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from the is-that-a-bone-saw-in-your-pocket? dept.
Submitted via IRC for Bytram
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: 3, Insightful) by corey on Sunday November 18 2018, @02:25AM (1 child)
I suspect this is a bit xenophobic. What about Myanmar who killed thousands of refugees? Venezuela? Syria?
Hell, even our govt in Australia has dumped a bunch of refugees on an island and a couple have died while in their care.
How many innocents have died due to US Govt actions?
I know Saudi has a very different and seemingly archaic society but need to keep things in check.
Personally, I don't believe the friendship is about arms sales and oil but rather local geopolitics in the M.E.
(Score: 2, Touché) by Anonymous Coward on Sunday November 18 2018, @01:08PM
Your whataboutism is atrocious. We don't have close relations with Venezuela or Syria, and we're certainly not helping those countries carry out a genocide, like Saudi Arabia is doing in Yemen.
It's much worse than "seemingly archaic."
Yeah, dealing with middle eastern authoritarians has worked so well for us in the past! We're just playing 4d chess! It'll work out this time, guys!