The Khashoggi Affair More Affects The Riad Than It Shows It

The murder committed by dissident Jamal Khashoggi in the Saudi consulate in Istanbul has been released in Saudi Arabia more than what the regime wants to show the outside world.

The big question is whether old King Salman (82) limits the power of Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman (33), since he is suspected of sitting elsewhere behind the liquidation of Khashoggi. According to sources quoted by the Financial Times the King has already reduced the power of his son, others deny it.

It is clear that the royal family had to take extraordinary measures in the Khashoggi case. King Salman, for example, began a tour of his country last week with his son to strengthen ties with the people. They were greeted by citizens of Qassim Province and received flowers from children.

The visit seems to show the world that the monarch is always right behind his favorite son and that both are loved. They did not have much to fear in their own country, where the media systematically failed to conceal suspicions against the Crown Prince. MbS, as he is often called the successor to the throne, remains popular with the predominantly young Saudi population. Not only because he is young, but also because he says he wants to reform the country and get rid of corruption.

Previously, the king had promised all officials – and this includes two-thirds of the working population in Saudi Arabia – to receive the lucrative bonuses from the beginning of next year, which were removed in 2016 at the time of the cuts. For the necessary sanitation of the economy, it is not an obvious measure, but of a very effective population buzzard.

Conference on Investment

Many companies are now reluctant to do business with Saudi Arabia. Prince Walid bin Talal, resumed last year, has been restored to become a figurehead to attract investors, wrote [The Wall Street Journal] this week. The agile billionaire enjoys great confidence in the West. Through it, the regime hopes to reassure foreign investors.

Due to persistent unrest around Khashoggi, the Crown Prince was forced to sacrifice two confidants. It concerns General Ahmed al-Assiri, deputy chief of intelligence services, who played a key role in the unsuccessful Saudi military intervention in Yemen.

The other employee to whom Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman was forced to say goodbye was Saud al-Qathani, who was involved last year in the temporary hijacking of Lebanese Prime Minister Saad Hariri. According to Reuters, he would also have been in direct contact with the Istanbul consulate via Skype when a Riad team had kidnapped Khashoggi from there. Pikant is what Qathani tweeted this summer: "Did you think I made decisions without being guided from above?" I am an employee and faithful executor of the orders of my lord the king and my lord the faithful crown prince. "

Read also: Case-Khashoggi now threatens Crown Prince himself