With billions of dollars in arms sales at stake with Saudi Arabia, 72-year-old President Donald Trump finds himself caught between a rock and a hard place dealing with the disappearance of 59-year-old Saudi journalist Jamal Khashoggi from the Saudi consulate in Istanbul. Press reports continue to pour in about the Oct. 2 disappearance, where a hit squad of 15 Saudi agents allegedly interrogated, tortured, dismembered and disposed of Khashoggi’s remains. If reports prove correct, members of Congress, like Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.) and Sen. Bob Corker (R-Ten.), have called for an embargo on arms sales to Saudi Arabia. Trump asked elected officials not to rush-to-judgment, giving Riyadh and Turkey time to conduct a thorough investigation. Working with the Turks, Trump pledged to get to the bottom of what happened to Khashoggi.
Talking tough last week, Saudi Arabia promised to respond in-kind should the U.S. or any country impose economic sanctions. Promising to respond if it “receives any action it will respond with greater action, and the Kingdom’s economy has an influential and vital role in the world economy,” said the Saudi state-run Press Agency. Hinting at an oil embargo or cut back if any nation applies economic sanctions, King Salman has drawn his line in the sand. “The Kingdom affirms its total rejection of any threats and attempts to undermine it whether by threatening to impose economic sanctions, using political pressure or repeating false accusations,” putting Western powers on notice to let the investigation play itself out. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo met with King Salaman and his son Mohammed bin Salman yesterday in Riyadh, to better understand Saudi’s position on Khashoggi’s disappearance.
So far, the Saud government denies it had anything to do with Khashoggi’s disappearance, other than saying he left the Istanbul consulate on his own. No one believes that because there’s video evidence of him entering the consulate but no video record of him leaving. President Trump has exasperated the mainstream press expecting him to denounce the Saudi government for what looks like Khashoggi’s disappearance at the hands of Saudi operatives. “They are an important ally. But I want to find out what happened, where is the fault, and we will probably know that by the end of the week,” said Trump, knowing the press reports, but, more importantly, Turkish government reports that they possess an audiotape of Khashoggi’s interrogation, torture and murder. Trump finds himself walking on a razor’s edge, wanting the facts, but, at the same time, not wanting to wreck U.S.-Saudi relations.
Trump suggested there may have been “rogue killers’ at the Saudi consulate, trying to give Saudi Arabia a face-saving way out. Whether Saudi Arabia cops to the killing but denies state involvement is anyone’s guess. When Trump talks of “rogue killers,” he’s talking about members of Saudi’s interrogation squad that went too far killing the 59-year-old Washington Post columnist. Trump’s critics in the media dismissed his “rogue killers’ theory but nonetheless gives Saudi Arabia some cover. Trump told the media, after his phone call with King Salman and Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, that they both denied knowing anything about Khashoggi’s disappearance. If that’s true, it’s possible that the hit squad went overboard killing Khashoggi and disposing of his body. Trump denied making excuses for the Kingdom, insisting he wants the facts.
Accused of making excuses by the press for Saudi Arbia, Trump said he wants to see the outcome of the investigation with the Turks. “I’m not giving cover at all. And with that being said, Saudi Arabia has been a very important ally of ours in the Middle East. We are stopping Iran,” said Trump, referring to Iran’s proxy war in Yemen against the Saudis. Khashoggi wrote critical commentary against the Saudi’s war in Yemen, despite the fact that Iran supplies arms-and-cash to Houthi rebels. Khasoggi showed no sympathy for his country getting routinely hit with Iran’s long-range ballistic missiles by Yemen’s Houthi rebels. Whatever Saudi Arabia’s beef with Khashoggii, Trump tries to balance what’s good for U.S. national security. “Any suggestion that I have [given cover] is just more FAKE NEWS [of which there is plenty]!” Trump wrote on Twitter, disputing claims he’s given the Kingdom a pass.
Whatever happened to Khashoggi, it shouldn’t wreck U.S.-Saudi relations, even if it turns out he was in fact killed by a Saudi hit squad. As long as King Salman and Defense Minister Mohammed bin Salaman deny the government was behind Khashoggi’s death, it’s not up to the U.S. to pass judgment without proof. Asked whether the FBI was investigation Khashoggi’s disappearance, Trump said, “I’m not going to tell you.” Speculating about the presence of an audiotape of Khashoggi’s murder, Trump said he had not seen any proof. “I’m mot sure yet that it exists, probably does, possibly does. I’ll have a full report on that from Mike [Pence] when he comes back,” said Trump, referring to Pence’s recent talks with King Salman and Mohammed bin Salman. If Riyadh insists Khashoggi’s murder and disposal was not approved by the Saudi government, there’s little Trump can do to retaliate.
