Ex-ambassador to Saudi Arabia hits Trump for 'wide-eyed acceptance' of denials about missing journalist

Authored by thehill.com and submitted by imagepoem

Former U.S. Ambassador to Saudi Arabia Robert Jordan on Monday warned President Trump Donald John TrumpTrump: 'I don't trust everybody in the White House' JPMorgan CEO withdraws from Saudi conference Trump defends family separations at border MORE against accepting the Saudi government's denials about the disappearance of a Washington Post columnist.

“Let’s remember, this is the same King Salman who told me after 9/11 that the 9/11 attacks were an Israeli plot,” Jordan said. “He said that firmly. Did I believe that? Of course not. I don’t think you can go in with wide-eyed acceptance of anything some of these world leaders say.”

Jordan added that it's possible Salman did not have any knowledge of journalist Jamal Khashoggi's disappearance, and that the situation was in the hands of the crown prince, Mohammad Bin Salman.

"But nonetheless, I think we’ve got to have a thorough investigation," he said.

Khashoggi, a U.S. resident and outspoken critic of the Saudi government, went missing after entering the Saudi consulate in Istanbul. The Turkish government has said it has video and audio recordings that prove Khashoggi was killed.

But Saudi Arabia is denying involvement.

"Just spoke to the King of Saudi Arabia who denies any knowledge of whatever may have happened 'to our Saudi Arabian citizen,'" Trump tweeted on Monday.

"He said that they are working closely with Turkey to find answer. I am immediately sending our Secretary of State to meet with King!"

Trump later said that Mike Pompeo Michael (Mike) Richard PompeoPastor prays for Trump to have 'supernatural wisdom' Brunson release spotlights the rot in Turkish politics and judiciary Kim Jong Un has major powers falling for his flirtations MORE would depart for Saudi Arabia and that his trip may include a visit to Turkey on Monday.

Trump has said that Saudi Arabia would face "severe punishment" if it was responsible for Khashoggi's disappearance. But he has been cautious about altering arms deals between the two nations, saying there are “other ways of punishing” Saudi Arabia.

Saudi Arabia permitted investigators to search the consulate in Istanbul, according to CNN.

onepoint9 on October 15th, 2018 at 15:41 UTC »

Jordan added that it's possible Salman did not have any knowledge of journalist Jamal Khashoggi's disappearance, and that the situation was in the hands of the crown prince, Mohammad Bin Salman.

Why isn’t MbS taking these calls and answering these questions?

imagepoem on October 15th, 2018 at 15:24 UTC »

And now Trump is suggesting it was a bunch of "rogue killers" -- so, 15 rogue killers left Saudi, 15 rogue killers arrived in Turkey, 15 rogue killers went to the Saudi embassy in Turkey, 15 rogue killers assassinated Jamal Khashoggi in the Saudi embassy, 15 rogue killers dismembered Jamal Khashoggi in the Saudi embassy, and then 15 rogue killers returned to Saudi.

mobi45 on October 15th, 2018 at 15:21 UTC »

Khashoggi, a U.S. resident and outspoken critic of the Saudi government, went missing after entering the Saudi consulate in Istanbul. The Turkish government has said it has video and audio recordings that prove Khashoggi was killed. But Saudi Arabia is denying involvement. "Just spoke to the King of Saudi Arabia who denies any knowledge of whatever may have happened 'to our Saudi Arabian citizen,'" Trump tweeted on Monday.