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Trump keeps on mum on UN order  for FBI to investigate Khashoggi’s death

 

US President Donald Trump will not say whether he’ll follow a United
Nations recommendation to order the FBI to investigate the death of
journalist Jamal Khashoggi.
Trump has reasoned that other countries, including Iran, have done
worse and asserted that keeping Saudi Arabia’s business with the US is
more important than any desire to punish the government for his
killing.
Khashoggi died after entering the Saudi consulate in Istanbul in
October 2018. Riyadh initially denied any knowledge of the incident,
but Saudi officials later claimed that a group of rogue operators,
many of whom belong to the Saudi crown prince’s inner circle, were
responsible for the journalist’s death.
Earlier this month, the UN laid out in a report evidence that suggests
not only did Saudi officials at the highest level plan and carry out
Khashoggi’s killing, but that they carefully planned how best to hide
the murder from the international community.
Asked whether he would follow a UN recommendation to launch an FBI
investigation into the matter, Trump told NBC’s “Meet the Press”, “I
think it’s been heavily investigated … by everybody”.
Pressed further on the subject, Trump suggested other countries in the
Middle East were guilty of worse.
“Here’s where I am, you ready? Iran’s killed many, many people a day,”
Trump said.
Trump has reasoned that other countries, including Iran, have done
worse and asserted that keeping Saudi Arabia’s business with the US is
more important than any desire to punish the government for his
killing.
“If you’re going to look at Saudi Arabia, look at Iran, look at other
countries, I won’t mention names, and take a look at what’s
happening.”
The President also suggested that getting Saudi Arabia’s business is
prioritised over any punishment to the Saudi government for
Khashoggi’s killing.
“I only say they spend (US)$400 to $450 billion over a period of time,
all money, all jobs, buying equipment,”  Trump said.
Todd interrupted, “That’s the price. As long as they keep buying …
you’ll overlook some of this behavior”.
“No, no… But I’m not like a fool that says, ‘We don’t want to do
business with them’,”  Trump responded.
Riyadh initially denied any knowledge of the incident, but Saudi
officials later claimed that a group of rogue operators, many of whom
belong to the Saudi crown prince’s inner circle, were responsible for
the journalist’s death.
“And by the way, if they don’t do business with us, you know what they
do? They’ll do business with the Russians or with the Chinese.”

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