[ad_1]
WASHINGTON – President Donald Trump says the United States is interested in destiny a Saudi writer missing and fearful of being murdered, but expressed concern over calls to stop pursuing arms sales to Saudi Arabia, warning that such a move would "harm us". Decades of close relations between the United States and Saudi Arabia, which only intensified under Mr. Trump, seemed compromised by the suggestion of murdering murder carefully. from a government critic, Jamal Khashoggi, 59, missing for a week after entering a Saudi consulate in Turkey. The former rich insider of the government lived in the United States in a self-imposed exile.
In an interview Wednesday with "Fox News Night," Mr. Trump said he wanted to know what had happened to Khashoggi, but that he seemed reluctant to consider blocking arms sales. , citing economic reasons.
"I think it would hurt us," said Trump. "We have jobs, we have a lot of things going on in this country, we have a country that is probably doing better economically than ever before."
"Part of that is what we do with our defense systems and everybody wants them, and frankly, I think it would be a very hard pill to swallow for our country.I mean, you touch us and, you know, they're always quick to jump that way. "
During his first international trip as President, Mr. Trump traveled to Saudi Arabia and announced gun sales of $ 110 billion. The administration is also counting on Saudi support for its Middle East program to fight against Iranian influence, counter extremism and support an expected peace plan between Israel and the Palestinians.
Intervention of the Congress?
Earlier Wednesday, Republican Senator Bob Corker, who, as chairman of the Senate Foreign Affairs Committee, had reviewed US news, said it was likely that Khashoggi had been killed the day of his arrival at the consulate. Corker said that no matter what happened, "there was Saudi involvement" and "everything makes them think".
More than 20 Republicans and Democrats the senators asked Mr. Trump to order an investigation the disappearance of Khashoggi under legislation authorizing the imposition of sanctions on extrajudicial executions, torture or other gross violations of human rights.
Sen. Rand Paul, R-Ky., A long-time critic of the Saudi government, said he would try to force a Senate vote to block US arms sales to Saudi Arabia. Sen. Chris Murphy, D-Conn., Said it would be time for the United States to rethink their relations with Saudi Arabia if it turns out that Khashoggi would be drawn to death. by the Saudis.
Khashoggi went to the Istanbul consulate on October 2 to obtain the documents he needed for his next wedding while his Turkish bride was waiting outside. The Turkish authorities said that he had been killed by members of a Saudi Arabian "assassination brigade", an allegation that the Saudi government rejected.
The duty to prevent
The Washington Post reported Wednesday night that communications intercepted by US intelligence agencies described a Saudi plan to arrest Khashoggi. La Poste, quoting unnamed US officials at the intelligence services, said that Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman had ordered an operation to move Khashoggi from his home in Virginia to Saudi Arabia, and then to Saudi Arabia. ;Stop.
The Post's report also raises questions about the duty of US intelligence agencies to warn Khashoggi of his danger if they knew of a plot to capture him. A 2015 directive issued by the director of national intelligence services has mandated the US intelligence community (IC) "to warn US and non-US people of imminent threats of willful killing, serious injury or death." removal".
US officials have not yet confirmed that they knew exactly about Saudi Arabia's plans or whether they had attempted to communicate this information to Khashoggi, either directly or indirectly.
Where is the video?
Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, meanwhile, has increased pressure on the Saudis after the disappearance of Khashoggi, local media reported Thursday. Erdogan's comments seem aimed at slowly intensifying criticism while balancing the need to maintain the kingdom's investments in Turkey and relations on other issues.
According to Turkish media reports, Erdogan told reporters on Thursday after a visit to Hungary that "we can not be silent about such an incident."
"How is it possible for a consulate, an embassy not to have a security camera system? Is it possible for the consulate of Saudi Arabia where the incident occurred is not not have a camera system? " Erdogan asked. "If a bird were flying, if a mosquito appeared, these systems would catch them and (I believe) they (the Saudis) would be endowed with the most advanced systems."
