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ABC News
12/4/18
Following a briefing by CIA director Gina Haspel Tuesday on the murder of Washington Post columnist Jamal Khashoggi, leading Republican senators told reporters that there was "zero question" that Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman ordered the brutal murder. Senate Foreign Relations Chairman Sen. Bob Corker, a Tennessee Republican, said "I have zero question in my mind that the Crown Prince MBS ordered the killing, monitored the killing, knew exactly what was happening. Planned it in advance. If he was in front of a jury he would be convicted in 30 minutes. Guilty," Corker said. Corker called the Trump administration's claim that there is no direct evidence of the crown prince's involvement "unacceptable." South Carolina Republican Sen. Lindsey Graham said, "There's not a smoking gun, there's a smoking saw." "You have to be willfully blind not to come to the conclusion that this was orchestrated and organized by people under the command of MBS and that he was intricately involved in the demise of Mr. Khashoggi," he said. He went on: "If the Saudi government is going to be in the hands of this man, I find it very difficult to be able to do business because I think he's crazy, I think he's dangerous, and he has put the relationship at risk." Graham concluded that he can no longer support arms sales to the kingdom. Given those comments, it appeared Haspel's briefing would not help the administration win back support for its military aid to the Saudi-led coalition fighting in Yemen.The fact that the briefing was limited to a small group angered several senators, including Republican allies of President Trump.
The Senate's top Democrat, Chuck Schumer of New York, called on Haspel to testify before the full Senate after sitting in on the Tuesday briefing. “While I will not discuss the content of the Haspel briefing, it reinforced the need for a strong response to the murder of Jamal Khashoggi. CIA Director Haspel should brief the full Senate without delay," Schumer said in a statement. Despite the Saudis' murder of Khashoggi and other aggressive behavior -- their bombing campaign in Yemen, the detention of Lebanese Prime Minister Said Hariri, and their blockade of another U.S. ally Qatar -- the Trump administration has argued that the Saudis are a critical U.S. partner and a bulwark of stability in the region.
After CIA briefing, Republicans say 'no question' Saudi crown prince ordered Khashoggi murder
CIA Director Gina Haspel testifying before members of Congress regarding the Jamal Khashoggi murder.
It is obvious by now that Trump and Mike Pompeo are outright lying .... there is indeed smoking-gun evidence that Saudi Crown Prince Mohammad bin Salman ordered the brutal murder of US resident Jamal Khashoggi. There are enough votes now in Congress to end all US funding for the Kingdom's war in Yemen. I expect a vote early next week at the latest. This may also affect US arms sales to the Saudi's. As far as the Saudi's as an ally, they remind me of Pakistan ..... both arsonist and fireman.
Relaated: Saudi Prince ‘Complicit’ in Khashoggi’s Murder, Senators Say After C.I.A. Briefing | New York Times
They offed their own citizen...not worth trashing our current use of them over....
All good points, and at first I wanted MBS out. After some more thought about the history of SA over the last 40 or so years, and current U.S. - Saudi relations I believe it may be better to not push for MBS’ ouster, BUT there must be severe consequences for his brazen murderous actions (regarding Khashoggi and in Yemen). Cutting off American military refueling and logistic services to Saudis attacking Yemen and cancel or dramatically cut back scheduled arms sales. MBS is a major future U.S. headache in the making. It is imperative, IMO, that he be reigned in early and taught to respect American power. Trump, along with his little puppet Pompeo, are making a mockery of us. Time for Congress to step up.America needs to learn from history...
If you push out this guy, who takes over..? A radical islamist? Do you really want to risk Saudi Arabia falling into civil war or worse become even more Taliban like? The old saying.. better the devil you know, than the one you dont know. And no I aint a supporter of this crown prince or the royal family but I do understand how things work in Saudi Arabia and nothing is what it seems ever.
For example.. did you know that in 1975 the Saudi king was assassinated by a family member because other family members were in opposition of him starting up the first TV station in the kingdom? They feared that their souls would be taken by the camera. So they got a kid basically and pushed him to kill the king.
Point is, the royal family is big and has many factions and all those are fighting internally to gain power on the day that the current king dies.. as he is the last son of the founder.
And no one wants an unstable Saudi Arabia.. oil prices would go through the roof.
The question is, is there actual evidence, or, is there just no question?
Senator Lindsey Graham on 5 December 2018 said:"You have to be willfully blind not to come to the conclusion that this was orchestrated and organized by people under the command of MBS and that he was intricately involved in the demise of Mr. Khashoggi."
All good points, and at first I wanted MBS out. After some more thought about the history of SA over the last 40 or so years, and current U.S. - Saudi relations I believe it may be better to not push for MBS’ ouster, BUT there must be severe consequences for his brazen murderous actions (regarding Khashoggi and in Yemen). Cutting off American military refueling and logistic services to Saudis attacking Yemen and cancel or dramatically cut back scheduled arms sales. MBS is a major future U.S. headache in the making. It is imperative, IMO, that he be reigned in early and taught to respect American power. Trump, along with his little puppet Pompeo, are making a mockery of us. Time for Congress to step up.
The King is said to be suffering from some sort of brain “disorder/disease” and reports are that he is only infrequently lucid, so that’s not really an option.Removing MBS from the pinnacle of Saudi power does not equate with removing the House of Saud from leadership. Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud has been the king of Saudi Arabia since since 23 January 2015 and remains so to this day.
He should be prevailed upon to name a presumptive heir other than the psychopath MBS.
All good points, and at first I wanted MBS out. After some more thought about the history of SA over the last 40 or so years, and current U.S. - Saudi relations I believe it may be better to not push for MBS’ ouster, BUT there must be severe consequences for his brazen murderous actions (regarding Khashoggi and in Yemen). Cutting off American military refueling and logistic services to Saudis attacking Yemen and cancel or dramatically cut back scheduled arms sales. MBS is a major future U.S. headache in the making. It is imperative, IMO, that he be reigned in early and taught to respect American power. Trump, along with his little puppet Pompeo, are making a mockery of us. Time for Congress to step up.
I have the following problems.
1) I do NOT trust American intelligence services further than I can throw them. They have been caught in evidence manipulation and worse so many times that their credibility is not good.
2) There are so many factions within the Royal family, that it could have been anyone who ordered it. In fact I would look at the following.. who are the CIA backing and that is most likely who ordered it. It reminds me of that idiot the CIA and Bush backed against Saddam and after the fall of Saddam, and it turns out that he lied about everything.
3) Yemen is Iran.. so the US has interest in continuing the war, just as much as the Saudis have. Problem is the Saudi military structure is a joke and that is why they are losing.
As for respecting American power... you really do want radical islamists to take over everything? No one should "respect American power" since that would cost them support from pretty much everyone else... especially in the Middle East. You realize that, the reason we have Al Q and had Bin Laden was because "American power" was forced on the Saudis and certain people thought it was disrespectful.
According to Trump ally Senator Lindsey Graham who was briefed by Gina Haspel, there is no doubt whatsoever the MBS was deeply involved in the Jamal Khashoggi murder operation.
Since you seem to have trouble remembering OP content, I'll repeat this quote from Senator Graham.....
Nothing ambiguous there. But you go on believing Donald Trump and Mike Pompeo.
They offed their own citizen...not worth trashing our current use of them over....
After CIA briefing, Republicans say 'no question' Saudi crown prince ordered Khashoggi murder
https://575717b777ff8d928c6b-704c46a8034042e4fc898baf7b3e75d9.ssl.cf1.rackcdn.com/20818238_wapo-positions-support-for-torturer-as_6c50b133_m.jpg?bg=463D32[img]
[SIZE=1]CIA Director Gina Haspel testifying before members of Congress regarding the Jamal Khashoggi murder.[/SIZE]
It is obvious by now that Trump and Mike Pompeo are outright lying .... there is indeed smoking-gun evidence that Saudi Crown Prince Mohammad bin Salman ordered the brutal murder of US resident Jamal Khashoggi. There are enough votes now in Congress to end all US funding for the Kingdom's war in Yemen. I expect a vote early next week at the latest. This may also affect US arms sales to the Saudi's. As far as the Saudi's as an ally, they remind me of Pakistan ..... both arsonist and fireman.
Relaated: [url="https://www.nytimes.com/2018/12/04/us/politics/cia-senate-khashoggi-.html"]Saudi Prince ‘Complicit’ in Khashoggi’s Murder, Senators Say After C.I.A. Briefing | New York Times[/url][/QUOTE]
1. Title is misleading. To be more accurate it could say say [U]some/a few/not many [/U]Republicans.
2. Their opinions do not mean there is actual proof.
3. Saying that Trump and Pompeo are outright lying based on this report is not only unintelligent but shows unhinged bias.
The King is said to be suffering from some sort of brain “disorder/disease” and reports are that he is only infrequently lucid, so that’s not really an option.
I have the following problems.
1) I do NOT trust American intelligence services further than I can throw them. They have been caught in evidence manipulation and worse so many times that their credibility is not good.
2) There are so many factions within the Royal family, that it could have been anyone who ordered it. In fact I would look at the following.. who are the CIA backing and that is most likely who ordered it. It reminds me of that idiot the CIA and Bush backed against Saddam and after the fall of Saddam, and it turns out that he lied about everything.
3) Yemen is Iran.. so the US has interest in continuing the war, just as much as the Saudis have. Problem is the Saudi military structure is a joke and that is why they are losing.
As for respecting American power... you really do want radical islamists to take over everything? No one should "respect American power" since that would cost them support from pretty much everyone else... especially in the Middle East. You realize that, the reason we have Al Q and had Bin Laden was because "American power" was forced on the Saudis and certain people thought it was disrespectful.
You are entitled to your opinion. Some within our intelligence communities have failed the American people however, we do still have the best intelligence organizations in the world.I have the following problems.
1) I do NOT trust American intelligence services further than I can throw them. They have been caught in evidence manipulation and worse so many times that their credibility is not good.
It could not have been anyone within the royal family who ordered Khashoggi’s murder because other than the king, himself, no one has the authority/power to carry such an operation. The CIA has provided classified briefings to our elected officials who say they are convinced by what was shared with them, that MBS was at the center of Khashoggi’s murder. Until and unless new information comes to light, I’m willing to accept that. Partly out of trust in certain members and also because it is the only scenario that makes sense. Who was the idiot CIA official you are thinking of?2) There are so many factions within the Royal family, that it could have been anyone who ordered it. In fact I would look at the following. who are the CIA backing and that is most likely who ordered it. It reminds me of that idiot the CIA and Bush backed against Saddam and after the fall of Saddam, and it turns out that he lied about everything.
Yemen is not Iran. U.S. support of Saudi military operations is against Iranian backed Houthi rebels, not the Yemini government. Saudi forces, under MBS’ control, are responsible for the displacement and deaths of millions of innocent Yemini citizens.3) Yemen is Iran.. so the US has interest in continuing the war, just as much as the Saudis have. Problem is the Saudi military structure is a joke and that is why they are losing.
Here is where you and me diverge completely. The ability to project power, economically and militarily, are critical elements of any governments influence in international relations. As important as diplomacy. In fact, without the potential “stick” of a nation’s hard and soft power, most nations would not be as willing to accept the “carrot” of diplomacy.As for respecting American power... you really do want radical islamists to take over everything? No one should "respect American power" since that would cost them support from pretty much everyone else... especially in the Middle East. You realize that, the reason we have Al Q and had Bin Laden was because "American power" was forced on the Saudis and certain people thought it was disrespectful.
You’re the one being unreal. MBS is the king’s handpicked successor. All of the power is already in his hands and he has been exercising it ruthlessly (check into what he’s already done to other members of the royal family). A coup from within the family is very, very unlikely. At least not without support from a powerful outside force like the United States and/or other allies. And that is also unlikely at this point.C'mon. Let's be real here. The Saudi family is huge with hundreds of princes.
Postulating that there is no other possibility for a Crown Prince is terribly disingenuous.
What troubles me as much as MbS ordering the death of Khashoggi is how Pompeo and Mattis did not stand up for the truth.
They offed their own citizen...not worth trashing our current use of them over....
You got a link to where MBS ordered the death of Khashoggi?
The CIA director and our intelligence community.
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