Trump: ‘Vicious’ World Should Be Held Accountable for Khashoggi Murder

Says US couldn't have any allies if they cut Saudi trade over murder

Jason Ditz 

Posted onNovember 22, 2018CategoriesNewsTagsSaudi Arabia, Trump

Who was behind the murder of Jamal Khashoggi. Saudi Arabia was, but to hear President Trump tell it in his latest daily diatribe on how he’s not going to punish Saudi Arabia, we’re really all to blame, except of course for the Saudis.

After his usual praise of the Saudis’ vast wealth, Trump declared that “maybe the world should be held accountable, because the world is a vicious place. The world is a very, very vicious place.” He went on to complain about China.

That leaves the Saudis, as ever, safely off the hook, with Trump insisting they are creating “really tremendous jobs” and keeping oil prices down. He also claimed Israel couldn’t exist in the Middle East without Saudi help.

Trump further disavowed the CIA assessment that the Saudi crown prince ordered the murder, saying he thinks the CIA just had “feelings” that was the case. Even if it was true, he mocked the notion of giving up “hundreds of thousands of jobs” and having the standard of not allying with people who assassinate reporters.

“Frankly, if we went by this standard, we wouldn’t be able to have anybody as an ally,” Trump added. It is not clear why President Trump continues to try to feign uncertainty about the Saudi murder, when even the Saudis are pretty clear they murdered the journalist. His position at this point is that the Saudis are secure in their alliance no matter what they do.

https://news.antiwar.com/2018/11/22/trump-vicious-world-should-be-held-accountable-for-khashoggi-murder/