Saudi officials kill journalist, what's the response going to be?

[T.Lex]

By "literally" the world's policemen I meant taking on the responsibility to investigate this incident and seek redress for it.

...that's actual "literally", not 2018 "literally".

So what we're looking for is: "Yeah, we don't like that. Don't do that"?

I am hardly an isolationist, but I guess my "meddling" overseas is usually limited to things like national security and interests, genocide, humanitarian disaster....not isolated incidents of bad behavior. I guess is we're talking about a response in words rather than anything of real substance, sure, let's try to grab some moral high ground. Why not?

Well, I'd use it as the cover necessary to directly support progressive elements in SA. That's something we've been reluctant to do. That's more than words.

As far as sending the FBI... unless we're getting something REALLY meaningful from Erdogan, NFW pal. Sure, if we can use this to lever Turkey away from Russia, that'd be great, but... let's not just do stuff for free. At least not for him.

 

[Ziggidy]

The Saudis lured an opposing journalist to their consulate in Turkey. This guy was not a terrorist. This was not a military target. This was an advocate of uncomfortable positions. Basically a personal vendetta.

And you know this for certain? Resources?

 

[Ziggidy]

Does the release of the Christian pastor have anything to do with this?

 

[Expat]

NBC showed cleaning crews going into the consulate before the crime techs were allowed in....

 

[T.Lex]

And you know this for certain? Resources?

Public reporting from reputable sources at this time. I prefer to let people do their own work, but here's a quick link:
https://www.nytimes.com/2018/10/18/...-mohammed-bin-salman-turkey-saudi-arabia.html

Does the release of the Christian pastor have anything to do with this?

I doubt it. Like, very close to "there's no way."

But, you now have me curious about what link YOU think there might be. Oh, and what sources you are relying on for that speculation.

 

[T.Lex]

NBC showed cleaning crews going into the consulate before the crime techs were allowed in....

Heck - I don't think there's been a specific denial that the chief pathologist was there. That seems like a pretty easy thing to disprove. If dude has an alibi, just say that.

His presence is HIGHLY suspicious.

 

[T.Lex]

So this is... interesting.

https://www.theaustralian.com.au/ne...t/news-story/7689ad09db7a0f2c68a2bf7f9c770248

Report that one of the individuals in the 15-member hit squad has died in a motor vehicle accident.

I "literally" have no idea if this is a reputable source or not. And, it is relying on Turkish reporting that I have even less of a clue about.

But, it may be that any internal divisions among the royal family are working themselves out.

 

[Sylvain]

NBC showed cleaning crews going into the consulate before the crime techs were allowed in....

Hey maybe it's the regular cleaning crew.

Also I read that the folks doing the searching were not allowed to use luminol, just to look around.So I'm not sure they even need to do a thorough cleaning.

 

[Trigger Time]

The FBI might have been sent to Turkey to investigate ... or not.

[video=youtube;J2EJNvjkz4s]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J2EJNvjkz4s[/video]

FBI has been in Turkey for years with other u.s. govt assets. Turkeys location is very important to the U.S.
If the FBI was sent there then it was by a phone call and they walked out their front door

 

[Trigger Time]

I find it funny that all of a sudden the left claims to give a **** about radical muslims and the saudis who are damn terrorists and that also didnt stop the last few administrations including 2 Democrats from getting in bed with them.
.
I'm more concerned with the illegals and terrorists funneling across our southern border. Hire some contractors and make them turn around before they get to the U.S.

 

[T.Lex]

FBI has been in Turkey for years with other u.s. govt assets. Turkeys location is very important to the U.S.
If the FBI was sent there then it was by a phone call and they walked out their front door

Not only that, they've been investigating all sorts of espionage stuff involving Turkey. But if it were that simple, Trump should've said so. If he even knew that.

"We have those kinds of assets in place and have offered them to Ankara to assist in any investigation."

 

[Trigger Time]

Not only that, they've been investigating all sorts of espionage stuff involving Turkey. But if it were that simple, Trump should've said so. If he even knew that.

"We have those kinds of assets in place and have offered them to Ankara to assist in any investigation."

Weve known Turkey wasnt our real friends for a long time. They like what we offer them above and below the table, and they us in terms of missile defense and airbases, intelligence gathering methods and equipment placement ect. That is it.

 

[Trigger Time]

If the Saudi consulate was bugged by Turkey, it was most likely the U.S. that made it possible and gave them the means to do it

 

[Ericpwp]

Steven Mnuchin (@stevenmnuchin1) Tweeted:
Just met with @realDonaldTrump and @SecPompeo and we have decided, I will not be participating in the Future Investment Initiative summit in Saudi Arabia. https://twitter.com/stevenmnuchin1/status/1052944784355205120?s=17

 

[Ziggidy]

Public reporting from reputable sources at this time. I prefer to let people do their own work, but here's a quick link:
https://www.nytimes.com/2018/10/18/...-mohammed-bin-salman-turkey-saudi-arabia.html



I doubt it. Like, very close to "there's no way."

But, you now have me curious about what link YOU think there might be. Oh, and what sources you are relying on for that speculation.

It's not a challenge.....I have absolutely no clue. Personally I find that area of the world very confusing.

As far as being a terrorist, I do not know. I do know that even though we may not think that, it's very possible someone else did.

 

[Dead Duck]

It's not a challenge.....I have absolutely no clue. Personally I find that area of the world very confusing.

It's all prime real estate for glass manufacturing.

 

[Leadeye]

That area of the world has seemed confusing to the western perspective for a very long time.

 

[Thor]

Well, it's not so confusing, just the joys of tribalism. There doesn't need to be a reason other then that's them not us to justify any evil. Where it gets confusing is when we try to understand them as if they are rational actors outside the bounds of tribalism.

Everyplace on the planet dominated by tribalism is a **** hole.

 

[Ziggidy]

What amusing about all this is the fact that people are placing their guarded trust in the FBI, NYT and such. The same "sources" that have (small list) said Trump and Russia set up the elections, convicted Kavanagh from the start (and supported Ford), says Hillary is innocent and a victim. The same FBI, same NYT, same "reliable resources" says the person was a good guy that the Saudis hated him so they killed him.

Something is missing here. Turkey? Why? Turkey releases the pastor, coincidentally just before the guy went missing. The guy has ties with Muslim Brotherhood but he was for peace in Middle East. Received green card in a questionable manner?

I think there is allot of speculation, allot of crap on the wall in hopes something sticks. Why is this guy so important? Do you think we will ever know the truth? Do you care?

Everyone is a reliable resource until the next reliable resource makes a statement.

 

[T.Lex]

Something is missing here. Turkey? Why? Turkey releases the pastor, coincidentally just before the guy went missing. The guy has ties with Muslim Brotherhood but he was for peace in Middle East. Received green card in a questionable manner?

I think there is allot of speculation, allot of crap on the wall in hopes something sticks. Why is this guy so important? Do you think we will ever know the truth? Do you care?

Well, we do know some of the answers to those questions.

Why Turkey? He was engaged to a Turkish citizen, while he was a citizen of Saudi Arabia, living abroad. It is totally common for there to be paperwork for the consulate/embassy in that situation, regardless what country you're from. Even for US citizens, there are hoops to jump through. (At least one INGOer here is familiar with that process.) So, having to visit the Saudi consulate in Turkey would not have been unusual.

In terms of the pastor's release, the timing is there - and I'm generally skeptical of "coincidences" - but I'm not creative enough to see anything that links the US pastor, the Turkish government, the Saudi government, and the prominent Saudi journalist.

Regarding his MB connection, what I find ironic is that a powerful, popular Republican used to be an active Democrat, but a great many people see that as "growth" or "enlightenment." Yet, this guy doesn't get that same benefit of the doubt.

I've seen absolutely nothing to suggest this guy received an "abnormal" green card. If you have a link detailing what was irregular about it, I would be interested.

This guy is important because he specifically criticized, sometimes personally, a high-ranking member of the House of Saud that the US gov't has welcomed and aligned with. Basically, he was "our guy" and now he looks complicit in a purely political murder.

Frankly, the Saddam Hussein analog might work, at a certain level. We tolerated a metric shton of shtuff from Hussein for the sake of having a regional ally. This calls back to that same kind of thing, but I'm not sure how much we're really willing to tolerate it now.