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The fact that President Trump has embraced Saudi Arabia has uncovered a break in the Republican Party's foreign policy, with some of his GOP colleagues warning that not to punish the kingdom for its role in the country. 39, assassination of an American columnist would have dangerous consequences.
Many Republicans – even Sense. Lindsey Graham and Rand Paul, who share their views on this with the President, have denounced Trump's accusations. decision not to impose heavier penalties Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman following the death and dismemberment of Jamal Khashoggi at the Saudi Consulate in Istanbul.
Republican Senator Bob Corker, chairman of the Senate 's very influential External Relations Commission, said he was "astonished" by Trump' s statement and compared it to a press release regarding the US. ;Saudi Arabia.
"The situation is tricky when we have a long-standing ally for decades, but we have a crown prince who, I believe, has ordered the killing of a journalist," Corker told the news channel. Chattanooga TV WTVC, in his country of origin. Tennessee. "We do not have a smoking gun, everything indicates that he was aware of it and directed it."
Secretary of State Mike Pompeo defended Trump's decision, saying the United States had already imposed sanctions on 17 Saudi officials suspected of involvement in the assassination of the Washington Post columnist, who had criticized the royal family.
"We have sanctioned 17 people, some of whom are very highly placed in the Saudi government," said Pompeo during a radio interview with KCMO in Kansas City, Missouri. "We will make sure that the United States always defends human rights."
Graham, R-S.C., Is not convinced. "When we lose our moral voice, we lose our most powerful asset," he said.
Members of both sides accused Trump of ignoring US intelligence that had concluded, according to a US official, that it was likely that the Crown Prince had ordered the murder. Several lawmakers have indicated that the United States does not have a "smoking gun" proving that it was responsible for it, but they have asked the CIA and other intelligence agencies to publicly communicate what they have told. to the president about this killing.
In his statement Tuesday, Trump asserted that punishing Saudi Arabia by "stupidly canceling" Saudi-dollar arms markets worth billions of dollars with the United States would only benefit. to Russia and China. Critics, including senior officials from other countries, have accused Trump of disrespecting human rights and letting Saudi Arabia pass for economic reasons.
It's "America first," Trump said.
This triggered a tweet on Wednesday from the representative of the Democratic Republic Tulsi Gabbard of Hawaii who wrote: "Being the bitch of Saudi Arabia, it is not America first.& # 39; "
Mr Trump also said that the United States needed Saudi help to counter Iran in the region, fight extremism and keep oil prices up. at a stable level. The United States, Russia and the Saudis have increased their oil production in anticipation of the sharp reduction in Iranian exports due to US sanctions reinstated after Trump's termination of the Iranian nuclear deal.
The president publicly thanked Saudi Arabia on Wednesday for plunging oil prices. However, OPEC, the oil producing country agreement, could announce a cut in production at its December 6 meeting in Vienna, pushing up prices.
"Thanks to Saudi Arabia, but let's go lower!" he wrote from his Mar-a-Lago club in Palm Beach, Florida, where he spends Thanksgiving.
Criticisms against the president will likely resume after the holidays, when legislators return to Capitol Hill early next week.
"Congressional Republicans will have to make instinctive checks," said Jon Alterman, program director for the Middle East at the Center for Strategic and International Studies, Wednesday. "The Republican Party has believed for over 50 years that morality was one of the reasons the United States won the Cold War, and the President has given up on that."
Some legislators are already defending themselves. Twenty-two members of the Senate – 11 Republicans and 11 Democrats – initiated investigations into Khashoggi's death and asked specifically whether the Crown Prince was responsible. Investigations have been requested under the provisions of the Human Rights Accountability Act around the world.
The law requires the president to report to the Senate Foreign Relations Committee within 120 days – in this case by February 7 at the latest – as to whether the Crown Prince was responsible for a murder extrajudicial, torture or other flagrant violation of person exercising his freedom of expression and decision of the administration indicating whether sanctions are justified.
In addition, three Democrats and three Republicans who have declared that sanctions, including a ban on traveling to the United States, were insufficient to date, introduced the Saudi Arabia Liability and Yemen Bill of 2018. This Bill provides including the suspension of arms sales to Saudi Arabia and imposition of mandatory sanctions to all those responsible for the death of Khashoggi and those blocking humanitarian access to Yemen.
Democrats are expected against the president, but Mr Trump will have more trouble ignoring the Republicans' indignation.
Before going on vacation, Paul R-Ky. Lamented to the Associated Press that Trump does not accept the advice that he had received from Graham and Graham – two Republicans often disagree on foreign policy.
Graham said the Crown Prince was "irrational" and "disturbed" and warned that there would be strong bipartisan support to Congress for tougher sanctions against Saudi Arabia and members of the royal family .
Paul generally avoids American intervention abroad, but sees Khashoggi's death as one of many evil activities carried out by Saudi Arabia, dominated by his war in neighboring Yemen, where civilians are killed by air strikes Saudi.
"He has heard from me and Lindsey Graham – two different parts of the foreign policy spectrum – and yet we get it," said Paul about Trump's statement in favor of 39, Saudi Arabia. "We really have to reconsider what we are doing."
