I don’t know why I pay attention to the news, it just gets more disgusting with the continual atrocities happening around the world — on a daily basis. Let’s face it, the world is too money-oriented and many will go to any immoral lengths for the mighty dollar. If you are rich, you are worth something and if you are poor, you are worth nothing. That already explains what is wrong with the world.
For me, to again really question the core of humanity, is the recent brutal premeditated murder of Jamal Khashoggi that occurred at a Saudi Consulate in Turkey. It’s not bad enough that it happened in a diplomatic place where one should receive assistance and feel safe to go to — instead of lured into a death trap — on top of that, it took place in another country’s soil using the guise of impunity to get away with it. A horrendous crime that goes against the moral fabric of humanity.
Jamal Khashoggi’s murder is believed to have been ordered by top Saudi government officials, specifically Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman (aka MBS) the de facto leader of Saudi Arabia, even though they have been denying it. Certainly doesn’t give them any credibility if they keep changing their story and, with all the mounting evidence pointing to MBS, you wonder why they would even bother trying to cover it up. It insults our intelligence.
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Turkey’s President Recep Tayyip Ergogan officially confirmed that Khashoggi was strangled within minutes of entering the Saudi consulate — a team of 15 Saudi agents arrived from Riyadh and left on that day — the body dismembered and destroyed (possibly dissolved in acid). Is horrifying how these people are so devoid of moral conscience and can do such indignities to a human life.
Erdogan made it clear the killing was a political murder ordered from the highest level of the Saudi government but he did not believe King Salman was involved. He didn’t state directly it was his son, Crown Prince MBS, but alluded to it. Who else would it be?
This didn’t just hit a “not another injustice” chord with me, the whole international community is outraged by it. And should be. It’s a wake-up call that nations need to uphold human rights without a price tag, where violators cannot get a free “pass go” just because they are supposed allies – even though are the worst human rights violators — and use their wealth to boost other countries’ economy with their billion dollar arms deals. And what exactly are they using these arms for? The humanitarian crisis they created in Yemen — with their so-called war on terrorists — is a perfect example. Always the innocent are the ones who suffer the consequences at the hands of ruthless leaders. A country that is led by a tyrant, who has no alms about taking people’s lives just because he can’t handle a little criticism and won’t give his people any right for free expression, should in no way be leading any country.
What exactly did Jamal Khashoggi do wrong to deserve such a horrible fate? Nothing. He was a prominent and respected journalist who was just reporting the truth. A voice for the voiceless. He loved his country but had to live in self-imposed exile because he would have either had a travel ban or been arrested for his opinions against the Saudi government (which we now know was a far worse fate). All he wanted was for the oppressed citizens of Saudi Arabia — and the rest of the Arab world — to have free expression and not live in fear of their leaders or be jailed (or worse) for their peaceful activism for change. His killing was a terrible injustice that we all as humans should not close our eyes to.
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Even though Khashoggi was a critic of the current Saudi leadership, under MBS, he was peaceful and respectable about it. So why did MBS fear him? Because Jamal Khashoggi spoke up against his disguised reforms and stood up for others in his country who cannot speak for themselves. Those that do are either jailed, tortured and even killed. MBS whole persona is to instill fear to have people obey him. Simple as that.
“Why does he want people who fear him rather than people who love him?” – Jamal Khashoggi
If you are like me, wondering why these barbaric ways are still existing in the 21st century, you are not alone. Saudi Arabia has been behaving like it’s medieval times and think that no one can interfere in their internal affairs — look what happened when Canada tried to question their human rights policies — because they supply the world with oil and their wealth can buy others to look the other away. They try to blend in with the western world, like they are genuinely reforming their country for a better future, while jailing and killing “dissidents” who only want a better quality life for the people in their country.
It is unfortunate that as nations get richer, the more greedy and corrupt they become, especially when not a democracy and even if it is one, corruption exists too. For some, money and power is a deadly combination as it appears to be in Crown Prince MBS’ case. Saudi Arabia is an authoritarian regime that has been lead exclusively by the “House Of Saud” monarchy. MBS was born into his status, not voted in by the people, and doesn’t make him qualified to be a leader.
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With the #MeToo movement and social media, specifically Twitter, being a platform for free speech and foot-in-the-mouth speech — that has gotten many in hot water (Roseanne as an example) — it’s no wonder that injustices against humanity is growing less acceptable. Voices that have been silenced, for far too long, are now being heard.
Everyone now is waiting for the response the Trump administration is going to take against Saudi Arabia, if any, as Trump himself has stated the importance of the US – Saudi strategic alliance and he isn’t keen on ending the billion dollar arms deal as would cost thousands of jobs. They are probably dragging it out and hoping the news will fade away. Thus far they only revoked visas for the alleged saudi agents involved in the crime — like that will help since they will never leave Saudi Arabia anyway because Turkey can’t even get them extradited — but it doesn’t include the one who planned and ordered the killing in the first place.
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Saudi Arabia, under MBS’ leadership, not only were releasing false stories to cover up the murder — even though Turkey kept at them by drip-feeding the evidence to the media — they violated international law on two key elements, in that they sent agents to enforce their own laws and policies in another state’s territory, without their permission, and they did not use their diplomatic mission in a lawful manner. Under the Vienna Convention of Consular Relations, a consulate or embassy is to be used for specific diplomatic purposes in the host country. In return, staff and buildings are granted immunity as long as they respect the host state’s laws and regulations. Obviously MBS thinks he is above any international law.
In my opinion — thankfully here in Canada I have a right to have one — what actions the US and other world leaders should take against Saudi Arabia are:
- Cancel arms deals as they aren’t behaving any better than the terrorists they are claiming to fight.
- Make them end the war in Yemen. That will be easy to do if don’t supply them arms.
- Convince King Salman to remove or demote Crown Prince MBS from power as has shown himself to be a ruthless and dangerous leader, a liability rather than an asset for any strategic alliance.
- Get them to release all critics, journalists, bloggers and other non-violent activists from their jails in Jamal Khashoggi’s honor. That’s the least they can do so that his death is not in vain and his voice is helping those that cannot be heard.
If these four things are done, it will send a strong message that we as a world collectively can make positive changes for the better without war. The US especially has been put into a powerful position due to the Khashoggi murder. They are the only ones who can face the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia head on without the “wrath of MBS” and should take full advantage of it, while they can.
If Trump (or Congress) doesn’t take any significant action against Saudi Arabia, then they will have gotten away with murder. It will tell them the rules don’t apply to them and they have the green light to continue business as usual, making MBS an even dangerous tyrant than he already is.
MBS thought he forever silenced Jamal Khashoggi, but in death his voice is even louder now.
Update 11/16/18: CIA concluded that Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman ordered the assassination of Jamal Khashoggi – which we suspected but finally a US intelligence assessment confirmed it. The timing though seemed a little out of the blue as, prior to, statements were released by both the Saudis and the US trying to absolve the Crown Prince. The Saudi prosecutor said that MBS did not order Khashoggi’s killing and the murder only occurred, after a fight and quarrel, when he was tied up and injected with an overdose of a drug that killed him. His body was then dismembered and removed from the consulate, by 5 people, and given to a local collaborator. Out of the 11 suspects charged, the death penalty would be sought for 5 of them, while Trump administration stated 17 Saudis — including top aide Saud al-Qahtani — are sanctioned under the Global Magnitsky Act for their alleged involvement in the heinous crime.
Turkey officials brushed off the latest statement by Saudis as insufficient, stated again that it was a premeditated murder and the culprits should be prosecuted in Turkey. A Turkish pro-government newspaper also stated that there was a second longer audio recording that proves was a premeditated murder, showing the assassination plan was being discussed prior to Khashoggi arriving at the consulate. I imagine the CIA were quick to release their findings because of the strong evidence pointing to MBS’ guilt and in countering the Saudis (Trump too) from shielding the Crown Prince with their latest “cover-up” statements. It just proves that Turkey’s evidence pointed right to MBS himself, since he is the highest level of the Saudi government.
Let’s see what action Trump going to take in light of this, other than a slap on the wrist.
Update 11/20/18 – Trump released a statement that the US was standing with Saudi Arabia. He said even if Crown Prince MBS may have known about the killing, the US – Saudi alliance is far more important for America and the Middle East region. That means he won’t even sanction MBS himself and has chosen MONEY over human rights violations, which now sends a wrong message to all dictators (terrorists) that it’s okay to silence those that criticize their regime or human rights policies. It gives MBS the green light to continue his sordid business as usual.
If you thought “the world is a very dangerous place”, it’s even more dangerous now with Trump’s decision to back a brutal regime!
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