Journalist killing leads to next ruler of Saudi Arabia

Saudi Arabian Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, in line to succeed his father King Salman bin Abdulaziz al Saud as the ruler of the oil rich Middle Eastern nation, has been implicated by the CIA in the brutal slaying of Saudi journalist Jamal Khashoggi.

Nonetheless, President Donald J. Trump remains disturbingly supportive of Salman and the Saudi royal family.

With such a powerful ally in the White House, the Saudis have brushed off the claims against the crown prince as unsubstantiated and have summarily dismissed the CIA’s conclusions.

They also have denounced U.S. Senate resolutions blaming Salman for the killing of Khashoggi, a Washington Post columnist, and calling for an end to U.S. military support for the war in Yemen.

“The Kingdom categorically rejects any interference in its internal affairs, any and all accusations, in any manner, that disrespects its leadership ... and any attempts to undermine its sovereignty or diminish its stature,” reads a statement from the foreign ministry.

Internal affairs? Hardly.

Here are some facts surrounding journalist Khashoggi’s life and death: He once had a close relationship with members of the Saudi royal family until he began criticizing the government’s iron-fisted rule, especially with regard to human rights. He left Saudi Arabia and moved to the U.S., where he continued his criticism of the Saudi Arabian government through his columns in the Post.

In October, Khashoggi was in Istanbul, Turkey, and visited the Saudi consulate to obtain documents that would have enabled him to marry his non-Saudi fianc e. He never left the consulate alive.

The Turkish government, which is investigating Khashoggi’s disappearance, has concluded the journalist was murdered by a group of assassins who traveled from Riyadh to Istanbul.

Containers of acid

The Turkish government says Khashoggi’s body was chopped up and reportedly dumped in containers of acid. All traces of the journalist have been removed.

There are audio recordings of his interaction with Saudi officials in the consulate that clearly establish his assault.

Indeed, after first claiming that Khashoggi had walked out of the consulate a free man, the Saudi ruling family admitted he had died after being hit during a fight.

Beyond that, the Saudis have shown no inclination in seeking the truth.

President Trump’s unwavering support for the ruling family, whom he has described as a key ally in the Middle East, has emboldened Crown Prince Salman and his henchmen.

However, the Senate resolution, while largely symbolic, is seen as a public rebuke of Trump.

The Senate action also delivers a stern warning to governments around the world that would silence journalists who expose their criminality: Despite the president’s ho-hum attitude toward Khashoggi’s killing, the U.S. is committed to a free and unfettered press.

That’s why there is growing support in this country and democracies around the world for an independent investigation of the Khashoggi murder.

On Sunday, U.N. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres commented on the killing in a speech at the Doha Forum in Qatar.

“It is absolutely essential to have a credible investigation and to have the punishment of those that were guilty,” Guterres said.

Khashoggi was killed in early October and we quickly urged the U.N. secretary-general to appoint a commission made up of the world’s leading criminal investigators, forensic specialists and others to find out what happened.

We also called on President Trump to support such a probe. Unfortunately, he has chosen to defend the Saudis.

Just before he left for the Thanksgiving holiday, Trump made it clear he would not hold Salman (also known as MBS) responsible for the journalist’s death.

“It could well be that the crown prince had knowledge of this tragic event,” Trump said. “Maybe he did, maybe he didn’t”

But the head of the United Nations Human Rights Commission believes the case demands an independent investigation by international experts.

Michelle Bachelet said the investigators should have access to all evidence and witnesses.

The Saudis have insisted the claims against Salman are unsubstantiated. They should, therefore, have no qualms about seeking the truth.

The government of Saudi Arabia can prove it has nothing to hide by joining in the call for an independent investigation.