Crown Prince Who Butchered Journalist Gets Trump State Visit
The AP reports Trump is planning to host Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman (MBS) for what could be his first state visit of a possible second term. They mention 'agreements' and 'commercial ties.' What they gloss over, with characteristic mainsteam media elegance, is MBS's well-documented role in directing the brutal murder and dismemberment of journalist Jamal Khashoggi in 2018. The Director
of National Intelligence report released in 2021 explicitly blamed MBS for approving the operation. So, the 'reset' with Saudi Arabia apparently means embracing authoritarian leaders with blood on their hands. One might wonder if the 'commercial ties' include lucrative golf tours or discounted oil, rather than, say, asking tough questions about human rights. How many dismembered journalists does
it take before a leader is no longer red-carpet worthy? For some, it seems the answer is less than one.