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CIA believes Saudi crown prince ordered journalist's killing: sources

Rogue Valley

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CIA believes Saudi crown prince ordered journalist's killing: sources

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Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman.

11/16/18
WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The CIA believes Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman ordered the killing of journalist Jamal Khashoggi in Istanbul, sources familiar with the matter said on Friday, complicating President Donald Trump’s efforts to preserve ties with a key U.S. ally. The sources said the CIA had briefed other parts of the U.S. government, including Congress, on its assessment, which contradicts Saudi government assertions that Prince Mohammed was not involved. The CIA’s finding, first reported by the Washington Post, is the most definitive U.S. assessment to date tying Saudi Arabia’s de facto ruler directly to the killing. The Saudi Embassy in Washington rejected the CIA assessment.

This will complicate matters for Trump, who is determined to keep the US in bed with this psychopath.

Related: U.S. Intelligence Believes Saudi Prince Ordered Khashoggi Killing
 
What do you think he should do?

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I think his dumb ass should have closed the barn door before the cows got out. Trump should have kept his mouth shut while the situation got sorted. Unfortunately Trump is impetuous and not too bright. Once more Trump painted himself into a corner.
 
Trump reportedly is “skeptical” of the Prince’s involvement. He’s not skeptical. He doesn’t care.
 
At this point, Trump should continue to remind Americans of the importance of the Saudi - U.S. relationship, BUT he should also address the importance of justice for Khashoggi’s family. Simultaneously, the administration should demand that MBS be removed and replaced. Khashoggi’s murder is just the latest in a string of bad actions from the developing dictator. If BMS goes unchecked now by the United States he will become a greater threat in the region and more trouble for us down the road.
 
I think his dumb ass should have closed the barn door before the cows got out. Trump should have kept his mouth shut while the situation got sorted. Unfortunately Trump is impetuous and not too bright. Once more Trump painted himself into a corner.
So you just want to complain and have nothing constructive to contribute

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I didn't realize that the CIA was publishing its intel. Who knew?

This information is attributed to "sources".

Could be someone in Trumps White House. That's never happened before :lamo
 
Trump reportedly is “skeptical” of the Prince’s involvement. He’s not skeptical. He doesn’t care.

The problem appears to be that Trump and Kushner have tied themselves to the Crown Prince, not Saudi and the remainder of the Royal family. For example, Trump refused to listen to the tapes of the killing where it is reported that one of the participants says to one of the other members of the team, "call the Crown Prince and tell him that it is done".

There are ample reasons for the US to be allied with Saudi in the Middle East. There is literally no strategic interest for the US in allying with the Crown Prince. There would only appear to be Trump and Kushner personal financial interests in allying with the Crown Prince coupled with looking stupid for having thrown in with the Crown Prince who is about as abhorrent as it gets.
 
Geez, now that I think about it, I have to come up with something more accurate than Putin and KJU swatting Trump's fat butt end back and forth over the net like a tennis ball. Now its Putin, KJU and MSB swatting Trump's fat butt between the three of them. "Here, Donald can be your b---ch this week, mine next and MSB's the week after. If we can find a fourth we can play doubles with him."

Just don't know what game we have with three in play.
 
So now its official. As of this morning MBS simply opened his robe and Trump dutifully knelt and inhaled MBS's "offending member". Now Trump is definitely being shared between Putin, KJU and MBS. I suppose they believe Donald's self claimed fears regarding disease.

Nice real nice "hero" you guys on the Right have chosen for yourselves.
 
Text of Trump'a utterly dillusional comments on Saudi and MBS today. My comments interspersed in Bold:

America First!

The world is a very dangerous place!

The country of Iran, as an example, is responsible for a bloody proxy war against Saudi Arabia in Yemen, trying to destabilize Iraq’s fragile attempt at democracy, supporting the terror group Hezbollah in Lebanon, propping up dictator Bashar Assad in Syria (who has killed millions of his own citizens), and much more. Likewise, the Iranians have killed many Americans and other innocent people throughout the Middle East. Iran states openly, and with great force, “Death to America!” and “Death to Israel!” Iran is considered “the world’s leading sponsor of terror.”

On the other hand, Saudi Arabia would gladly withdraw from Yemen if the Iranians would agree to leave. They would immediately provide desperately needed humanitarian assistance. Additionally, Saudi Arabia has agreed to spend billions of dollars in leading the fight against Radical Islamic Terrorism.
Ah-huh

After my heavily negotiated trip to Saudi Arabia last year, the Kingdom agreed to spend and invest $450 billion in the United States. This is a record amount of money. It will create hundreds of thousands of jobs, tremendous economic development, and much additional wealth for the United States. Of the $450 billion, $110 billion will be spent on the purchase of military equipment from Boeing, Lockheed Martin, Raytheon and many other great U.S. defense contractors. If we foolishly cancel these contracts, Russia and China would be the enormous beneficiaries – and very happy to acquire all of this newfound business. It would be a wonderful gift to them directly from the United States!
Utter garbage. Saudis are committed $14B to date for additional US hardware. There are no 600,000 new jobs or whatever last nonsense number Trump quoted. Defense industry has already stated that the Saudi deal might at best net 45,000 jobs. While they are not going to spend anything like $450B they are not going anywhere either. They have too much money invested in US systems to go anywhere. Proclaiming this deal as special in some way says the US can be bought cheap. Points us back to Trump's personal wealth ambitions and those of his crooked son-in-law.

The crime against Jamal Khashoggi was a terrible one, and one that our country does not condone. Indeed, we have taken strong action against those already known to have participated in the murder. After great independent research, we now know many details of this horrible crime. We have already sanctioned 17 Saudis known to have been involved in the murder of Mr. Khashoggi, and the disposal of his body.

Representatives of Saudi Arabia say that Jamal Khashoggi was an “enemy of the state” and a member of the Muslim Brotherhood, but my decision is in no way based on that – this is an unacceptable and horrible crime. King Salman and Crown Prince Mohammad bin Salman vigorously deny any knowledge of the planning or execution of the murder of Mr. Khashoggi. Our intelligence agencies continue to assess all information, but it could very well be that the Crown Prince had knowledge of this tragic event – maybe he did and maybe he didn’t!
Utter and complete Saudi propaganda repeated from the WH. Truly disgusting.

That being said, we may never know all of the facts surrounding the murder of Mr. Jamal Khashoggi. In any case, our relationship is with the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. They have been a great ally in our very important fight against Iran. The United States intends to remain a steadfast partner of Saudi Arabia to ensure the interests of our country, Israel and all other partners in the region. It is our paramount goal to fully eliminate the threat of terrorism throughout the world!
More utter garbage. There is no longer a state to state relationship between the US and Saudi. There is only a personal financial relationship between Trump, Kushner and MBS. In addition, nobody with a brain would suggest that US foreign policy in the Middle East runs through Riyadh. Utterly ridiculous.

I understand there are members of Congress who, for political or other reasons, would like to go in a different direction – and they are free to do so. I will consider whatever ideas are presented to me, but only if they are consistent with the absolute security and safety of America. After the United States, Saudi Arabia is the largest oil producing nation in the world. They have worked closely with us and have been very responsive to my requests to keeping oil prices at reasonable levels – so important for the world. As President of the United States I intend to ensure that, in a very dangerous world, America is pursuing its national interests and vigorously contesting countries that wish to do us harm. Very simply it is called America First!
Very simply, its Donald Trump first! Trump could care less about America.
 
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Let's set aside the partisanship and confirmation bias for a moment, and look at this realistically. The Middle East balance of power and foreign policy relations are very delicate. bin Salman, for all his apparent nefariousness in this matter, is still a Saudi domestic and economic reformer, and it is more than apparent (by Trump's vague comments) that the President and his advisors recognize this. Directly undermining bin Salman runs the risk of these reforms failing; which given Saudi Arabia's high unemployment rate, economic uncertainty with only an oil-based economy, and radical Islamism combined with an abundant youth bulge, that could make ISIS look like a tea party.

I'm no fan of Trump, and personally think he's an overall nincompoop, but I tend to think that he and his advisors know exactly what they're doing with their use of guarded comments.


OM
 
Let's set aside the partisanship and confirmation bias for a moment, and look at this realistically. The Middle East balance of power and foreign policy relations are very delicate. bin Salman, for all his apparent nefariousness in this matter, is still a Saudi domestic and economic reformer, and it is more than apparent (by Trump's vague comments) that the President and his advisors recognize this. Directly undermining bin Salman runs the risk of these reforms failing; which given Saudi Arabia's high unemployment rate, economic uncertainty with only an oil-based economy, and radical Islamism combined with an abundant youth bulge, that could make ISIS look like a tea party.

I'm no fan of Trump, and personally think he's an overall nincompoop, but I tend to think that he and his advisors know exactly what they're doing with their use of guarded comments.


OM

Except those are not guarded comments. They are wholly supportive of the Crown Prince with no particular US diplomatic interest in being so utterly prone before him. Those comments are dripping with over-exercised praise for Saudi. Frankly its creepy. Again, nobody in their right minds has ever suggested that Middle East Foreign Policy runs through Riyadh which is exactly what Trump is saying. Nobody even uttered such nonsense when Saudi was a much more compelling entity on the world stage.
 
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The country of Iran, as an example, is responsible for a bloody proxy war against Saudi Arabia in Yemen, trying to destabilize Iraq’s fragile attempt at democracy, supporting the terror group Hezbollah in Lebanon, propping up dictator Bashar Assad in Syria (who has killed millions of his own citizens), and much more. Likewise, the Iranians have killed many Americans and other innocent people throughout the Middle East. Iran states openly, and with great force, “Death to America!” and “Death to Israel!” Iran is considered “the world’s leading sponsor of terror.”

On the other hand, Saudi Arabia would gladly withdraw from Yemen if the Iranians would agree to leave. They would immediately provide desperately needed humanitarian assistance. Additionally, Saudi Arabia has agreed to spend billions of dollars in leading the fight against Radical Islamic Terrorism.


You are so full of horse dung Donald. Have you forgotten where the 9/11 terrorists were trained? Give you a hint Donald.....NOT IRAN
 
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