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from the is-that-a-bone-saw-in-your-pocket? dept.
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C.I.A. Concludes That Saudi Crown Prince Ordered Khashoggi Killed
The Central Intelligence Agency has concluded that the Saudi crown prince, Mohammed bin Salman, ordered the killing of the journalist Jamal Khashoggi, according to American officials.
The C.I.A. made the assessment based on the crown prince's control of Saudi Arabia, which is such that the killing would not have taken place without his approval, and has buttressed its conclusion with two sets of crucial communications: intercepts of the crown prince's calls in the days before the killing, and calls by the kill team to a senior aide to the crown prince.
[...] The increasingly definitive assessment from the spy agency creates a problem for President Trump, who has tied his administration to Prince Mohammed and proclaimed him the future of Saudi Arabia, a longtime American ally. But the new assessment by the C.I.A. is sure to harden the resolve of lawmakers on Capitol Hill to continue to investigate the killing of Mr. Khashoggi and punish Saudi Arabia.
Jared Kushner, the president's son-in-law and senior adviser, has been particularly close to Prince Mohammed. Mr. Kushner has long advocated that a strong relationship with the Saudis is in the United States' interest, and he has pushed to maintain support for the crown prince despite the death of Mr. Khashoggi, who Saudi officials now say was killed with a lethal dose of tranquilizers and dismembered. Previously, Saudi officials said that Mr. Khashoggi had been strangled.
[...] Neither administration officials nor intelligence officers believe the controversy over Mr. Khashoggi will drive Prince Mohammed from power, which is one reason White House officials believe cutting ties with the prince would not be in the interest of the United States.
takyon: The Saudis have denied the reports.
See also: Saudi media ignore US reports on Khashoggi
Top White House Official Involved in Saudi Sanctions Resigns
Previously: Turkey Says that a Missing Critic of the Saudi Government was Killed in Saudi Consulate in Istanbul
Saudi Arabia Reportedly Prepared to Admit Involvement in Journalist's Death
(Score: 2, Insightful) by Snotnose on Sunday November 18 2018, @01:46AM (15 children)
I live in California, where Jerry Brown and friends not only rammed through a huge gas tax, but worded the initiative that would have reversed it in such a way that a lot of people were "I want to kill the gas tax, do I vote yes or no on this?". Let alone people this stupid shouldn't be allowed to vote, the asshole that worded it (Xavier or some other weird name) got elected to a higher post.
I need to get my shit together and get the hell out of this fucking state. Dad died, need to close the estate, I have no reason to stay here any more.
When the dust settled America realized it was saved by a porn star.
(Score: 0, Redundant) by Anonymous Coward on Sunday November 18 2018, @01:54AM
Good riddance...just don't let the door hit you in the ass on your way out.
(Score: 3, Insightful) by Whoever on Sunday November 18 2018, @04:07AM (10 children)
Are you too poor to pay the tax on the gas you buy?
Don't pretend that you care about other people: this is purely about your own selfishness or your poverty.
In comparison to large parts of the world, gas taxes in California are low.
I bet you don't think anthropogenic climate change is real.
(Score: 2, Insightful) by khallow on Sunday November 18 2018, @05:34AM (7 children)
Like that is relevant.
(Score: 2, Insightful) by Whoever on Sunday November 18 2018, @06:23AM (6 children)
Really, are you that stupid?
OK, I guess, you are, so I'll spell it out for you.
Sales taxes tend to reduce the sale of the underlying goods on which they are applied. Gas taxes tend to reduce the usage of gasoline, therefore they tend to reduce CO2 emissions. Gas taxes are very relevant to climate change, since they impact CO2 emissions.
(Score: 4, Insightful) by Azuma Hazuki on Sunday November 18 2018, @06:43AM (4 children)
He's not stupid, he's evil. There is a difference.
I am "that girl" your mother warned you about...
(Score: 2) by Whoever on Sunday November 18 2018, @06:47AM
Those two attributes are not mutually exclusive.
(Score: 1, Touché) by khallow on Sunday November 18 2018, @01:23PM (2 children)
(Score: 2) by Azuma Hazuki on Sunday November 18 2018, @04:19PM (1 child)
If only you were funny, or insightful, or even on-topic. Back under your bridge, troll.
I am "that girl" your mother warned you about...
(Score: 1) by khallow on Sunday November 18 2018, @09:27PM
California has plenty wrong with it, such as being a likely target for US state-level austerity measures (huge debt, heavy dependence on a few industries), and many decades of short-sighted fiscal and economic decisions. The problem with Whoever's lecture on gas taxes and the like is that people don't pay those taxes, if they don't live in or visit the state. Massive emigration has been a thing for almost two decades. Might be time to pay attention before California does a Greece or a Puerto Rico.
And the alleged benefit of these taxes claimed earlier in this thread is slight - more money in the California maw and a very negligible change in green house gases emissions. Sure, Whoever could have, with a little thinking, dug out some better benefits than that. But it's telling that he/she didn't even try.
Then there's the matter of the predictably insipid rhetorical devices used here and elsewhere such as "don't pretend that" [soylentnews.org] or "don't you dare" [soylentnews.org]. I think we all need to remove those from our vocabulary, or at least use them sparingly with a great deal of attempted sarcasm.
(Score: 3, Insightful) by khallow on Sunday November 18 2018, @01:15PM
Impact CO2 emissions only for the state of California. Doesn't affect emissions for the parts of the world that are actually causing current increases in CO2 emissions.
We already know what happens when someone imposes harsh restrictions on one part of the world, but not on the rest of the world. The markets route around the damage. You might know that process as "exporting the pollution".
(Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Sunday November 18 2018, @12:50PM
Yeah, how terrible it would be for someone to care about their own poverty! Who cares about poor people?
(Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Sunday November 18 2018, @04:47PM
what kind of stupid bitch thinks government helps anything?
(Score: 2) by MichaelDavidCrawford on Sunday November 18 2018, @08:14AM
Don't let your ass hit you on your way out.
https://www.pressdemocrat.com/news/8892600-181/gas-tax-repeal-advocates-seek-recall?sba=AAS [pressdemocrat.com]
Yes I Have No Bananas. [gofundme.com]
(Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Sunday November 18 2018, @11:00AM
The crabs sure seek to pull you down if you even talk about escaping the trap.
(Score: 3, Interesting) by realDonaldTrump on Sunday November 18 2018, @12:20PM
Let me tell you, I've had some tremendous rallies in High Tax, High Crime California. Huge crowds, the likes of which you've never seen in your entire life. So many people said, "oh, don't waste your time in California, there's no way you can win there." Unfortunately, I didn't win there. I did win there. I would have won there. If they counted the Americans that voted. And not the illegals. Millions and millions of illegals "voting" for Crooked H. And fortunately I won across our great Country -- many people are saying that electing me was the best, and smartest decision the American people have ever made.
I said, be sure to get out and vote for Republican John Cox for Governor. I said, he will make a BIG difference! I gave him my FULL endorsement. Not something I do easily. And the Gas Tax was a very big thing with John. He promised to cut that tax tremendously. And I really think he would have. John had a really big number in California. Because of me. And who knows, possibly he won. Lots and lots of votes that haven't been counted. Even Fake News CNN said the Trump impact was really big, much bigger than they ever thought possible. But we're seeing massive Voter Fraud in California again. You have, it's called the Democrat Party. But, they don't really believe in democracy. Crooked!!!