So Saudi Arabia says that journalist Jamal Khashoggi died in a fight with people at the Saudia consulate. This is the first time they’ve admitted that he’s dead and they knew something about it.
Here’s the White House statement on it:
Statement on Saudi Arabia Investigation: pic.twitter.com/DjBdwZAGAi
— Sarah Sanders (@PressSec) October 19, 2018
UPDATE!!
Trump said some more about it:
BREAKING: Trump says he'd prefer "some form of sanction" on Saudi Arabia after journalist's death, wants to protect arms sale.
— The Associated Press (@AP) October 20, 2018
BREAKING: Trump says he wants to talk to Saudi crown prince before next steps, calls it "very important" that kingdom made arrests.
— The Associated Press (@AP) October 20, 2018
Yup.
Here’s some more twitter reaction:
Where is the body? #Khashoggi’s family deserve immediate custody of the remains as they seek some measure of closure. https://t.co/QuopV3ZWX7
— Rep. Eric Swalwell (@RepSwalwell) October 19, 2018
https://twitter.com/FrankLuntz/status/1053414123331960832A 60 year old man dies in a fist fight in the consulate? This story doesn’t seem credible. #Khashoggi
— Eli Lake (@EliLake) October 19, 2018
17 days after #Khashoggi’s disappearance, Saudis ackowledged his death:
— Ragıp Soylu (@ragipsoylu) October 19, 2018
• Crown Prince MbS said he left the Consulate
• Saudis for days dismissed it
• Didn’t permit police search for 2 weeks
• Painted the crime scene, got cleaners inside
And now? “Died in a fist fight”
Fineman is a little nutty:
#MBS just purged his intel and ops team, blaming them for #Khashoggi murder. They won’t be jailed at Ritz-Carlton; it may be bone saw time. In the U.S., the question is whether @realDonaldTrump has the guts or moral fiber to be a true world leader or just an enabler of brutality.
— Howard Fineman (@howardfineman) October 19, 2018
UNBELIEVABLE
— Ragıp Soylu (@ragipsoylu) October 19, 2018
Saudi King orders the formation of a ministerial committee to restructure the intelligence following #Khashoggi’s death.
AND ASSIGNS CROWN PRINCE MbS AS ITS CHAIRMAN
Whose close associates photographed outside the consulate in Istanbul
ROYAL DECREES so far From #Saudi:
— Joyce Karam (@Joyce_Karam) October 19, 2018
1-Firing of Assiri and Qahtani
2-Fire 3 Intelligence Directors
3-Form Committee to Restructure Intel
PROSECUTOR:
1-Confirmed death of #Khashoggi
2-Arrest 18, all Saudis
3-Attributed death to a quarrel in Consulate in Istanbul
Breaking: Saudi state media announcing nation’s findings in #Khashoggi’s death. Initial translation suggests there was a physical altercation at the consulate, resulting in journalist’s death. A high-ranking intelligence chief reportedly dismissed & several subjects detained. https://t.co/OJw6jH9ZHb
— Josh Campbell (@joshscampbell) October 19, 2018
So let me get this straight: the Saudis, who originally denied everything, just acknowledged that Khashoggi was, indeed, killed during a “fist fight” in their embassy?
— David Axelrod (@davidaxelrod) October 19, 2018
This is the cover story they came up with after 17 days!?!
The Saudi Arabia story that Khashoggi would get into a fist fight with up to 18 Saudis, many of whom are trained killers, is ridiculous on its face.
— Ted Lieu (@tedlieu) October 19, 2018
Oh, and there's that whole bone saw thing. https://t.co/k9hrIJAQRU
This is what Jamal Khashoggi's editor at the @washingtonpost thinks of the new Saudi explanation of how Jamal died. I agree with her. https://t.co/c6oRj8O5ma
— Nicholas Kristof (@NickKristof) October 20, 2018
A lot of skepticism out there, but a very popular response is to say “who cares!” #MAGA!!