Trump Declines Rebuke of Saudi Prince  11/21 06:09

   President Donald Trump has declared he will not further punish Saudi Arabia 
for the killing of U.S.-based columnist Jamal Khashoggi, making clear in an 
exclamation-filled statement that the benefits of good relations with the 
kingdom outweigh the possibility its crown prince ordered the killing.

   WASHINGTON (AP) -- President Donald Trump has declared he will not further 
punish Saudi Arabia for the killing of U.S.-based columnist Jamal Khashoggi, 
making clear in an exclamation-filled statement that the benefits of good 
relations with the kingdom outweigh the possibility its crown prince ordered 
the killing.

   The president condemned the brutal slaying of Khashoggi inside the Saudi 
consulate in Istanbul as a "horrible crime ... that our country does not 
condone." But he rejected calls by many in Congress, including members of his 
own party, for a tougher response, and he dismissed reports from U.S. 
intelligence agencies that Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman must have at least 
known about such an audacious and intricate plot.

   "It could very well be that the crown prince had knowledge of this tragic 
event," the president said Tuesday. "Maybe he did and maybe he didn't!"

   In many ways, the statement captured Trump's view of the world and foreign 
policy, grounded in economic necessity. It began with the words "America 
First!" followed by "The world is a very dangerous place!"

   It came after weeks of debate over whether the president would or should 
come down hard on the Saudis and the crown prince in response to the killing of 
the Saudi columnist for The Washington Post who had criticized the royal family.

   The U.S. earlier sanctioned 17 Saudi officials suspected of being 
responsible for or complicit in the Oct. 2 killing, but members of Congress 
have called for harsher actions, including canceling arms sales.

   Trump said "foolishly canceling these contracts" worth billions of dollars 
would only benefit Russia and China, which would be next in line to supply the 
weapons. Critics, including high-ranking officials in other countries, 
denounced Trump's statement, saying he ignored human rights and granted Saudi 
Arabia a pass for economic reasons.

   Asked by a reporter if he was saying that human rights are too expensive to 
fight for, Trump responded, "No, I'm not saying that at all." But then he 
switched the subject to the "terrorist nation" of Iran rather than any actions 
by Saudi Arabia.

   The U.S. needs a "counterbalance" to Iran, "and Israel needs help, too," he 
said. "If we abandon Saudi Arabia, it would be a terrible mistake."

   The mistake was Trump's, said Republican Sen. Rand Paul of Kentucky, 
contending the administration has "blinders on" in comparing Iran and Saudi 
Arabia.

   "It's a sign of weakness not to stand up to Saudi Arabia," Paul said. 
"Sometimes when you have two evils, maybe you don't support either side."

   Republican Lindsey Graham, the South Carolina senator who is close to Trump, 
also disagreed with the president's statement, saying America must not lose its 
"moral voice" on the international stage.

   "It is not in our national security interests to look the other way when it 
comes to the brutal murder of Mr. Jamal Khashoggi," Graham said.

   Likewise, Rep. Adam Schiff, ranking Democrat on the House intelligence 
committee, said that to suggest that U.S. silence can be bought with arms sales 
"undermines respect for the office of the presidency, the credibility of our 
intelligence community and America's standing as a champion of human rights."

   Trump's statement, issued just before he pardoned the Thanksgiving turkey at 
the White House and left for the long holiday weekend in Florida, underscored 
his world view of putting U.S. interests --- both financial and geopolitical 
--- above all else.

   He told reporters on the South Lawn that oil prices would "skyrocket" if the 
U.S. broke with the Saudis, and he was not going to "destroy" the world's 
economy by being "foolish with Saudi Arabia."

   Asked about any personal financial involvement, he said: "Saudi Arabia has 
nothing to do with me. What does have to do with me is putting America first."

   Iran's foreign minister, Mohammad Javad Zarif, mocked Trump's announcement, 
tweeting that Trump "bizarrely devotes the FIRST paragraph of his shameful 
statement on Saudi atrocities to accuse IRAN of every sort of malfeasance he 
can think of."

   Zarif went on to joke that "perhaps we're also responsible for the 
California fires, because we didn't help rake the forests--- just like the 
Finns do?" He appeared to be referring to recent remarks in which Trump 
suggested raking the forest floor prevented fires in Finland and would have 
helped to prevent California's devastating wildfires.

   Turkey's foreign minister, Mevlut Cavusoglu, called Khashoggi's killing "a 
humanitarian issue" and said it should not be covered up for the sake of 
maintaining trade ties with Saudi Arabia.

   "It concerns a murder," Cavusoglu said. "It is not possible to say, 'Our 
trade will increase. Let's cover this up. Let's ignore it.'"

   Trump said that King Salman and Crown Prince Mohammed both "vigorously deny" 
any knowledge of the planning or execution of the killing. He also said the CIA 
has not made a conclusive determination about whether the crown prince ordered 
it.

   A U.S. official familiar with the case told The Associated Press last week 
that intelligence officials had concluded that the crown prince, the kingdom's 
de facto leader, did order the killing. Others familiar with the case, however, 
have cautioned that while it's likely the crown prince had a role there 
continue to be questions about the degree.

   "We may never know all of the facts surrounding the murder of Mr. Jamal 
Khashoggi," Trump said. "In any case, our relationship is with the Kingdom of 
Saudi Arabia. They have been a great ally in our very important fight against 
Iran."

   Saudi prosecutors say a 15-man team sent to Istanbul exceeded its authority 
when the lead negotiator in the team decided to kill Khashoggi for refusing 
orders to return. The Saudis say the agents dismembered his body, which has not 
been found.

   Democrats on Capitol Hill called on the CIA and other top intelligence 
agencies to publicly report what it has learned about the killing.

   The CIA had no comment on the president's statement. However, former 
Director John Brennan, a frequent Trump critic, tweeted: "Since Mr. Trump 
excels in dishonesty, it is now up to members of Congress to obtain & 
declassify the CIA findings on Jamal Khashoggi's death. No one in Saudi Arabia 
--- most especially the Crown Prince ---should escape accountability for such a 
heinous act."

   Trump said he knew some members of Congress would disagree with his 
decision. He said he would listen to their ideas, but only if they were focused 
on U.S. national security.

   Late last week, a bipartisan group of senators introduced legislation that 
calls for suspending weapons sales to Saudi Arabia, for sanctions on people who 
block humanitarian access in Yemen or support the Houthi rebels, and mandatory 
sanctions on those responsible for Khashoggi's death.

   Democrats harshly criticized Trump's decision Tuesday and called on Congress 
to cut off arms sales to Saudi Arabia and end support for Saudi Arabia's war 
against the Iran-backed Houthi rebels in neighboring Yemen, which is facing a 
humanitarian crisis.

   "Standing with Saudi Arabia is not 'America First!'" said Democratic Sen. 
Tim Kaine of Virginia, where Khashoggi lived. "President Trump has sided with a 
murderous regime over patriotic American intelligence officials."

   Democrat Dianne Feinstein of California, a member of the Senate intelligence 
committee, said Khashoggi was killed by agents of the Saudi government in a 
"premeditated murder, plain and simple," and she said she would introduce 
legislation requiring intelligence agencies to release an unclassified public 
assessment.

   Secretary of State Mike Pompeo defended Trump's decision, saying, "We are 
determined to ensure that we continue to make sure that we take care of the 
American people in all of the strategic decisions we make about with whom we 
work with around the world."

   The president opened his eight-paragraph statement chastising Iran for its 
proxy war against Saudi Arabia in Yemen, its activities in Iraq, its backing of 
the Syrian government of Bashar Assad and its support of militant groups, which 
Riyadh has pledged billions to fight.


(KA)