By Desmond Keuper
On Oct. 2, 2018, Jamal Khashoggi, a Saudi Arabian journalist, went into the Saudi embassy in Turkey to obtain a marriage document and never came out. Turkish officials believe that his disappearance was organized by Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed Bin Salman’s regime. The Saudi government has admitted that he has been killed, but denies their role, claiming that the killing was committed by a rogue operation.
Under Bin Salman’s regime, Saudi Arabia has undergone many changes in the name of modernity. For the first time, women can attend soccer games and drive. Limitations have been placed on the country’s notorious religious police. This is believed to be evident of a period of reform for the extremely conservative Muslim nation. However, bin Salman has also began cracking down on those around him in the name of fighting corruption. He has thus far detained several hundred people, including approximately 56 royal family members and businessmen. This incident is not entirely unique; the authoritarian Saudi government has violated human rights on many occasions.
This incident threatens the alliance between Saudi Arabia and the United States. Despite the previous ties between the two countries, American lawmakers have threatened sanctions against the Saudis. On twitter, President Trump referred to the incident as “The worst cover-up ever.”
When asked, many TBLS discipuli expressed disappointment with President Trump’s reluctance to consider taking serious action. For instance, Jack McComb, Class II, stated, “Personally, I feel like it demonstrates how America’s allies can sometimes end up superseding what is morally right. In this case, we’re allies with Saudi Arabia. I’m not saying we should cut ties with them; that’s just how it is.”
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