John Chuckman
COMMENT ON DEVELOPMENTS IN WASHINGTON CONCERNING SAUDI ARABIA’S CROWN PRINCE
Just what is going on in Washington with regard to the Crown Prince’s responsibility for the Khashoggi murder?
We have a genuine mystery.
Some top Senators from both parties, after a CIA briefing, have stated they believe Saudi Arabia’s Crown Prince is responsible for the murder, something which is certainly true, but truth and American Senators rarely cross paths.
They are also introducing a Senate Resolution blaming him.
Notably, the Senators include one of Washington’s most demonstrative supporters of Israel, Senator Lindsey Graham, a man who jumps to his feet at any mention of the word “Israel” on the Senate floor, and, if it involves money for Israel, immediately demands the amount be increased.
Of course, that is sarcasm, but it honestly is not too far from simple truth.
And there are the CIA’s leaks to the press about their analysis and additional secret recordings and their conclusion that the Crown Prince was responsible.
CIA, too, is long a co-worker with, and booster of, Israel.
I mention Israel only because the government of Israel views Saudi Arabia’s bloody Crown Prince as a remarkably important man, almost as a kind of Arabic Messiah bringing good news. They already have formed a close secret partnership, working on many bloody projects together.
Netanyahu has gone out of his way to quietly defend him on the telephone to leaders. Trump clearly paid close attention since he has consistently mumbled vague and even contradictory phrases on the matter, but other establishment elements – the CIA and the Senate – have not.
So, are they hoping to bring the Crown Prince down, his position already having been weakened by the revelations from Turkey’s Erdogan?
Or are they just trying to weaken him to make him amenable to future demands?
Or, perhaps, recognizing that the evidence is strong and that the public does not believe Saudi Arabia’s confusing claims in the matter, are they just trying to cover their backsides ahead of any future developments?
It goes without saying, for these groups, that it has nothing to do with ethics or morals or law.
Well, I have no idea, but it is a genuine, high-level mystery.
