U.S. Should Hold MBS Accountable 3-8-2021

   March 08, 2021                U.S. Should Hold MBS Accountable

 

President Biden’s response to MBS’s role in the brutal torture and murder of Saudi dissident Khashoggi was extremely disappointing.

Desperate to deflect blame, MBS threw former deputy head of Saudi Arabia’s General Intelligence Presidency “under the bus” and said he was the ring leader responsible for the killing and named several other Saudi officials.

Biden said it was up Saudi Arabia to determine the path forward on their future leadership. Do US officials plan to host and shake hands with one the world’s worst assassins? What happened to the much touted American values?

While the U.S. continues to pummel Iran with unjust crippling economic sanctions for a 2015 nuclear treaty that America failed to uphold, the Biden administration is giving MBS a free pass. Swift action is paramount given King Salman's age and poor health. 

Failure to punish MBS puts Saudi exiles in grave danger and gives carte blanch impunity to the crown prince who would likely go after dissidents with renewed vigor. One such dissident who chose to go public is halid Aljabri, the son of a former senior Saudi official who is living in exile in Canada and whose siblings, Omar and Sarah, are being held hostage in the kingdom. 

Joe Biden speaking in November 2019 during a presidential debate promised emphatically” to punish the senior Saudi responsible for Khashoggi murder.” 

Tough words! So Joe, to what happened to your 2019 pledge? You promised a “recalibration of U.S. relationship with the Saudis. No Joe, what is needed is a recalibration of your moral compass? 

It is puzzling to understand why Saudi Arabia is considered to be close ally of the U.S.? In a race to the bottom of human behavior, one plausible reason is the necessity of selling military hardware in exchange for their cheap oil. But that does not hold muster given U.S. independence of imported oil. If the US military supply chain is interrupted there is little doubt the French and Brits swill only be too happy to fill the vacuum to allow the Saudis to continue slaughtering more Yeminis. Jesus, Allah-God must be watching in horror. I urge readers to phone the White House, tweet (POTUS), and demand President Biden adheres to his 2019 pledge. Furthermore, please demand the U.S. and NATO impose a tight arms embargo on Saudi Arabia to prevent further loss of life.