By Nicholas Stone '22
On October second, Jamal Khashoggi, a Saudi Arabian-American journalist and editor for a Saudi newspaper, was murdered. It was originally thought (by very few) that he had gone missing, after entering the Saudi Arabian embassy and never leaving. Over the course of the past of couple weeks there has been much controversy over the actual fate of Khashoggi.
Recently the Saudi Arabian public prosecutor, Saud al-Mojeb, admitted to the premeditation and murder of Khashoggi by a 15 man kill team who flew into the country just hours before the murder. One of the members was an autopsy expert who had brought a bone saw with him, and another was a coroner.
Khashoggi, previous to his murder, had taken action to turn a Saudi Arabian newspaper, “Al Watan” into a platform for progressive movement in the country. Mohammed Bin Salman, the Saudi crown prince, states that he had nothing to do with Khashoggi’s murder. Yet for a ruler who appoints his son and nephew to powerful political positions, and launches offensives in neighboring countries to drive out governments from their lands, it would be expected of MBS to eliminate a potential threat to his power such as Khashoggi.
Worst of all, Donald Trump has arms dealing business with the Saudis, and has defended them on the case of this murder. Trump declares, “Here we go again with you’re guilty until proven innocent,” when speaking about the guilt of Saudis in Khashoggi’s murder, prior to the admittance of its premeditation.
Reyhan Mohammed ‘20 voices his opinion on the situation, saying “Our president is so corrupt that he won’t condemn the killing of an American Citizen because it would put his business interests at risk.” Although this is one of many opinions, it seems to be the logical explanation as to why we have seen almost no response from the president on this situation.
Khashoggi was an American citizen and journalist. His murder could lead to war, and with the predicament this nation is currently in, war could a very worst case scenario. Was Khashoggi’s murder a rogue operation carried out by disgruntled Saudi Arabian intelligence forces, or an ordered elimination of a potential threat?
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