Here is part of the WH's statement announcing sanctions on 17 Saudis in response to the murder of Jamal Khashoggi . "The State Department will continue to seek all relevant facts, consult Congress, and work with other nations to hold accountable those involved in the killing of Jamal Khashoggi," he said. https://www.nbcnews.com/news/world/...-penalty-suspects-khashoggi-s-killing-n936496 The State Dept. doesn't have to look very far to find some very pertinent assessments about the facts. CIA concludes Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman ordered killing of Khashoggi https://www.nbcnews.com/news/us-new...e-mohammed-bin-salman-ordered-killing-n937476 The CIA has concluded that Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman ordered the killing of journalist Jamal Khashoggi, according to a person briefed on the CIA’s assessment. The CIA declined to comment Friday night. The Washington Post, citing people familiar with the matter, first reported the assessment, stating that the CIA made its conclusion with "high confidence." Khashoggi, a U.S. resident from Saudi Arabia, was a Washington Post opinion contributor critical of the crown prince's regime. .................................................................................................................... One wonders if Vlad's chosen candidate, President Dotard, will accept the conclusion of the CIA. Something which ordinarily would not be in doubt. But then when it comes to the Bloviator-in-Chief you just never know what intel he will believe. It all depends on whether it fits his agenda. Or in this case, whether it conflicts with his lies about the amount of money and number of jobs at stake should weapons sales to SA be cancelled. Trump says selling weapons to Saudi Arabia will create a lot of jobs. That’s not true. https://www.vox.com/policy-and-politics/2018/10/17/17967510/trump-saudi-arabia-arms-sales-khashoggi
I also conclude that the prince ordered the murder. Saudi Arabia isn't like the U.S. It has a different government, different power structures and different beliefs. The murder was a tragic event to us and fairly normal activity to the Saudis. We can choose to be an ally or not. Since we to choose to be an ally, we have to take the bad with the good. I didn't bother to read the arms sales article but it sounds like we would have the same jobs or even more if we didn't sell arms to Saudi Arabia. That is simply illogical.
So what would you propose we do? Abandon the Middle east? There are plenty of places that will cheerfully sell arms to the Saudis at least some of which, are according to you, our enemies. There is after all no country in the Middle East that does not have plenty of these sorts of things going on. If it wasn't for the oil no one would care. Unfotunately oil is a strategically important resource and will remain so for some decades to come so abandoning the place simply isn't possible.
