TRUMP SEEKING AN "ARAB NATO" – AT 12:31 P.M. ET:   The left-wing press is spinning this week's presidential trip to the Mideast and the Vatican as a way in which Trump can escape the "scandals" of Washington.  In fact, planning for the trip began months ago. 

And the president has serious objectives.  From the Washington Post, via Reading Eagle: 

When President Donald Trump arrives in Riyadh this week, he will lay out his vision for a new regional security architecture White House officials call an "Arab NATO," to guide the fight against terrorism and push back against Iran. As a cornerstone of the plan, Trump will also announce one of the largest arms-sales deals in history.

Behind the scenes, the Trump administration and Saudi Arabia have been conducting extensive negotiations, led by White House senior adviser Jared Kushner and Saudi Deputy Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman. The discussions began shortly after the presidential election, when Mohammed, known in Washington as "MBS," sent a delegation to meet with Kushner and other Trump officials at Trump Tower.

After years of disillusionment with the Obama administration, the Saudi leadership was eager to do business. "They were willing to make a bet on Trump and on America," a senior White House official said.

In that meeting and during a follow-up meeting three weeks later, the Saudis proposed a broad elevation of the U.S.-Saudi relationship and proposed various projects to increase security cooperation, economic cooperation and investment, White House officials said. The Trump team gave the Saudis a list of Trump priorities, calling on the kingdom to step up actions to combat radical Islamic extremism, intensify the fight against the Islamic State and share the burden of regional security.

COMMENT:  This has to be looked at with two eyes.  There have been many attempts in the past to organize Arab "unity," and they have mostly failed.  The full story reports huge arms sales to Saudi Arabia, and there have to be ironclad guarantees that the arms won't be used against Israel. 

Saudi Arabia is still a dictatorship, with a horrible record on women's rights.  However, there are signs that it has tried to make progress in recent years.

We'll see.  Trust but verify.

May 17,  2017