Saudi journalist disappears in embassy, believed murdered

[Andy_Ross]

Trump tweets

"Just spoke with the Crown Prince of Saudi Arabia who totally denied any knowledge of what took place in their Turkish Consulate. He was with Secretary of State Mike Pompeo..."

""...during the call, and told me that he has already started, and will rapidly expand, a full and complete investigation into this matter. Answers will be forthcoming shortly."

 

[RecoveringYuppy]

One curious thing I've noticed is that Turkey has all but admitted that they have the Saudi consulate under surveillance (how else would they have video?). Not that there is anything unusual about having a foreign embassy or consulate under surveillance, but it is a breach of diplomatic protocol, so it's pretty much unheard of to actually admit that you're doing it.

I think what they've actually admitted to is accessing the victims smart watch?

 

[Belz...]

Trump tweets

"Just spoke with the Crown Prince of Saudi Arabia who totally denied any knowledge of what took place in their Turkish Consulate. He was with Secretary of State Mike Pompeo..."

Maybe if I tweet to him that I strongly and totally deny that he's President of the United States, he'll step down.

 

[Giordano]

We already knew that denials by wealthy, powerful men hold a lot of weight in Trump's mind. They are very convincing to him! When the wealthy, powerful person is, or represents a ruthless dictator the denials become even most convincing to him.

But to give Trump credit we have now learned that denials from a wealthy, powerful ruthless dictator trumps (if I may use the word) the "negative" of the dictator being a Muslim: at least if important business interests are involved.

Okay - the USA and many other countries have been willing for a long time to forgive an amazing amount of really nasty stuff from Saudi Arabia because of practical business and political interests. "The enemy of my enemy- at least from time to time- is my friend. Particularly if they control a lot of oil." Accepted. But there are ways to indicate displeasure and to reveal that one knows when when is being lied to. Other countries are doing this in regard to the "disappearance" of the journalist. Trump? Not so much. He comes off again as a naive butt-licker.

 

[Giordano]

I think what they've actually admitted to is accessing the victims smart watch?

I think so. What a great idea for an ad campaign: in addition to all the other features it can help reveal your murderer and the nature of your death.

I do know of laser technology that might allow sounds and voices in rooms with exposed windows to be captured. But internal rooms would need implanted bugs as far as I know. Or perhaps more likely now, un-detected computer, Echo, smart phone, and similar device hacks. Can smart refrigerators record voices? Aren't there rooms in most embassies that are Faraday cages?

But of course the most advanced technology would never be revealed by those employing them.

 

[Arcade22]

Or they have no evidence and Muslim Brother Khashoggi is happily in honeymoon on a yacht in Cyprus waters with his new girlfriend who is a longtime protege of Muslim Brother Erdogan, while the latter is loudly laughing while feeding horror stories through his purged media and intelligence to the western pre$$titutes.

No that sounds like the kind of crazy Russian disinformation and conspiracy theories one would find on Sputnik and RT.

 

[I Am The Scum]

Or they have no evidence and Muslim Brother Khashoggi is happily in honeymoon on a yacht in Cyprus waters with his new girlfriend who is a longtime protege of Muslim Brother Erdogan, while the latter is loudly laughing while feeding horror stories through his purged media and intelligence to the western pre$$titutes.

Yeah he just climbed right out of the bathroom window, and into a taxi waiting for him in the alley. Yup, that's definitely what happened.

 

[Childlike Empress]

No that sounds like the kind of crazy Russian disinformation and conspiracy theories one would find on Sputnik and RT.

Sputnik and RT surely wouldn't tell you because they would want it to succeed. Even I wouldn't tell you if it weren't for the lulz about the NPC reactions.

There's nothing crazy about this option at all, certainly not at this point where even you are wondering what's up with the Turkish evidence. If one doesn't forget that we have ruthless mass-murdering thugs on all sides, knows the cleverness of Erdogan and doubts that even MBS could be so stupid to not anticipate what kidnapping, torturing, murdering and dismembering (with a bone saw they carried with them, say the Turks) a Washington Pest writer would have as consequence, that is.

 

[Fast Eddie B]

Washington Pest

pre$$titutes

Done.

 

[Childlike Empress]

Done.

ktnxbye

 

[Childlike Empress]

Interesting op-ed in Hürriyet, maybe the last remaining Turkish paper of some independence: What is Turkey trying to do in the Khashoggi case?

[...] It has been two weeks since the disappearance of the Saudi journalist who was last seen entering the Saudi consulate. The Turkish authorities seem confident of his assassination within the consulate upon the order of Riyadh.

Under normal circumstances, one would have expected Turkey not to miss this occasion to wage a campaign to humiliate the royal House of Saud. Yet, this has not been the case. President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan does not mince his words, especially if he wants to target a country. However, his rhetoric on the affair has been unusually mild, especially in light of the fact that he knew Khashoggi personally.

Despite the time that has passed, Turkey has not taken “visible” action to pressure Riyadh. On the contrary, it has been patiently waiting for Saudi authorities to accept their proposal to cooperate.

The restraint could perhaps be explained by Turkey’s wish to avoid a collision course with the Saudis, which might push the disappearance of the Saudi journalist to the sidelines.

In the meantime, the Turkish authorities’ unusual “openness” to the foreign media, in other words, their deliberate leaking of their findings, might appear to contradict their restrained rhetoric and policy action.

My sources say this is done in order to avoid the case from becoming a crisis in bilateral ties. Meanwhile, I was also told their intention is not to mobilize the international community, especially so governments do not take strong action against Riyadh. The Turkish government wants to avoid a full blown regional crisis. [...]

Chilling concluding paragraph:

[...] If proven true, Khashoggi’s assassination is taking state oppression of dissidents to an unprecedented level. If the Saudis get away with it, as a colleague had said, it will be the start of a hunt for dissidents all over the world.

And also if it would only seemingly be proven true, Erdogan wouldn't cry a tear about any of the outcomes: Saud doesn't "get away" with it, or his own abysmal treatment of dissidents gets normalized.

Meanwhile without mentioning that case, yesterday he declared that Turkey is the only country able to lead the Muslim world.

 

[Information Analyst]

I really wish the BBC would decide on how to pronounce "Khashoggi" and stick to it. I don't recall it being a problem with Adnan K in the 1980s and 1990s.

 

[Planigale]

I really wish the BBC would decide on how to pronounce "Khashoggi" and stick to it. I don't recall it being a problem with Adnan K in the 1980s and 1990s.

I agree it is really irritating. Have they sacked the BBC pronounciation unit (or is that pronounciation)?

 

[Sideroxylon]

Or they have no evidence and Muslim Brother Khashoggi is happily in honeymoon on a yacht in Cyprus waters with his new girlfriend who is a longtime protege of Muslim Brother Erdogan, while the latter is loudly laughing while feeding horror stories through his purged media and intelligence to the western pre$$titutes.

Or he is chained up in Putin’s sex dungeon rubbing the lotion on his skin under the threat of a hosing while the latter giggles at Russian troll farm output.

 

[carlitos]

You misspelled "teat"

 

[Arcade22]

Sputnik and RT surely wouldn't tell you because they would want it to succeed. Even I wouldn't tell you if it weren't for the lulz about the NPC reactions.

Actually their main goal is to sow fear, uncertainty and doubt throughout western society in an attempt to divide and weaken it against revanchist Russian imperialism. Hence why they spread kooky crackpot conspiracy theories like yours.

[/QUOTE]There's nothing crazy about this option at all, certainly not at this point where even you are wondering what's up with the Turkish evidence. If one doesn't forget that we have ruthless mass-murdering thugs on all sides, knows the cleverness of Erdogan and doubts that even MBS could be so stupid to not anticipate what kidnapping, torturing, murdering and dismembering (with a bone saw they carried with them, say the Turks) a Washington Pest writer would have as consequence, that is.[/QUOTE]

There's no reason to doubt how utterly stupid and shortsighted the Saudi's are considering they actually said he walked out of the embassy quickly without bothering to prove this when it should've be trivial of them to do so. Even if they had simply kidnapped him and not killed him that kind of excuse would still be completely unbelievable.

 

[Childlike Empress]

Actually their main goal is to sow fear, uncertainty and doubt throughout western society in an attempt to divide and weaken it against revanchist Russian imperialism. Hence why they spread kooky crackpot conspiracy theories like yours.

Do you realize how you dragged Russia into this topic and now are so upset that you even fail to use basic tags? It's a phobia.

 

[Bob001]

Trump now claiming disappearance/likely death of Khashoggi another case of "guilty until proven innocent."

“Here we go again with you’re guilty until proven innocent,” Trump told the AP, comparing the situation to allegations of sexual assault leveled against now-Supreme Court Justice Brett M. Kavanaugh during his confirmation hearing.

https://www.washingtonpost.com/worl...ggi-tues-8pm:homepage/story-ans&noredirect=on

Once again, I ask how can responsible conservatives defend this simple-minded thug?

 

[Skeptic Ginger]

As I posted on another thread. Kashoggi was killed by some rogue security people who unfortunately took the king too literally when he said, "Will no one rid me of this turbulant priest reporter?"

And you gained this gem of wisdom where?

 

[TofuFighter]

Trump now claiming disappearance/likely death of Khashoggi another case of "guilty until proven innocent."

Once again, I ask how can responsible conservatives defend this simple-minded thug?

I can imagine him at the next rally...
"these are dangerous times for innocent oil-rich countries, people. All you gotta do is send someone into a consulate and have them escape quietly out of the bathroom window.. .and they have great windows in Saudi Arabia.. the best windows, right? and then you get to accuse them of murdering your guy. $110 billion dollars, people. 500,000 jobs I created and the Democrats want to throw it all away. The most respected middle east country in the world. Very, very respected. Bin Salman - great guy. loves his people. totally innocent. I mean come on."
"What time did your fiance go into the consulate? I don't know. Could he have gone out another way? I don't know. I mean if you see this guy's fiance... you know... I can see why he might want to disappear. But, Saudi prince. very, very respected. great guy."