(Un)expected: Trump Says Saudi Prince May be Behind Khashoggi Death

[rainman + 263]

U.S. President Donald Trump, in his toughest comments yet, said Saudi Arabia’s Crown Prince bore ultimate responsibility for the operation that led to Jamal Khashoggi’s killing, piling pressure on his ally amid a global outcry over the journalist’s death.The Wall Street Journal published Trump’s remarks hours before Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman’s appearance at a business conference where he is due to make his most high profile comments since Khashoggi was killed on Oct. 2. An adviser to Turkey’s president meanwhile said Prince Mohammed had “blood on his hands” over Khashoggi, the bluntest language yet from someone linked to Tayyip Erdogan about the de facto ruler of the kingdom in connection with the death. Trump told the Journal he wanted to believe the prince when he said that lower level officials were to blame for the killing at the Saudi consulate in Istanbul. But he suggested responsibility lay higher up: “Well, the prince is running things over there more so at this stage. He’s running things and so if anybody were going to be, it would be him.”

[Pavel + 384]

Firmly and clearly. Very careful rhetoric from President Donald Trump. Wonder why that might be? Everyone knows that MBS behind this incident...

[Petar + 76]

So can we say bye, bye Crown Prince?

[50 shades of black + 254]

Suspending US Visa is not strongest reaction for the brutal murder of  journalist Jamal Khashoggi.

https://www.wsj.com/articles/turkeys-erdogan-saudi-journalist-was-murdered-1540287925

MbS is deeply involved in Khashoggi's death, and I believe that finally comes the bill for brutal murder.

[damirUSBiH + 327]

 

21 minutes ago, rainman said:

U.S. President Donald Trump, in his toughest comments yet, said Saudi Arabia’s Crown Prince bore ultimate responsibility for the operation that led to Jamal Khashoggi’s killing, piling pressure on his ally amid a global outcry over the journalist’s death.The Wall Street Journal published Trump’s remarks hours before Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman’s appearance at a business conference where he is due to make his most high profile comments since Khashoggi was killed on Oct. 2. An adviser to Turkey’s president meanwhile said Prince Mohammed had “blood on his hands” over Khashoggi, the bluntest language yet from someone linked to Tayyip Erdogan about the de facto ruler of the kingdom in connection with the death. Trump told the Journal he wanted to believe the prince when he said that lower level officials were to blame for the killing at the Saudi consulate in Istanbul. But he suggested responsibility lay higher up: “Well, the prince is running things over there more so at this stage. He’s running things and so if anybody were going to be, it would be him.”

Sure he is. The regime needs to understand that can't run around outside the kingdom and whack, killing and torture people with whom it disagrees.

Edited October 24, 2018 by damirUSBiH

[TraderTate + 186]

35 minutes ago, Pavel said:

Firmly and clearly. Very careful rhetoric from President Donald Trump. Wonder why that might be? Everyone knows that MBS behind this incident...

Everyone doesn't actually know for sure. There are some elements in the Gulf who think that hardliners who oppose MBS were behind this, trying to destabilize him (rather successfully). True, more believe that MbS was behind it, and most likely it was orchestrated by Al-Saud, his creepy 'media advisor'. Regardless, statements that MbS was "not aware" of the situation doesn't help him at all. This is arguably worse for him at him than having planned the whole thing. But the fact of the matter is that we do not definitively know and thus are led by media, which also does not know in any absolute terms. 

[SERWIN + 749]

So if Turkey is so convinced that Khashoggi was murdered in the embassy why haven't they just kicked them out of the country with a little note that tells them while they were here that everything was great but this incident has shown that you should pack up and leave until such a time that you become civilized enough to not murder someone in our country just because you have a difference of opinion with them. I know about the diplomatic BS rules, but it seems like murdering someone and chopping them up to hide the evidence would be enough to brush those rules aside, I mean where are the limits?

[Rodent + 1,424]

10 minutes ago, SERWIN said:

So if Turkey is so convinced that Khashoggi was murdered in the embassy why haven't they just kicked them out of the country with a little note that tells them while they were here that everything was great but this incident has shown that you should pack up and leave until such a time that you become civilized enough to not murder someone in our country just because you have a difference of opinion with them. I know about the diplomatic BS rules, but it seems like murdering someone and chopping them up to hide the evidence would be enough to brush those rules aside, I mean where are the limits?

Yes, I would think that dismembering someone might be the proverbial straw.

[Marina Schwarz + 1,576]

I realise this is Turkey you're talking about but even Erdogan is not that insane to show them the door. By thew way, Canada, which is as different from Turkey as they come, dares to end a multibillion-dollar arms deal with Saudi Arabia despite the outrage. It's sad but there it is.

[SERWIN + 749]

And yet SA threw out the Canadians over a tweet! But I am sure that they would be highly offended if any country did anything about their crime....

[Guillaume Albasini + 851]

Turkey has given its first official statement on how it believes Saudi writer Jamal Khashoggi was killed  :

https://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-46049204

And after this horror show at the Saudi's consulate, some Halloween news from Riyadh:

https://www.reuters.com/article/us-saudi-halloween-raid/saudis-release-filipina-cleaners-held-after-police-raid-on-halloween-party-idUSKCN1N52OI

[Guillaume Albasini + 851]

And an interesting move in the Saudi Game of Thrones... Prince Ahmed bin Abdulaziz, a younger brother of King Salman and uncle of Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman has returned to Riyadh, in what some sources close to the royal family say is a sign it wants to form a united front amid its worst political crisis in a generation. But others see him as a possible challenger for MBS that could replace him as Crown Prince in case some smoking gun proof appear of MBS ordering Khashoggi murder.

Pirince Ahmed was one of only three people on the Allegiance Council, comprising the ruling family’s senior members, who opposed the ousting of Prince Mohammed bin Nayef as crown prince in favor of Prince Mohammed bin Salman in 2017. He staid abroad in self imposed exile after critisizing king Salman and MBS responsibility in the Yemen war.

The king’s apparent approval of Prince Ahmed’s return is a further sign that the 82-year-old monarch is taking a more hands-on role in Saudi policy since Khashoggi was killed in the Saudi consulate in Istanbul at the beginning of October.

https://www.reuters.com/article/us-saudi-khashoggi-family/senior-saudi-prince-returns-home-amid-khashoggi-murder-crisis-idUSKCN1N528L

https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-6336933/Saudi-King-Salmans-youngest-brother-returns-Riyadh-challenge-Crown-Prince.html

https://au.finance.yahoo.com/news/senior-member-saudi-royal-family-020837336.html?guccounter=1

Another dissident saudi  Prince Khalid Bin Farhan Al Saud said he expects a coup to be orchestrated against King Salman and his heir, Prince Mohammed Bin Salman.

https://www.middleeastmonitor.com/20181031-saudi-prince-coup-against-king-salman-imminent/

MBS may be walking on quicksand theses days...

[Guillaume Albasini + 851]

Are the Europeans trying to find an alternate Crown Prince while the Trump administration is sticking to MBS ?

https://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/middle-east/khashoggi-saudi-arabia-king-salman-brother-prince-ahmad-bin-abdulaziz-turkey-latest-a8610586.html

Edited November 1, 2018 by Guillaume Albasini

[Jovito Catungal + 6]

It is very blunt statement from the most powerful figure in the world against the one of the most conservative govenrment. We will never know, what will be the consequences of this development considering that MBS is trying to allure pundits to gain support for his very ambitious plan for economic reform in his country. As thing goes on, this is the litmus test on the leadership capabilities of the prince, seemingly aware that, he too has a clout. But I wish everything settles in a calm manner without necesarrily affecting the people in the world..

[gncube + 6]

I think he was diplomatic to use may. Evidence so far points to that the Prince is responsible and the operation went wrong somehow. Its was messy and clumsy. They should have been smarter than that. That is what happen if operatives get angrier on behalf of sender instead of just doing the job they were sent to do.