Thread by @SMBWhitney

Qatar Finalizing Plans for Spy Plane Project in South Carolina
Qatari military is finalizing plans to invest in SC as part of its efforts to develop & produce surveillance aircraft, according to co docs & two sources w knowledge thedailybeast.com/qatar-finalizi… via @thedailybeast May 2019

Per Erin Banco National Security Reporter & Adam Rawnsley, the Spy Plane project, led by Qatari-owned firm Barzan Aeronautical, has been in the planning stages for the last several yrs is registered in South Carolina. @harrisonjaime @postandcourier

‘It’s more than just an economic decision,’ one analyst says. It’s...a campaign to sway opinion in U.S. Barzan’s aircraft initiative corresponds to a new push by Qatari gov to invest $45 Billion of cash into U.S. (Kushner's?) real estate, tech & now, military aircraft &systems.

IMO: Does this sounds like the Qatari who refused to loan Jared Kushner money for his 666 Fifth Ave Appt building now deciding to pay for play? Arm twisted by Saudi blockades?
Troubling overlap between Jared Kushner's business interests& US Foreign policy theguardian.com/commentisfree/…

May 20th 2017 Trump's first stop on 1st trip abroad Saudi Arabia

May 21, 2017 Qatar's Emir Sheikh Tamim Bin Hamad Al-Thani
meeting with Trump, Tillerson, Kushner, McMaster in Riyadh

Qatari officials believe the meetings — as well as fallout from Qatari business dealings with Kushner — may have influenced President Donald Trump's public endorsement of a blockade of Qatar by its neighbors that began last year.

How Qatar Blockade Started
threader.app/thread/1152722…

Doha is Qatar's Capital City
May 23, 2017

Qatar Won the Saudi Blockades
By becoming more influential in U.S.?

Qatari officials visited South Carolina in 2018 to meet Boeing, Sen Lindsey Graham (R-SC) & Gov. Henry McMaster to discuss Doha’s interest in investing in the state. Qatar Investment Authority planned to increase its investments in the U.S. to $45 billion over the next two years.

Project would follow two massive military agreements between U.S. & Qatar. In 2017, U.S. & Qatar signed $12 billion deal for Doha to purchase 72 Boeing F-15 fighter jets. And in 2018, State Dept approved $197 mill deal to have Raytheon upgrade Qatar’s AF Op w equipment & support.

Creepy Deals By Sen. Lindsey Graham and SC Gov. McMaster made with Terrorist Funding, Qatar
teapartypac.org/the-creepy-dea…

One of the biggest donors to South Carolina Governor Henry McMaster’s recent campaign for governor is a key Qatari lobbyist, Imaad Zuberi. Uberi represents the vastly wealthy QIA, and forked over $50,000 to McCaster’s campaign according to campaign finance reports.

Zuberi told associates that he was donating to GOP candidates to gain further access to politicians, the New York Times reports.

Mayor of Charleston is also friendly to Qatar. He has “signed a declaration of understanding to encourage economic development, cultural & environmental cooperation between Charleston & Doha, Qatar’s capital city,”after meeting w Qatari investment officials,Post &Courier reported

Feb 2018 The Qatar delegation that met w SC officials were in Washington, D.C., earlier this wk to announce the air travel agreement &discuss potential investments in U.S. energy sector Mohammed Saif Al-Sowaidi, head of Qatar Investment Authority’s U.S. advisory group

""Al-Sowaidi said one of the investment authority’s priorities is investing in energy generation& distribution, but did not say what opportunities might exist in South Carolina.""

Al-Sowaidi said the authority is “amazed” with the Charleston region’s booming commercial real estate market, efforts to expand the state’s port system and the growing number of international companies that have a presence in South Carolina.

"A Qatari defense firm with its headquarters in Charleston recently purchased a surveillance drone as part of its plan to provide intelligence services to unspecified international customers."

"Barzan Aeronautical bought an Aerosonde unmanned aircraft from Textron Systems at last month’s Paris Air Show, Providence, R.I.-based Textron said in a written statement." Terms of the contract were not disclosed.

Barzan Aeronautical CEO Richard Craven said contract w Textron is “part of our long term business investment in Charleston area."Our relationship w Textron &other U.S. co.s will continue to support job growth in SC &allow Barzan to deliver capabilities to U.S.&NATO allies,”Craven

Barzan Aeronautical is a division of Barzan Holdings, which is owned by ➡️ Qatari Ministry of Defense. According to Barzan Holdings website, the entity is“responsible for empowering the military capabilities of the Qatari Armed Forces” through partnerships w international co.s.

Stefano Chmielewski formerly with Renault
now part of mystery Barzan Holdings in Doha, Qatar
Barzan Holdings, Doha's mystery defence project, gets off the ground
The isolated emirate is poised to launch its own public defence investment fund. Jan 2018

Qatar's Historical points of interest

Riyadh SA & Doha Qatar snap up European bosses to
🔻Develop their Defense Complexes State-owned Defense Co.s that have been set up at behest of Emir of Qatar Tamim Al Thani & Saudi Arabia's Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman (MBS) r competing to attract European business chiefs

July 2019

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