While President Trump has made clear that he is reluctant to do anything to the Saudis that might imperil the arms trade, senators are warning him that the fate of journalist Jamal Khashoggi really is putting the US-Saudi relationship on the line.
Sen. Tim Kaine (D-VA) warned that the burden of proof needs to be on the Saudis to prove that they were not participants in any harm that Khasoggi, a permanent resident of the US, has befallen.
Foreign Relations Committee chairman Sen. Bob Corker (R-TN) concurred, saying that sanctions should be “at the highest levels” if Khashoggi’s death was found to be the result of the Saudi government.
There are already pushes, led by Sen. Rand Paul (R-KY) to suspend arms sales to the Saudis over Khashoggi’s disappearance. As it becomes increasingly likely that he was killed outright by the Saudis, the push in Congress to punish them will only grow.
I anticipate that the so called sanctions will be the same as those placed on another little country in the Middle East which is “exceptional” – absolutely zilch.
Nothing will happen, move along folks, nothing to see here.
I can see why Trump is worried about arms sales. If an S-300 knocks down an israeli F-35 there could be a lot of unemployed folks in Fort Worth.
The F-35 will just fall by itself, but of course the Syrians will be blamed.
At $100 million a copy no less.
Like these clowns are actually going to do anything to compromise their cash cows. They’re just making noises with their orifices.
Notice than the millions of people in Yemen do not matter at all compared with a “dissident journalist” in the USA.
I love it when Rand Paul finds his balls again! I think it means five more weeks of Summer.