If you don’t know him, look him up. He is very vocal when he has a point to make.
Shumer was all over trump in the very beginning.
He was stopped cold by Trump almost immediately
Do you know what Trump asked Shumer?
The question he asked and Shumers mouth closing is telling when it comes to money, corruption , traders and our allies. Shumer had nothing to say because the truth hurts.
It was smart on Shumers part to shut up. I’ve never seen anyone scare him like that.
Take a step outside the bubble. I promise you, your head won’t explode if you walk slowly.
Regards
Chuck Bennett
Schumer you moron.
Haha.
I knew that.
Regards
Chuck Bennett
Chuck, do you have an article saying what Trump asked Schumer? I’m not finding one by googling.
You’re always claiming you know things I don’t and expecting me to believe them just because you said so. Would you do that for me if I asked you to? Of course not. Nor should you. Nor should I for you. Perhaps you are the one who should take a step outside your own bubble.
If you think there are things I should know, then put in a link to an article with information, like I sometimes do.
While the Saudi Arabian govt did not sanction 911, there were MANY Saudis who have contributed to Al Qaeda, ISIS, and other radical sunni organizations. The Saudi govt’s role in this is that they turn a blind eye to Saudi citizens’ donations to radical causes.
A LOT of that money being funneled to terrorist groups is from royal family members with stipends. So indirectly, the House of Saud is responsible for a great deal of terrorism. And it’s a big reason why I’d love to see oil prices stabilize below $20/barrel.
As far as Saudi Arabia’s wealth, the saying, ‘a fool and his money are soon parted’ comes to mind. Many of my fellow military members (including me) who spent time in the ME fully expect most Arabs to return to being Bedouin camel herders once the oil money dries up.
@izzy
Agreed.
Regards
Chuck Bennett
@izzy=iflyjets
Sorry
Regards
Chuck Bennett
@iffyjets You may well be right about what you say above. And, it does not change the question we still must ask:
If we were to take out the Saudi Arabian government either militarily or economically, as some people apparently think we should do, would the regime that then follows be even worse? As with Saddam.
Define worse. For whom and why?
To say that the current Iraqi government is ‘worse’ than Saddam is to ignore the massive torture that took place during Saddam’s regime. I find your statement that the current Iraqi government is worse than Saddam to be deeply flawed.
The correct outcome IMHO should have been to divide Iraq in 3: Sunni, Shia, and Kurd territories in a fashion similar to the Dayton Accords.
As for Saudi, that is a teapot approaching a boiling point. The same pseudo military torture squads exist in Saudi as existed in Iraq, only slightly less abusive in Saudi.
I don’t have an answer for Saudi nor do I know how things will end there, but it will likely end badly. The House of Saud has to balance between Wahabbist oppression and the youth who want more freedom. This will eventually tear apart the kingdom unless they’re able to grant freedoms to their non-royal citizens. Keep an eye on the actions of Deputy Crown Prince Mohammad bin Salman Al Saud – he will either keep the House of Saud in power or will trigger a massive revolution in the Kingdom.
If the House of Saud falls, what follows in the Kingdom will not be democracy so most westerners will consider that to be a failure. But democracy is not a long term form of government in the Muslim world; it simply doesn’t work. I view the various sects of Islam as similar to the caste system in Hinduism. Islam is not a religion where personal freedoms are valued.
I don’t consider current Iraq to be a failure, just a step on its way to a civil war where the country is split into more logical smaller countries. Sunni and Shia cannot coexist in today’s Islam.
I did not say that the current Iraqi government is worse than Saddam was. The big problem for us is not the government itself but the fact that the U.S. has to stick around and prop it up and fight ISIS. ISIS consists to a large degree of the civil service people who were under Saddam and now want revenge.
The overall situation post-Saddam– not specifically the current government– was in many ways and at many times worse than the situation we would have had if we had left Saddam in place. Worse for both the U.S. who paid for a expensive big war and sent our soldiers over there, and for many Iraqis. The 500,000 Iraqis who died are not better off.
And just about everyone in the U.S. now considers the Iraq invasion a mistake, that we wish we had not done. And most of us hope the U.S. will not have to keep a presence there forever, to keep the place from disintegrating, or from being taken over by ISIS.
You may be right that Iraq would be better off divided into Sunni, Shia, and Kurd territories. There are certainly pulls in that direction. And pulls against it too. Even if it would be better that way, the people who are pulling against it may be more powerful and may keep it from happening.
The Saudi government may fall on its own, without our help. If so, then fine. We will have avoided the “You broke it, so it’s yours to fix” syndrome we got into in Iraq.”
If you want the U.S. to take down the Saudi government, either militarily or economically, do you know who else wants that? ISIS does. Al Qaeda does. And if we were to take the royals down, ISIS and Al Qaeda and the Saudi clerics will be there, ready to take charge. And either they will take charge then, or else the U.S. will be over there fighting them for many years to keep them from taking charge. Maybe you would consider that an improvement. I would not.
Think for yourself, question authority.
https://youtu.be/7zV78IgXzB0
Think for yourself. Question Right Wing authorities at least as much as Democrats.
People who say “Think for yourself” seem to always want you to think like them. And they only want you to question the authorities they question, not the ones they trust completely and without reservation.
Everybody, take your blinders off. Think for yourself, so that you will come to the exact conclusions I did and trust exactly the leaders I do. And you will disbelieve exactly the authorities that I disbelieve and will trust the ones I trust.
LOL
@ frog
Interesting, I can’t find it either with s search. People in NYC who follow know is already.
Short version. . Schumer criticized trump. Trump went after him by asking which country does he work for? Since the majority of his campaign money comes from an other country. There were a few other points he made but this one is what counts.
To date , Schumer has been silent on Trump. The truth will do that.
Regards
Chuck Bennett.
Thanks, Chuck. Makes perfect sense to me. With our effed up campaign finance system, where unlimited contributions can be kept totally secret as to their source, Congress could be TOTALLY owned by one or more foreign countries, for all we know.
This concerns me and I find it hard to understand why it does not concern many other people.