A Saudi Arabian journalist and Washington Post columnist entered the Saudi consulate in Istanbul on October 2nd — then was never seen again. Now, the Saudi’s are finding themselves locked in a diplomatic rift with the US, the UK, France, and Germany.
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In print, journalist Jamal Khashoggi had been fair but critical of Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman. So, naturally, the Crown Prince was consulted about Khashoggi’s strange disappearance when he went missing 2 weeks ago. Initially, spokesmen for bin Salman denied any knowledge or involvement in Khashoggi’s disappearance. Now, they are ready to admit that he is indeed dead — and that his death was accidental and due to an interrogation gone wrong.
On October 2nd, surveillance video showed Khashoggi entering the consulate as his girlfriend waited outside for him. Regrettably, there was no footage of him ever leaving the government property. According to Turkish officials in Istanbul, Khashoggi was abducted, interrogated, then killed by Saudi security officials loyal to the crown prince and his body was chopped up into little pieces.
If the 33-year-old royal did, in fact, order the death of the Washington Post columnist, his standing among the west is now all but shattered. His standing among western countries EXCEPT for the US, that is.
Initially, Donald Trump talked tough by saying that if the Saudi’s were involved in the death they would pay for their transgressions. Now, he is walking back those words by strangely defending the Saudi’s.
“Here we go again with, you know, you’re guilty until proven innocent,” Trump told The Associated Press. “I don’t like that. We just went through that with Justice Kavanaugh, and he was innocent all the way as far as I’m concerned,” he added.
So, why the defense amid all but an admission of guilt?
Khashoggi has been on bin Salman’s bad side since reporting critical information about the crown prince that he would have rather kept private. However, isn’t that exactly what Donald Trump has done with American journalists?
The crown prince wanted only positive news reported about him. Donald Trump only wants positive news reported about him. The crown prince made threats against Khashoggi and others who were critical toward him. Donald Trump has demonized the media and allowed his followers to make threats toward American journalists who are critical toward “The Donald.”
Mohammed bin Salman had Khashoggi killed. Could Trump’s rhetoric toward what he calls the “fake news” end with the same fate for some American journalist at the hands of a Trump loyalist?
In response to the government murder, US Attorney General Jeff Sessions had this to say:
“The world will be diminished if journalists aren’t able to go and travel and to report honestly conditions in differing countries. Or people in their own country can’t report on corruption or crime or misconduct in their countries. So I think it can even separate countries from a civilized community.”
Perhaps it’s time for Trump and his people to take heed to these words and practice what they preach.
Was hoping you cover this story DJ. And you nailed it.
Honestly, my immediate thought – when I first saw the video of Khashoggi entering the consulate – was….
What an extremely risky move on Jamal Khashoggi’s part (going there for whatever reason) given his *problematic* history with Prince Mohammed bin Salman. Saudi Arabia and “authoritarian rule” go hand-in-hand. An authoritarian leader ordering the killing of his “enemy” is all in a days work. The notion that Khashoggi’s murder was carried out by some rogue group – and bin Salman had no prior knowledge of it whatsoever – is absolutely ludicrous.
Which brings us to the response to all this by the little *authoritarian wannbe* currently occupying the White House.