Washington: President Donald Trump vowed on Tuesday, November 20, to remain a "steadfast partner" of Saudi Arabia despite saying that Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman may have known about the plan to murder dissident journalist Jamal Khashoggi last month.
Defying intense pressure from US lawmakers to impose tougher sanctions on Saudi Arabia, Trump also said he would not cancel military contracts with the kingdom. He said it would be a "foolish" move that would only benefit Russia and China, competitors of the US in the arms market.
Trump said US intelligence agencies were still studying the evidence around Khashoggi's killing inside the Saudi consulate in Istanbul on October 2 and who planned it. Since the murder, Trump has taken varying positions on how to react, including possible sanctions.
But on Tuesday, Trump stressed Saudi Arabia's weapons purchases and its role in keeping world oil prices low as influencing his decision.
"It's all about, for me, very simple. It's America first," Trump said, adding: "I'm not going to destroy the world economy and I'm not going to destroy the economy for our country by being foolish with Saudi Arabia."
Speaking at the White House to reporters before departing for Florida, Trump said of the possibility that the Saudi crown prince had a hand in the murder: "Maybe he did, maybe he didn't" and argued that the CIA had not made a definitive determination.
Also read: Selective Morality – Saudi Arabia Is a Repressive Regime, but so Are a Lot of US Allies
His comments contradicted the CIA, which believes Khashoggi's death was ordered directly by the crown prince, Saudi Arabia's de facto ruler widely known by his initials MbS.
Trump was accused by Democratic lawmakers of undermining his own intelligence agencies and failing to confront Saudi Arabia over a human rights atrocity.
Saudi dissident Jamal Khashoggi speaks at an event hosted by Middle East Monitor in London Britain, September 29, 2018. Picture taken September 29, 2018. Credit: Middle East Monitor/Handout via Reuters/File Photo
Trump said on Tuesday that both Saudi Arabia's King Salman and MbS "vigorously deny any knowledge of the planning or execution of the murder," and that the truth may never be known.
Also read: The Disappearance of Jamal Khashoggi: What We Know So Far
After offering numerous contradictory explanations for Khashoggi's disappearance, Riyadh said last week he had been killed and his body dismembered when "negotiations" to convince him to return to Saudi Arabia failed. It said allegations the prince had ordered the killing were false.
Turkish foreign minister Mevlut Cavusoglu said in Washington on Tuesday that Turkey was not entirely satisfied with the level of cooperation it was receiving from Riyadh on Khashoggi's murder and may seek a formal UN inquiry.
Republican and Democratic leaders of the US Senate Foreign Relations Committee said they had asked Trump for a second human rights probe over Khashoggi's killing.
Similarly, Representative Francis Rooney, a Republican on the House Foreign Affairs Committee, said Washington should apply the so-called Magnitsky Act to those responsible for Khashoggi's death.
The law freezes US assets of human rights violators and prohibits Americans from doing business with them.
Regional partner
Trump said Saudi Arabia, a major oil producer, was an important business partner and a "great ally" in the fight against Iranian power in the Middle East.
"The US intends to remain a steadfast partner of Saudi Arabia to ensure the interests of our country, Israel and all other partners in the region," Trump said.
On Twitter, Iranian foreign minister Mohammad Javad Zarif said of a White House statement: "Mr. Trump bizarrely devotes the FIRST paragraph of his shameful statement on Saudi atrocities to accuse IRAN of every sort of malfeasance he can think of."
Also read: Jamal Khashoggi: What Is the Lesson to Be Drawn From the Saudi Past?
US Representative Adam Schiff, who is expected to become leader of the House of Representatives Intelligence Committee in January, said the US should immediately end support for Saudi Arabia in the Yemen war, suspend arms sales and reduce its reliance on Riyadh in the Middle East.
Khashoggi, a critic of the Saudi government, lived in the US and was a Washington Post columnist. He went to the consulate to collect documents for a planned marriage.
Broad backing for a US response
Trump has placed the alliance with Saudi Arabia at the heart of his Middle East policy, and it was the first country he visited after becoming president in 2017.
Trump's son-in-law and adviser, Jared Kushner, has developed a close relationship with MbS.
Republican Senator Lindsey Graham, a sometime Trump ally, said there would be bipartisan support for sanctions against Saudi Arabia, "including appropriate members of the royal family, for this barbaric act which defied all civilised norms."
Demonstrators hold posters with picture of Saudi journalist Jamal Khashoggi outside the Saudi Arabia consulate in Istanbul, Turkey October 25, 2018. Credit: REUTERS/Osman Orsal/File Photo.
Representative Eliot Engel, who has the power to block arms deals as the top Democrat on the House Foreign Affairs Committee, said Washington should use its ability to sell weapons to the Saudis as leverage to influence Riyadh's behaviour.
Also read: Explainer: What Jamal Khashoggi's Murder Means for Saudi Arabia and the Region
"The reality is that the Saudis couldn’t simply buy their weapons somewhere else," Engel said in a statement. "It would take years for the Saudi military to re-equip with Russian or Chinese weapons."
When Trump mentions the $110 billion package with Riyadh last year, he often adds that "it's 500,000 jobs."
But arms manufacturer Lockheed Martin Corp predicts the deal could create nearly 10,000 jobs in Saudi Arabia, while keeping up to 18,000 existing US workers busy if the whole package comes together – an outcome industry experts say is unlikely.
Asked on Tuesday whether he was putting personal business interests over those of the US, Trump said: "I have nothing to do with Saudi – just so you understand, I don't make deals with Saudi Arabia. I don't have money from Saudi Arabia."
At a political rally in 2015, however, Trump said: "I like the Saudis, they're very nice. I make a lot of money with them. They buy all sorts of my stuff, all kinds of toys from Trump. They pay me millions and hundreds of millions."
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Read the full text of the statement below:
America first!
The world is a very dangerous place!
The country of Iran, as an example, is responsible for a bloody proxy war against Saudi Arabia in Yemen, trying to destabilise Iraq’s fragile attempt at democracy, supporting the terror group Hezbollah in Lebanon, propping up dictator Bashar Assad in Syria (who has killed millions of his own citizens), and much more. Likewise, the Iranians have killed many Americans and other innocent people throughout the Middle East. Iran states openly, and with great force, “Death to America!” and “Death to Israel!” Iran is considered “the world’s leading sponsor of terror.”
On the other hand, Saudi Arabia would gladly withdraw from Yemen if the Iranians would agree to leave. They would immediately provide desperately needed humanitarian assistance. Additionally, Saudi Arabia has agreed to spend billions of dollars in leading the fight against Radical Islamic Terrorism.
After my heavily negotiated trip to Saudi Arabia last year, the Kingdom agreed to spend and invest $450 billion in the United States. This is a record amount of money. It will create hundreds of thousands of jobs, tremendous economic development, and much additional wealth for the US. Of the $450 billion, $110 billion will be spent on the purchase of military equipment from Boeing, Lockheed Martin, Raytheon and many other great US defence contractors. If we foolishly cancel these contracts, Russia and China would be the enormous beneficiaries – and very happy to acquire all of this newfound business. It would be a wonderful gift to them directly from the US!
The crime against Jamal Khashoggi was a terrible one, and one that our country does not condone. Indeed, we have taken strong action against those already known to have participated in the murder. After great independent research, we now know many details of this horrible crime. We have already sanctioned 17 Saudis known to have been involved in the murder of Mr. Khashoggi, and the disposal of his body.
Representatives of Saudi Arabia say that Jamal Khashoggi was an “enemy of the state” and a member of the Muslim Brotherhood, but my decision is in no way based on that – this is an unacceptable and horrible crime. King Salman and Crown Prince Mohammad bin Salman vigorously deny any knowledge of the planning or execution of the murder of Mr. Khashoggi. Our intelligence agencies continue to assess all information, but it could very well be that the Crown Prince had knowledge of this tragic event – maybe he did and maybe he didn’t!
That being said, we may never know all of the facts surrounding the murder of Mr. Jamal Khashoggi. In any case, our relationship is with the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. They have been a great ally in our very important fight against Iran. The US intends to remain a steadfast partner of Saudi Arabia to ensure the interests of our country, Israel and all other partners in the region. It is our paramount goal to fully eliminate the threat of terrorism throughout the world!
I understand there are members of Congress who, for political or other reasons, would like to go in a different direction – and they are free to do so. I will consider whatever ideas are presented to me, but only if they are consistent with the absolute security and safety of America. After the US, Saudi Arabia is the largest oil producing nation in the world. They have worked closely with us and have been very responsive to my requests to keeping oil prices at reasonable levels – so important for the world. As President of the US, I intend to ensure that, in a very dangerous world, America is pursuing its national interests and vigorously contesting countries that wish to do us harm. Very simply it is called America First!
(Reuters)
