President Donald Trump is facing strong criticism and a possible conflict with Congress over his firm support for Saudi Arabian authorities, disregarding the reported links of the Crown Prince Bin Salman to the attack on the Saudi journalist killing Jamal Khashoggi at the Saudi Consulate in Turkey in October this year.
In a personal statement on the latest situation on this killing, Trump saw the importance of Saudi Arabia in the campaign against Iran in the Middle East. He held Iran responsible for the ‘bloody proxy war against Saudi Arabia in Yemen’, when the Saudi role in the attacks on Yemen is being condemned worldwide. Trump said 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.
His statement said that King Salman and Crown Prince MBS vigorously deny any knowledge of the planning or execution of the murder of Khashoggi. US 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!”
He added that, “we may never know all of the facts surrounding the murder of 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 United States 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!”
Meanwhile, the situation is leading to a conflict with the Congress, where the Democrats have a majority in the House of Representatives, and several US Senators, including Republicans, are also strongly critical of Trump’s support of the Saudis, despite the killing of Khashoggi. There is an increased call for an immediate cutoff in U.S. support for Saudi military operations in Yemen and a suspension in U.S. arms sales to Saudi Arabia.
Sen. Mark Warner, vice chairman of the Senate Intelligence Committee, criticized Trump for his response to the Khashoggi killing, stating, “The President’s failure to hold Saudi Arabia responsible in any meaningful way for the death of Jamal Khashoggi is just one more example of this White House’s retreat from America’s leadership on issues like human rights and protecting the free press.”
After Trump’s statement, Sen. Dianne Feinstein said she would withhold support for Saudi Arabia and urged U.S sanctions on Saudi Arabia. She said she would not vote for any future weapons sales or appropriations for Saudi Arabia, “shocked” that Trump would not punish Saudi Arabia’s crown prince for the “premeditated murder” of Khashoggi, a U.S resident.
Oregon Sen. Ron Wyden said that Trump had made it “clear that he does not care who ordered the brutal murder” of Khashoggi.
Interestingly, Trump's statement comes two weeks before the Saudi-led OPEC oil cartel meets with Russia and other producers to set a global oil policy. The allied exporters are widely expected to cut output following a severe pullback in oil prices.
Trump recently urged Saudi Arabia and OPEC against throttling back production, a move that would boost oil prices. His statement makes clear that Saudi oil production was a factor in his decision. After the U.S, “Saudi Arabia is the largest oil producing nation in the world,” the statement reads. “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.” Trump wants to keep oil prices down to help his internal economic policies. But, will this be followed by OPEC? Trump has made it clear in his statement that his position on the Khashoggi killing is based on his “America First” policy; with no interest in US policies on Human Rights and Media Freedom.
Trump is also angered by a California Federal Court decision against attempts to stop persons entering the US through irregular entry points and seeking asylum in the country. This goes against Trump’s moves to send American troops and other security services to the southern border with Mexico, to stop the entry of anyone from what is described as ‘The Caravan’ of would be asylum seekers, nearly 7,000, coming from Honduras, Nicaragua and San Salvador, through Mexico, seeking asylum in the US, due to the poverty, political clashes, and internal strife in these countries. Trump has labelled them as ‘invaders’.
Brexit and May
Although the Draft Agreement between the UK and the European Union, which Theresa May says is ‘right for the whole of the UK’, has been accepted by the EU, it has been a shocking week in the UK for Theresa May, with strong opposition to this ‘finalized deal’ with the EU, over Brexit. The attacks on May came from the left and right, from the Conservatives (Tories) and Labour, and also the Democratic Unionist Party (DUP) of Northern Ireland, on which she depends for a Commons majority. She lost two ministers from the Cabinet and saw several other Tory resignations too. There were moves to have a motion of no confidence in her as the Tory party leader, but this subsided, as she renewed negotiations with the EU, and rushed to Brussels, in what is seen as a desperate publicity drive.
The situation remains tough for Theresa May, who has pushed the Brexit deal very hard through the past two years. The challenge to her leadership among the Tories remains, which can rise again if she cannot push the deal through the Commons, which seems very difficult today.
Apart from the problems in the UK, there are also objections and opposition to some aspects of the deal, especially coming from Spain over the handling of Gibraltar, a former Spanish terrain that remains under the British Crown. The people of Gibraltar are very much involved with EU policies. The Spanish Prime Minister has threatened to vote against the deal at the EU.
Although the EU has so far publicly stressed its unity in dealings with the UK, it is understood that some other member countries too have problems with the future relationship proposals – fearing too many concessions that may have been granted to May’s government.
The countries understood to have voiced concerns in private include Denmark, Belgium, and the Netherlands, who were annoyed that the UK was given an EU customs union as part of the backstop, without a formal agreement guaranteeing they retain fishing rights on British waters.
France has reportedly joined with those countries to push for stronger demands on that issue and on guaranteeing the UK cannot roll back on environmental, social, and labour standards.
These objections could also lead to reopening talks on the agreement and its interpretations, which is not acceptable to Theresa May’s critics in the UK. She also has to ensure that Ireland is not opposed to any such renewed negotiations.
With all the hasty and even desperate negotiations with the EU, the main problem is, can she get through the final deal in the House of Commons. Just now it seems most unlikely. It is Theresa May’s biggest challenge lying ahead.
Interpol
After Meng Hongwei, the Chinese head of Interpol, who is now held in detention in China on allegations of accepting bribes, Interpol this week chose South Korea’s Kim Jong-yang as its new president.
The moves to elect the new head of Interpol- the global police body - unnerved western countries, as there was the possibility of the new president being the Russian candidate, Alexander Prokopchuk -- a Russian interior ministry official and current Interpol vice president. This was over alleged fears that Moscow could abuse the role to target political opponents. With the US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo throwing his weight behind the South Korean Kim, he will now serve the remainder of China’s Meng’s term till 2020. The concerns about the choice of the Russian candidate was over previous applications for Interpol ’” Red Notices’ or international arrest warrants, to allegedly target those who had fallen foul of the Kremlin leadership.
There was strong objection to the Russian candidate from the US and UK, and also anti-Kremlin figures in Russia, including Alexei Navalny, the Russian opposition leader who has been repeatedly jailed by authorities. The selection of the South Korean Kim has wider acceptance the world over.
from daily news