# Saudi Arabia killed journalist **URL:** \ **Category:** Politics & Elections\ **Created:** [February 26, 2021, 7:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/saudi-arabia-killed-journalist/933837 "2021-02-26T19:11:49Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 16\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Chisquirrel](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/6bbea6/32.png) [@Chisquirrel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chisquirrel)\ **Post date:** [February 27, 2021, 4:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/saudi-arabia-killed-journalist/933837/21 "2021-02-27T04:46:34Z")
Is there a Senate report implicating Warren Buffett in the funding of the OKC bombers? Did his analysts help with planning and material support? Is your argument based in any reality at all beyond “whataboutism”? ---
**Author:** ![gdave](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gdave/32/3683_2.png) [@gdave](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gdave)\ **Post date:** [February 27, 2021, 1:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/saudi-arabia-killed-journalist/933837/22 "2021-02-27T13:07:50Z")
@Bijou_Drains, @Skywatcher, @Chisquirrel: I’d like to take a step back. At this point, I’m genuinely unclear what the argument I’m supposed to be disagreeing with actually is. If one of you wants to make a specific, concrete allegation of Saudi wrongdoing and the U.S. government’s response to it, I’d be willing to continue the conversation. Right now, with three different posters, and one of those posts just a naked cite, I’m unsure, but I _think_ the argument being advanced is that there was official Saudi government involvement in the 9/11 attacks, that the U.S. government was aware of that involvement, and covered it up, and that that behavior is of a piece with current U.S.-Saudi relations, where the U.S. government connives with and defers to the Saudi government, all because the U.S. government is cravenly seeking to maintain access to cheap Saudi oil. Is that accurate? Just to be clear, once again, I am _NOT_ going to try to defend the Saudi regime. I think it’s pretty awful. I am also _NOT_ going to try to defend U.S. foreign policy towards Saudi Arabia over the last several decades. I think it’s been on balance a net negative for the U.S. from a realist perspective, and an unmitigated disaster from an idealist or liberalist perspective. My original objection was simply that I think the U.S. strategic relationship with Saudi Arabia is a lot more complex than simply the U.S. wanting access to cheap Saudi oil. ---
**Author:** ![Bijou\_Drains](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bijou_drains/32/2814_2.png) [@Bijou\_Drains](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bijou_Drains)\ **Post date:** [February 28, 2021, 1:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/saudi-arabia-killed-journalist/933837/23 "2021-02-28T13:31:42Z")
they cracking down, they are going to ban SA from buying US made whiskey, pork and pickup trucks. Also it’s not a lock MBS will be king. of the 6 previous heirs 4 of them did not become king ---
**Author:** ![Bijou\_Drains](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bijou_drains/32/2814_2.png) [@Bijou\_Drains](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bijou_Drains)\ **Post date:** [March 3, 2021, 8:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/saudi-arabia-killed-journalist/933837/24 "2021-03-03T20:43:44Z")
No news on this . I guess Biden figures people will forget about it in a week or so and he’s probably right. ---
**Author:** ![Bijou\_Drains](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bijou_drains/32/2814_2.png) [@Bijou\_Drains](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bijou_Drains)\ **Post date:** [March 8, 2021, 8:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/saudi-arabia-killed-journalist/933837/25 "2021-03-08T20:45:45Z")
I think I was right about them hoping people would forget this ---
**Author:** ![Bijou\_Drains](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bijou_drains/32/2814_2.png) [@Bijou\_Drains](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bijou_Drains)\ **Post date:** [March 18, 2021, 12:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/saudi-arabia-killed-journalist/933837/26 "2021-03-18T12:57:32Z")
As predicted Biden said nothing will happen to MBS. Except maybe Joe will kiss his ring. > **[Biden defends inaction against Saudi MBS in Khashoggi killing](https://www.dailysabah.com/world/americas/biden-defends-inaction-against-saudi-mbs-in-khashoggi-killing)** > > U.S. President Joe Biden defended his decision to waive any punishment for Saudi Arabia's crown prince in the killing of a U.S.-based journalist,... ---
**Author:** ![Euphonious\_Polemic](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/euphonious_polemic/32/3002_2.png) [@Euphonious\_Polemic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Euphonious_Polemic)\ **Post date:** [March 18, 2021, 2:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/saudi-arabia-killed-journalist/933837/27 "2021-03-18T14:35:59Z")
Show me an example of ANY US administration being tough on Saudi Arabia. Ever. The US has danced to SA’s tune for decades now. Nobody dares stand up to them as long as they have major control over the world price of oil. ETA: Canada is no better. We just give them whatever they ask for. Whatever government we elect is just the same on this front. ---
**Author:** ![SingleMalt](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/singlemalt/32/3961_2.png) [@SingleMalt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SingleMalt)\ **Post date:** [March 18, 2021, 2:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/saudi-arabia-killed-journalist/933837/28 "2021-03-18T14:40:31Z")
Kissing the ring is a good two feet higher than what the last guy was kissing. ---
**Author:** ![Bijou\_Drains](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bijou_drains/32/2814_2.png) [@Bijou\_Drains](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bijou_Drains)\ **Post date:** [March 18, 2021, 2:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/saudi-arabia-killed-journalist/933837/29 "2021-03-18T14:44:49Z")
US and Canada have plenty of oil now but you are correct SA plays a big role in the price Also the US does not import natural gas aside from Canada. US also exports NG to Mexico and Canada ---
**Author:** ![Euphonious\_Polemic](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/euphonious_polemic/32/3002_2.png) [@Euphonious\_Polemic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Euphonious_Polemic)\ **Post date:** [March 18, 2021, 2:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/saudi-arabia-killed-journalist/933837/30 "2021-03-18T14:48:17Z")
The point I was making is “Joe” is just another in a long line of US administrations doing nothing about Saudi Arabia’s disgusting behaviour. ---
**Author:** ![bump](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/7c8e57/32.png) [@bump](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bump)\ **Post date:** [March 18, 2021, 8:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/saudi-arabia-killed-journalist/933837/31 "2021-03-18T20:39:23Z")
> [@Bijou\_Drains](#): > > BTW most people don’t know the largest source of imported oil to the US is from Canada. [Oil imports and exports - U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA)](https://www.eia.gov/energyexplained/oil-and-petroleum-products/imports-and-exports.php) ---
**Author:** ![Atamasama](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/atamasama/32/12961_2.png) [@Atamasama](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Atamasama)\ **Post date:** [March 18, 2021, 10:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/saudi-arabia-killed-journalist/933837/32 "2021-03-18T22:11:30Z")
> [@Euphonious\_Polemic](#): > > The point I was making is “Joe” is just another in a long line of US administrations doing nothing about Saudi Arabia’s disgusting behaviour. That’s just false though. He may not be going after the crown prince directly but he did approve the report putting blame on him and basically approved accusing him of murder to the world. There are travel bans and sanctions against everyone else involved. If you want to say he’s not doing enough, I agree. I’m not sure that what the US has done will dissuade Saudi Arabia at all. It’s effectively nothing. But it’s not true that they haven’t actually done anything; they have. I’m guessing that Biden was all set to make a real example of him until his advisors laid out exactly what the consequences of that would be and convinced him it wasn’t a good idea. Just speculation on my part. ---
**Author:** ![Euphonious\_Polemic](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/euphonious_polemic/32/3002_2.png) [@Euphonious\_Polemic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Euphonious_Polemic)\ **Post date:** [March 18, 2021, 10:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/saudi-arabia-killed-journalist/933837/33 "2021-03-18T22:54:11Z")
I’ll amend my comment to “nothing substantive” then. And yes, it’s an example of realpolitik. I was reacting to the comment “Maybe Joe will kiss his ring”, like he’s the only president who has recognized that S.A. has to be treated with kid gloves. ---
**Author:** ![Atamasama](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/atamasama/32/12961_2.png) [@Atamasama](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Atamasama)\ **Post date:** [March 18, 2021, 11:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/saudi-arabia-killed-journalist/933837/34 "2021-03-18T23:36:42Z")
My WAG is that the US has been skittish about repeating what happened in the 70s into the early 80s, with the energy crisis leading to a massive recession. Anything that can help them avoid a repeat has to be done, even if you have to make nice with people who are literally evil. The world really sucks sometimes. ---
**Author:** ![dtilque](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/d6d6ee/32.png) [@dtilque](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dtilque)\ **Post date:** [March 18, 2021, 11:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/saudi-arabia-killed-journalist/933837/35 "2021-03-18T23:45:16Z")
At this point, or perhaps in a year or two, I think it would be best to take off the kid’s gloves and let the Saudis/OPEC try another oil boycot. The rest of the world isn’t as dependent on their oil as previously and it’ll push everyone to become even less dependent. ---
**Author:** ![k9bfriender](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/k9bfriender/32/3283_2.png) [@k9bfriender](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/k9bfriender)\ **Post date:** [March 19, 2021, 2:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/saudi-arabia-killed-journalist/933837/36 "2021-03-19T14:01:34Z")
At this point, our concern about OPEC is not that they will lessen production and drive up the price of oil, but that they will increase production, flood the market, and put American oil interests out of business. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/saudi-arabia-killed-journalist/933837.md?page=1)