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<\/p>\n<\/p>\n
Death in the Post-Truth Era<\/p>\n
Jamal Khashoggi, a Saudi citizen who wrote for the Washington Post, is probably dead.<\/p>\n
He was exiled from his homeland. \u00a0He made the cardinal sin of criticizing the Saudi Royal Family, and particularly the new leader of the Kingdom, Mohammad Bin Salman. At thirty-three, the young leader doesn\u2019t tolerate criticism, particularly written by his own citizens in Washington, DC newspapers that go straight to his friends in the White House.<\/p>\n
Khashoggi seemed safe in the United States.\u00a0 But he fell in love with a Turkish woman, and went to Istanbul, Turkey with her.\u00a0 In order to marry, he had to have some paperwork from the Saudi government; documentation of his prior divorce.\u00a0 When he called the consulate to get it, they asked him to make an appointment.<\/p>\n
On the appointed day, fifteen Saudi \u201chit-men\u201d flew into Istanbul.\u00a0 When Khashoggi left his fianc\u00e9 in the consulate parking lot, the squad was waiting for him.\u00a0 He entered, and disappeared.<\/p>\n
There are gruesome stories emerging from Turkish authorities:\u00a0 bone saws and plastic bags; a body \u201cdissolved.\u201d\u00a0 The \u201chit-team\u201d disappeared as well, boarding two different private jets and flying to different airports, eventually going back to the Kingdom.<\/p>\n
In our current era, it has become more and more common for authoritarian leaders to \u201cget rid\u201d of criticizing journalists.\u00a0 In Russia, dozens, and perhaps even more, have died at the hands of Vladimir Putin.\u00a0In Turkey, a dozen have been murdered under Recep Erdogan.<\/p>\n
The United States has always stood up for the right of journalists to report, and the power of the free press to keep governments honest.\u00a0 But, while President Trump has said some \u201cappropriate words\u201d about the Khashoggi disappearance, the Trump Administration has been signaling otherwise for quite some time.<\/p>\n
The President has made his views on the media quite clear.\u00a0 From constantly claiming the media lies, crying \u201cfake news\u201d at every story critical of his administration, to showing open and public disrespect for journalists.\u00a0 As recently as last week, he made a public comment about ABC journalist Cecilia Varga, saying \u201c\u2026I know you\u2019re not thinking, you never do.\u201d<\/p>\n
Insulting NBC\u2019s Chuck Todd, CNN\u2019s Jim Acosta, the \u201cfailing\u201d New York Times, the \u201cAmazon Washington Post\u201d all set an example of the American government\u2019s view of the press.\u00a0 If Trump can do that, what will those with absolute power do?<\/p>\n
He has also shown his respect for the authoritarians of the world.\u00a0 Putin, Erdogan, Kim of North Korea, Xi of China:\u00a0 the President of the United States has had high praise for all of them (and perhaps \u201clove\u201d for Kim.)\u00a0 As for bin Salman, the President sent his son-in-law, Jared Kushner, to gain Salman\u2019s trust.\u00a0 In fact, Kushner stayed with bin Salman the week before all opposition leaders in Saudi were rounded up and put in custody, an operation the US probably signed off on.<\/p>\n
And now it is emerging that US Intelligence intercepted messages from bin Salman ordering an operation to bring Khashoggi back to Saudi.\u00a0 While the Intelligence agencies have a \u201cduty to warn\u201d if harm is intended towards an individual, they don\u2019t have to warn of an intended \u201carrest.\u201d\u00a0 Khashoggi knew that bin Salman was after him, but he didn\u2019t think it was with murderous intent.<\/p>\n
When the \u201cleader of the free world\u201d ignores the importance of a free press, and shows a clear disdain for their role in American life; it\u2019s not too much of a stretch for the authoritarians of the world to get a message:\u00a0 do whatever you think you need to do.\u00a0 Certainly the way President Trump acts, threatening news agencies and seeing the media as an impediment to his message, it would be a stretch for him to defend a \u201cfree press.\u201d<\/p>\n
The disappearance of Khashoggi is probably not the Trump Administration’s fault, though it’s not out of the range of possibility that they had some warning of it.\u00a0 But their clear attitude about the media has made it \u201copen season;\u201d if you silence the press, you won\u2019t hear the US complain. \u00a0It\u2019s not what we stand for.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"