10 Key Questions About The Khashoggi Affair

[jimnyc]

Was murdered, wasn't murdered. Action will be taken, nothing will be done. WTF is exactly going on?

---

10 Key Questions About The Khashoggi Affair To Answer Before Buying The Press Narrative

On October 2, Saudi national and U.S. green-card holder Jamal Khashoggi reportedly walked into the Saudi consulate to resolve issues related to his marital status. Through anonymous leaks to the press, Turkish sources claim he did not leave the diplomatic facility alive. More anonymous sources claim he was tortured and murdered, allegations repeated in the U.S. press without evidence.

It is possible that the circumstances around Khashoggi’s disappearance will soon come to light. However, it’s equally likely that the passage of time will only further obscure events. To cast some light on the issue, I thought it was worthwhile asking what seem to me the central questions.

1. Is There Evidence Khashoggi Was Murdered?

Turkish sources say there is. The U.S. press has reported that unnamed Turkish officials have told them—or unnamed second-hand Turkish sources had told them—they have evidence, audio and video, that a team of Saudi officials detained, tortured, and killed Khashoggi.

However, no reporters, neither Western nor Turkish, have seen that evidence. If it exists, the Turks have not made it public. In one of the few leaks from the U.S. government, an intelligence official told CNN there is no hard evidence as to whether Khashoggi is dead or alive.

2. Why Has Turkey Asked Saudi Arabia to Join Its Khashoggi Investigative Team?

According to press reports, the government in Ankara has asked Riyadh to help investigate what happened to Khashoggi. The Turkish foreign minister recently complained that the “[Saudis] aren’t cooperating in full extent to uncover the circumstances of Khashoggi’s disappearance. We would like to see a genuine cooperation from them.”

This makes no sense. If Saudi Arabia is suspected of abducting or killing Khashoggi, its involvement in the investigation would compromise the probe, even giving a potential suspect opportunity to tamper with evidence. Further, if there is audio and video evidence that a Saudi team killed Khashoggi, as Turkish and U.S. media report, there is no need for an investigation—the case has already been solved.

The Turks’ two irreconcilable diplomatic tracks—official channels offering Saudi a role in the investigation while unnamed sources accuse it of murder—suggest that Ankara is negotiating with Riyadh. It’s unclear what the terms are.

3. Are Internal Turkish Issues a Factor in the Khashoggi Affair?

Because the Turkish figures and officials leaking to the press are anonymous, it’s not clear if, or to what extent, they represent President Recep Tayyip Erdogan. Could the sources be hostile to Erdogan?

Two years ago, his opponents attempted to overthrow him, leaving hundreds of Turks dead. Erdogan responded by rounding up followers of the former ally he blames for the coup, Fethullah Gulen, a Muslim cleric who has lived in Pennsylvania for nearly two decades. Gulen, like Khashoggi, has a green card, reportedly facilitated by CIA officials.

Presumably, Erdogan has mostly rid his police force of the Gulenists who once dominated it. However, some sources identifying as police are challenging pieces of evidence that the Ankara government is using to illustrate Saudi guilt.

The discipline shown in the messaging campaign—accuse Riyadh through leaks and reveal nothing in public—suggests Erdogan is managing the Khashoggi file directly. However, his overall management of the crisis may make him vulnerable, again, to domestic rivals.

Rest - http://thefederalist.com/2018/10/15/10-key-questions-khashoggi-affair-answer-buying-press-narrative/

[Gunny]

You know where the left/MSM is going with this, right? Trump backpeddaled bit from his original threat to punish "whoever is responsible". If it turns out the Saudi government DID plan it and have it done, The left/MSM is going to put the screws to him. Doesn't matter THEY (especially the Clinton's) have kissed ass for decades. They'll demand Trump "do something" and regardless what he does or doesn't do, they're going to have a field day running with it.

This is one of "those" times Trump should have kept his mouth shut, waited and watched. The Dems/left have already made comment about his general lack of interest in the Middle East. Yes, he went after ISIS and yes, backed Israel, and yes, he told Iran to go f*ck itself. Not even the tip of the iceberg regarding what's going on over there. Name a country in the ME that isn't somehow embroiled in a war.

And before anyone shits their pants, I'm just being objective. Trump is a businessman. My take to this point as he sees all that BS in the ME as a pain in his ass interfering with his economic conquests.

The Dems have 3 weeks or so to come up with a miracle. I sure as Hell hope no one, and I mean NO ONE (not just Trump) hands them a loaded weapon to use. The American public can be distracted and swayed in a second.

[jimnyc]

^^^ Yup, that's why I posted all the updates in the other thread, including Trump's take and threat on things. He done fucked up by making a "red line" like Obama did. WHO specifically performed this crazy killing? Apparently he had his fingers cut off, then other body parts, and then beheaded. Then dissolved in acid. Who ordered the killing? Lots of denials thus far. There is actual audio of the entire thing.

[Gunny]

^^^ Yup, that's why I posted all the updates in the other thread, including Trump's take and threat on things. He done fucked up by making a "red line" like Obama did. WHO specifically performed this crazy killing? Apparently he had his fingers cut off, then other body parts, and then beheaded. Then dissolved in acid. Who ordered the killing? Lots of denials thus far. There is actual audio of the entire thing.Now ask yourself this: For all the bullshit, mayhem and murder going on over there, why is the leftwingnut media suddenly focused on this one incident and one person?

Syria is waging chemical warfare. Hezbollah is part and parcel to Syria, Palestine and constantly trying to build up an army to attack Israel. The Saudi's are at war with some branch of Q in Yemen. Turkey is rattling its saber all over Northern Syria and Iraq trying to wipe the Kurds out in their entirety.

Where was I getting my news? Mostly the Jerusalem Post, BBC and OANN. Now our leftist MSM is suddenly concerned? Uh huh :rolleyes:

Pay no attention to the grade school antics in Congress the past 2 years, or the Mueller lost cause witch hunt ... What's Trump going to do about Saudi Arabia? Fuck them. They're so damned obvious. Probably got the idea from Pete :rolleyes:

[FakeNewsSux]

I think Pres. Trump has a golden opportunity for a new Tweet Storm via something Rush has just brought up on today's show. Rush simply pointed out how the MSM is hyperventilating over Pres. Trump's delay in bringing the hammer down on Saudi Arabia over the Khashoggi affair but they had no interest in the deaths of four US citizens in Benghazi. Since there is no direct evidence of what actually happened in Istanbul, it seems strange that there is uniform agreement that Pres. Trump is covering something up. Contrast this situation with the reams of information that existed in the Benghazi case and the total lack of desire for Pres. Obama to do something. Maybe Pres. Trump should just Tweet out: "Whether Mr. Khashoggi was killed in the Saudi Consulate in Istanbul or whether he ducked out the back door and disappeared to get out of a marriage he had gotten cold feet over, at this point what difference does it make?"

[Gunny]

I think Pres. Trump has a golden opportunity for a new Tweet Storm via something Rush has just brought up on today's show. Rush simply pointed out how the MSM is hyperventilating over Pres. Trump's delay in bringing the hammer down on Saudi Arabia over the Khashoggi affair but they had no interest in the deaths of four US citizens in Benghazi. Since there is no direct evidence of what actually happened in Istanbul, it seems strange that there is uniform agreement that Pres. Trump is covering something up. Contrast this situation with the reams of information that existed in the Benghazi case and the total lack of desire for Pres. Obama to do something. Maybe Pres. Trump should just Tweet out: "Whether Mr. Khashoggi was killed in the Saudi Consulate in Istanbul or whether he ducked out the back door and disappeared to get out of a marriage he had gotten cold feet over, at this point what difference does it make?"I can see his appeal to the Dems. He's a Saudi royal turncoat.

Read one of his "expose's". Just imagine ... the Saudi royal house acts like royalists. I was sure f-ing shocked :rolleyes:

My take for the left here, in the good ol' US of A? It's none of our business. Just like Saddam was none of the left's business. Like Kahdaffi was none of the left's business. Like Yemen is none of our business. Like Israel is none of out business ..... I could keep going.

[pete311]

I can see his appeal to the Dems. He's a Saudi royal turncoat.

Read one of his "expose's". Just imagine ... the Saudi royal house acts like royalists. I was sure f-ing shocked :rolleyes:

My take for the left here, in the good ol' US of A? It's none of our business. Just like Saddam was none of the left's business. Like Kahdaffi was none of the left's business. Like Yemen is none of our business. Like Israel is none of out business ..... I could keep going.

He was a permanent resident of Virginia, worked for WaPo and was in constant contact with many in the US Gov. These are the people taking it personal. Saudi Arabia is ISIS with money. End of story.

[Noir]

There is actual audio of the entire thing.

Hadn’t heard this - there is audio?

[Tyr-Ziu Saxnot]

He was a permanent resident of Virginia, worked for WaPo and was in constant contact with many in the US Gov. These are the people taking it personal. Saudi Arabia is ISIS with money. End of story.

o yes, well hell if he was associated with WAPO and murdered --then damn perhaps we need to nuke the Saudi's
I mean hell, this dead guy means so much to this nation, to the world at large,
but those dead guys in the Benghazi fiasco that the obama orchestrated meant nothing- right Pete?
Hell yes, that is how you ffing dem/libs play the game.
With no honor, no integrity --but with only your constant deceit, selfish interests, and your usual hypocritical
bullshit.
And you vermin wonder why so many of us so deeply despise you..-Tyr

[aboutime]

Always felt uncomfortable when I was there, for only a short time for a CAT SCAN.

The President, and Secstate will probably remind everyone of this:

"The enemy of my enemy is my friend"
is an ancient proverb which suggests that two opposing parties can or should work together against a common enemy.

[Russ]

As I understand it - the Turks are claiming they have audio, but they haven't produced any audio and it's iffy that they actually have it.


Hadn’t heard this - there is audio?

[Russ]

Here's my #1 key question - Even if the Saudis killed this guy, why is it America's job to threaten Saudi Arabia over it???

Granted, the killing sounds terrible, but people around the world get killed every day. Furthermore, this guy isn't really an American and he wasn't killed in America. America can't start changing our Middle East policy every time someone in the Middle East gets killed, no matter how righteous we want to be.

There are some huge reasons why we don't want to threaten Saudi Arabia:

1. Iran is the world's biggest terror sponsor and is threatening the entire Middle East region. Saudi Arabia is the main thing keeping them in check. The number of lives lost is Iran is not kept in check is a lot.
2. If the Saudi royal family is ever destabilized, the wackos that would take over Saudi Arabia would make Iran look like good guys.
3. This $110 billion dollar deal where they are buying warplanes from America - the alternative is that they still buy warplanes, but they get them from China, and China gets a big foothold in the Middle East.
4. China, Pakistan, and other countries do similar things all the time, and no one cares. Why just this one incident?

I haven't even mentioned that Saudi Arabia stabilizes the production of oil for much of the world, but it is a real factor in the world.

Is it possible that whole thing is blown out of proportion just because the guy worked for the Washington Post?

[Gunny]

He was a permanent resident of Virginia, worked for WaPo and was in constant contact with many in the US Gov. These are the people taking it personal. Saudi Arabia is ISIS with money. End of story.Fuck you and your "end of story". When you grow a set big enough to decide the end of a conversation (and the intelligence), we'll be sure and let you know. Right now, your years-old 0-fer gives you about as much clout as Blaisey-Ford.

He was a Saudi National hiding in Turkey. If the US gave him asylum and a job on some liberal rag sheet he is STILL a Saudi National FIRST. And if you have to run all the way to the States to hide out, you're just not real bright for going back to right next door to the place you ran from.

I will give him this though, Pete ... STILL a better than you. At least he believed in something more important than himself. A concept you left-headed twits can't grasp.

[Gunny]

Here's my #1 key question - Even if the Saudis killed this guy, why is it America's job to threaten Saudi Arabia over it???

Granted, the killing sounds terrible, but people around the world get killed every day. Furthermore, this guy isn't really an American and he wasn't killed in America. America can't start changing our Middle East policy every time someone in the Middle East gets killed, no matter how righteous we want to be.

There are some huge reasons why we don't want to threaten Saudi Arabia:

1. Iran is the world's biggest terror sponsor and is threatening the entire Middle East region. Saudi Arabia is the main thing keeping them in check. The number of lives lost is Iran is not kept in check is a lot.
2. If the Saudi royal family is ever destabilized, the wackos that would take over Saudi Arabia would make Iran look like good guys.
3. This $110 billion dollar deal where they are buying warplanes from America - the alternative is that they still buy warplanes, but they get them from China, and China gets a big foothold in the Middle East.
4. China, Pakistan, and other countries do similar things all the time, and no one cares. Why just this one incident?

I haven't even mentioned that Saudi Arabia stabilizes the production of oil for much of the world, but it is a real factor in the world.

Is it possible that whole thing is blown out of proportion just because the guy worked for the Washington Post?Like I said, it's not our business.

The difference here is journalists believe THEY are actually more powerful than the Dems, and probably are, and consider themselves untouchable while they meddle into everyone's affairs. The Washington Post being one of the most liberal rags in the world would surely believe they are worth a war over.

But I'll stick with my first best guess. It's to set Trump up for a decision the left/media have no intention of letting him be right about to deflect from their own stench and try to sway votes last minute.

[High_Plains_Drifter]

If the ANGRY DEMOCRAT MOB blows a gasket over whatever President Trump does, even if it's a good thing, it'll just be another great example of how unhinged and pathetic the democrat party has become, and after the Kavanaugh farce that's all the dem mob needs is one more beat down. Hell they won't win an election for DOG CATCHER.

[Noir]

Interesting updates -

Saudi state media now willing to air the possibility that the death was premeditated, after evidence supplied by Turkey.

EU parliament voted overwhelmingly to place an arms embargo on Saudi Arabia, though Conservative members of the European Parliament from the U.K. chose to abstain from the vote.