In trying to cover up the killing of Jamal Khashoggi, the Saudis fired a number of people. One of those sacked for his involvement, Ahmed al-Assiri, was in the US in January of 2017 scheming for a US-imposed regime change against Iran, meeting with then Trump official Michael Flynn and Israeli social media strategist Joel Zamel.
The meeting was already the focus of the Mueller investigation because of Zamel’s involvement in “social media manipulation. Now it’s getting more attention, because the plotting against Iran included a Saudi official implicated by the Saudis in the murder of a reporter.
Saudi Foreign Minister Adel Jubeir is increasingly tying his complaints about international reaction to the Khashoggi murder to the fact that the Saudis are aligned against Iran. In effect, the expectation is that those officials hostile toward Iran, who let’s face it, are legion, should let this slide for the sake of unity.
Jubeir declared Saudi Arabia a “beacon of light” against the Iranian darkness, and suggested the world had to choose between these two versions of the Middle East. The Saudis have always rested assured that whatever they did, their position was secure.
That wasn’t true for Assiri, however, and as the investigation implicates more top Saudi officials, it’s going to be harder and harder for officials to justify embracing them as a “beacon of light” in between murdering journalists and dumping them in the garden out back of the consulate.
Many goid observations here. Saudi Fireign Minister is a continuity of Nayan policies. This is a tricky situation for him and others that advocate rabbid anti-Iran and consequently in bed with neocon universe in US. But this very universe is now attacking MbS, who has never swerved from US line on Iran! And all those that had made Iran center piece if Saudi policy are now bewildered. Because it is not Russia — a friend and supporter of Iran — that is attacking Saudi Arabia accusing Prince of murder. Nor is Saudi friendly and Iran friendly Pakistan, nor China, nir Jean friendly Turkey. All Turkey is claiming — Kashoggi was kilked, a group
Came from Saudi Arabia to do it hence irganized and irdered by SOMEBIDY.
It is thus very curious this whining about being attacked by thise that hare Saudi stance on Iran. It looks mire like — look at us, we are soooo loyal to you, US. Why attacking us before we find out who is behind it. Fireign minister is among thise bewildered ones. Russians called him moran. Goid at regurgitating positions, but impossible to talk to. May be between rock and hard place, as Saudi internal moment of reckoning may be coming. Another one sacked worked in Qatar issue.
Why would Prince in the Investment conference praise Qatar’s resilient economy? Or guve Pakistan 500 milion, as US cut Pakistani funding. Why hire Pakistani soldiers fir his security. And why allow Imran Khan, friend of Iran, to say upon return that he will mediate between Iran and Saudi Arabia on Yemen. Given that Iran has almost no ability to help Yemen, the dialogue between the two on Yemen — is a way of remiving US from the Yemen war. It is Machiavellian OK. As the war is using Saudis as dummies to secure US interest in Ban Al Mandeb. The crazy ess here is — pretend US is really nit jnvolved, as it keeps blamjng Orince fir starving Yemen, while insisting Saudis take Hodeidah. Gemenus themselves say that YS us starvjng them, not Saudi Arabia. Not that our media wiukd actually LISTEN to those starved Yemenis, just likes showing pictures of starved babies.
The issue here is this nineteen century imperial thinking — the idea that controlling straits, canals and the countries that border them is equivalent to global power. We may well be approaching the Suez moment, the needed lesson that physical control of geography of the connectivity of seas and oceans is no longer the key to global influence. We are exausting ourselves for an illusion. Or delusion of total control.