US Designates Human Rights Abuser as 'Major Ally,' Again
CBS News dutifully reports Donald Trump's stated intention to designate Saudi Arabia as a 'major non-NATO ally,' a geopolitical gold star for a regime infamous for its devastating war in Yemen, the gruesome murder of Jamal Khashoggi, and relentless domestic repression. This isn't groundbreaking, however; the U.S. has poured billions into the Saudi military machine for decades, making them a de
facto major ally long ago. The public relations rebranding now just comes with an official stamp. This 'step up in defense ties' conveniently ignores congressional reports detailing Saudi involvement in 9/11 and the Biden administration's own declassified intelligence on Khashoggi's killing. How many more U.S. administrations will perform this grotesque pantomime, legitimizing brutal autocracies
under the guise of 'regional stability'? Perhaps stability, in this context, just means steady oil flow and weapons sales, regardless of the human cost.