Saudi Arabia

[ronrat]

[Jezza]

Saudi Arabia are back in the news after the disappearance and presumed killing of Jamal Khashoggi at the Saudi embassy in Istanbul, Turkey.

He's a journalist and been a critic of the Saudi royal family. He entered the embassy about two weeks ago to check that he was officially divorced as he was planning to marry a Turkish national who was actually waiting for him outside to return but he never resurfaced.

The Saudis claim he left the embassy but all cameras in the building were down, so they can't prove he did. At the same time, it appears Turkey had bugged the building and have audio evidence to suggest he was murdered in brutal circumstances. The details of what may have transpired make for sober reading.

https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/saudi-forensic-expert-is-among-15-named-by-turkey-in-disappearance-of-journalist-jamal-khashoggi/2018/10/11/e62d6dd4-cd6a-11e8-ad0a-0e01efba3cc1_story.html?noredirect=on&utm_term=.cfc873430f60

[David]

Pretty horrible story all around. Do you think it will change anything? Ultimately, do the US and the rest of the pro-Saudi bloc really care how many terrible things its government does?

[Pies4shaw]

There�ll be strong action taken when the Saudis run out of oil.

[MJ23]

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_journalists_killed_in_2017

https://cpj.org/data/imprisoned/2017/?status=Imprisoned&start_year=2017&end_year=2017&group_by=location

[watt price tully]

[Jezza]

[swoop42]

I find this situation abhorrent and I can't help but feel the rise of Trump on the back of Putin has only embolden the dictators of the world to believe they can get away with anything.

The nasty side of capitalism on display here as oil and the weapons of war will be put ahead of common decency, human rights and a need to send a powerful message that actions like these have serious consequences.

It's astonishing that a country in Saudi Arabia who provided the majority of the 9/11 hijackers, fund global terrorism and fight wars by proxy across the middle east are so protected by the West and yet Iran who are no worse or better are viewed as the anti Christ in comparison.

Obviously Western powers removing support of the Royal family could create a vacuum that sees a rise in power from Islamic extremist groups within or the void of military backing gleefully filled by the likes of Russia but part of me says who cares and let's see what the people decide.

[Jezza]

Western powers will continue to rely on Saudi Arabia being stable as it's one of the largest oil producing countries in the world. If instability was to arise in the Persian Gulf, this would threaten the supply of oil worldwide and would most likely lead to a severe economic crisis.

The West will try to prevent this from occurring for as long as it's continuing to rely on Saudi for oil. I don't like the relationship with Saudi Arabia more than the next person here, and ideally I'd like to see the West cut or reduce ties with the House of Saud, but realistically it won't happen anytime soon I suspect.

An unstable Saudi Arabia would lead to the further rise of Iran who are just as extreme as Saudi Arabia as well. In a way you can argue Iran's power in the region has already increased with the destabilisation of Syria and Iraq in the past 15 years which have become puppet states for Iran.

I agree with your sentiments about Saudi's actions. Some of the things they've done are appalling ranging from a terrible human rights record, exporting the Salafist ideology which underpins much of the Islamist terrorism we see today, the military intervention of Yemen, the funding and supplying of weapons to Sunni jihadist groups in countries like Syria, and it's possible involvement in the 9/11 attacks. They're a vile country, but not one we can afford to cut ties with in the immediate future.

[Jezza]

An interesting article about Khashoggi's past.

[Wokko]

Saudi oil has nothing to do with the US, they're a net exporter of oil now, it's not the 1990s anymore.

It's all about playing geopolitics. Saudi Arabia is a buffer against Iran. If they turn against The US/Israel axis or even withdraw into isolationism then the Middle East balance of power shifts to Tehran.

[Jezza]

Good points, Wokko. I could also see Turkey's influence increasing in the region even if it's a non-Arab state.

[roar]

Why the hell would he go to the consulate in the first place?

And oil price is still a major factor, irrespective of the US being a net exporter.

[Culprit]

https://www.theage.com.au/world/middle-east/saudi-state-media-confirms-khashoggi-died-in-ankara-consulate-20181020-p50avy.html

Yep a fight and then we chopped him up into little pieces. Trump will say it's all legit, he picked a fight and lost. Our Government will agree. Money talks.

[stui magpie]

^

Trump might try to implement what happened to that Journo as official policy in dealing with all the jpurno's who criticise him.