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Saudis must answer for missing journalist

Jamal Khashoggi, a journalist with the Washington Post who has written critically of Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, walked into the Saudi Consulate in Istanbul, Turkey on Oct. 2, and disappeared. Turkish officials believe he was tortured and killed by a Saudi assassination squad. The Saudi government says it had nothing to do with Khashoggi’s disappearance, but reports in Turkey said their government has video and audio recordings of the slaying.

Saudi Arabia is one of America’s allies in the Middle East, and this situation puts a huge strain on that alliance.

President Donald Trump said Saturday that “there’s a lot to learn, there really is.”

Saudi Arabia is not only an ally, but a big buyer of U.S. military weapons. But money should not be a consideration in this situation. Saudia Arabia needs to allow an international investigation of this situation, including allowing its consulate to be searched.

Journalists around the world have been living under greater and greater threats in the past few years. The fact that a journalist, or anyone, who has been critical of a Saudi prince, can simply disappear after walking into a Saudi embassy is unacceptable in a civilized world. Unless it cooperates with an investigation, Saudi Arabia should be considered a pariah among nations.

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