So, a number of people were surprised when the Donaldannounced that the United States would remain “steadfast partners” with SaudiArabia after it’s become clear that Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman ordered the assassination of journalist Jamal Kashoggi.
We made our beds with the Saudis a long time ago. It’s not like they are new to human rights violations. Just look at what Amnesty International had to say about them for 2017-18. The Saudis are well known to engage in arbitrary arrest and torture, arbitrary capital punishment, to condone (or at least ignore)human trafficking and sexual slavery. If we actually cared about human rights, we would have stopped doing business with these people a long time ago.
The only difference is that this time it was one of “our guys.” By one of our guys I don’t mean an American citizen. But I do meansomeone who worked for the Washington Post, who had permanent residency here,and where three of his four children were American citizens.
Trump, as is his wont, rejected the unanimous conclusion of the American intelligence community that bin Salman ordered the killings because it did not suit Trump’s narrative. So, Trump claims, we may “never know” whether bin Salman was involved.
Admittedly we didn’t catch bin Salman with the smoking gun actually pulling the trigger. Or even on tape actually ordering the hit. But folks, they sent over a 15-person assassination squad to get one poor journalist who happened to be a critic of the regime. As he was going to the embassy to apply for a marriage certificate.
The Crown Prince didn’t know?
And the Pope is no longer catholic?
But Trump still treats us all as is we were all imbeciles. And his supporters still swallow this bile as if they were all lap dogs.
Sheesh. Democracy in 2018!
