Journalist Jamal Khashoggi disappeared on October 2 after visiting the general consulate of Saudi Arabia in Istanbul. Turkish investigators believe that Khashoggi was killed by Riyadh for criticizing the authorities of Saudi Arabia in the press.
Saudi Arabia denies any involvement in the disappearance of the journalist. In his materials for The Washington Post, Khashoggi sharply criticized Riyadh’s policies and the crown prince Mohammad bin Salman.
The fate of Jamal Khashoggi is still unknown. According to his fiancee, the journalist was invited to the consulate to file some paperwork, and she was not allowed inside. After the c consulate had closed and her husband still hadn’t appeared, she went to the police.
Who wanted Khashoggi out of the picture, and what actually happened on October 2nd?
The Media Version
The consulate of Saudi Arabia in Istanbul looks like a besieged fortress, with metal detectors, barbed wire fences, and video cameras everywhere. On October 2nd, journalist Jamal Khashoggi entered the building at 13.00, and since then nobody has heard from him.
Surveillance camera footage shows the journalist Jamal Khashoggi being met at the door by a person in a blue jacket — an employee of the consulate. There are no security guards, all of them were unexpectedly free that day. Moreover, by another strange coincidence, the video cameras installed in consulate were switched off — allegedly because of «technical failure».
The media is discussing this version of the murder of Jamal Khashoggi, referring to sources in law enforcement agencies.
According to version which was picked up the western press, Jamal Khashoggi was killed directly in the Saudi consulate in Istanbul, and then the body was imperceptibly taken out from the building. However, this information has yet to be confirmed by officials.
Investigators have been drawn to certain details: on the day of Jamal’s disappearance, two private Saudi jets landed in the Istanbul airport, according to the Turkish journalists, along with secret agents (some 15 people). Among them was Salah Muhammad and Salah Muhammed A Tubaigy. The latter is a leading scientist working at the Forensic Medicine department of Saudi Arabia’s Interior Ministry – the newspapers call Tubaigy “the cleaner”, because he is known as a master of covering up tracks at crime scenes.
As the the Washington Post claims, Turkish intelligence agencies have incontestable proof of the murder of the journalist Jamal Khashoggi – including material proof.
There were people in suspicious black cars which drove to the consulate that day, leaving a short time after. The Saudi planes likewise departed the same day they had arrived. The media claims that there was a group of professional liquidators and gave grizzly details: allegedly, the murderers dismembered the victim’s body with a power saw. Khashoggi, though at odds with the Saudi authorities, likely felt that nothing could happen to him at a public consulate in Istanbul.
The Trump/USA version: Globalist war, money and elections
On a rhetorical level, US President Donald Trump promised to “severely punish” the authorities of the kingdom in the case of their involvement in the disappearance of Jamal Khashoggi. “As of this moment, they deny it, and they deny it vehemently. Could it be them? Yes,”said the American leader in an interview with CBS.
U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo has already met with Saudi Arabia’s King Salman and Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman on Tuesday about the missing Jamal Khashoggi.
However, according to Trump, the current situation should not lead to a rupture of military and technical communications between Washington and Riyadh – he is against cancelling the USD 110 billion military deal with Saudi Arabia. Trump added that the possibility of Saudi Arabia sourcing its arms from Russia or China instead of the US is unacceptable. Plus, according to him, “rogue killers” could be responsible for the mysterious disappearance.
But, under this rhetoric, there is more serious basis – in reality the globalists are simply closing their eyes to the crime. Even if CNN and co. are rightfully blaming the Saudis, they are nonetheless simply acting as an instrument for chaos. In reality, American neocons don`t care at all about the murdered journalist Jamal Khashoggi – they simply want to use this case to put the blame on Trump in order to spoil his position before the upcoming elections.
Saudi Arabia is a key ally and the partner of the USA in the Middle East, especially in terms of globalist projects. That is why the crime will only be used against Trump, and not to punish Saudi-Arabia itself.
However, it is notable that Trump had close ties with Saudi Arabia even before his presidency.
The current situation with Jamal Khashoggi, as experts say, is “a gift to Trump’s opponents” on the eve of the intermediate congressional elections. Trump’s relationship with Saudi Arabia will be a good source for applying pressure on Trump during the hot pre-election period.
On October 10th, some senators proposed that Trump impose sanctions against those involved in Jamal Khashoggi’s disappearance, even if the charges fall on members of the Saudi government. Now, according to US legislation, Trump has to to declare whether he will impose sanctions within 120 days.
If, on the eve of the congressional elections, any behind the scenes agreements are reached (for example, if Trump offers his opponents favorable posts or concludes a bargain on the structure of congress) then everything will be painless for American-Saudi relations, experts say.
The reality is that the US as globalist nest does not care about the journalist in the slightest – they care about the defeat of Trump via the “Saudi case.”
Trump’s administration will nonetheless likely try to push the Saudi agenda in the background, having made active pressure upon Iran and Russia. Otherwise, the numerous high budget weapon contracts between the US and Saudi Arabia could be threatened.
Turkey
During a phone call Sunday night, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan and Saudi King Salman bin Abdulaziz discussed the disappearance of the journalist Jamal Khashoggi. Erdoğan stressed forming a joint working group to probe the case, said a Turkish presidential source, who spoke on the condition of anonymity due to restrictions on talking to the media.
However, crucially, Turkey is blaming the Saudis for the incident.
As the chairman of the Turkish association of Arab media, Turan Kislakci, noted, it seems that this event could mark a turn in the history of diplomacy with the kingdom. “A person comes to consulate and he is killed there. It is unprecedented. I think, the world should reconsider the relations with Saudi Arabia,” he said.
“Frankly speaking, I did not at first assume that everything was so serious. Even now I try to believe that he is alive. Though, of course, the chances are probability insignificant” Yasin Aktay, an adviser to the Turkish president, admits.
“It means that people cannot feel safe in consulate of their own country! Today they do it in the consulate, and tomorrow — on streets and squares?”, Jamal Khashoggi’s friend, Azzam Tamimi questioned.
In geopolitical sense, the situation is favorable to Turkey. American anti-Turkish hostility connected with purchase of the Russian S-400 missle systems, may be (in part) properly re-addressed toward Saudi Arabia.
Who supports Saudi Arabia?
At the same time, Bahrain and the UAE are, predictably, supporting Riyadh. The UAE State Minister of Foreign Affairs, Anwar Gargash, said that those who are trying to blame the Saudi Arabia will face “terrible consequences.”
“The Kingdom appreciates the position of its brothers against the background of a campaign of false accusations and appreciates the wise voices sounding throughout the world,” – Saudi Arabia said thanking its allies.
Conclusions and Outcomes
The USA will more than likely amicably pretend that nothing happened, punishing the Kingdom with little more than words.
There is more than ample evidence to indicate that the Saudi journalist Jamal Khashoggi was actually killed in the consulate. Nonetheless, the money and position of Washington in the middle east will likely result in media silence regarding the crime.
Was Jamal Khashoggi killed by Saudis? There is absolutely no reason to believe otherwise, given the facts that we know.
In a geopolitical sense, one this is clear: the scandal with Jamal Khashoggi is favorable, first of all, to the globalists – in order to deal with their political opponents, to endanger people they find objectionable, and then… to pretend that nothing happened while continuing to trade with Riyadh.