Today's MOZEN: Moral Ambiguity

F LoBuono

There really is no such things as moral ambiguity - at least their isn't in this case. A Saudi journalist and an American resident was just BUTCHERED by the SAUDIS in the SAUDI Consulate in Turkey.

After more than a week of dicking around, the Saudi government finally admitted what the entire world seemed to know - the journalist Jamal Khashoggi was indeed murdered in THEIR consulate. Then they concocted a fantastic cock-and-bull story about an interrogation and fist fight that went terribly wrong.

Really? Really.

What has been leaked to the press by the Turkish authorities investigating the case has been nothing short of terrifying. It seems that Mr. Khashoggi was deliberately set up by the Saudis and was subsequently TORTURED TO DEATH with him being dismembered while still living!!!

The question remains, WHY?

Mohammed bin Salman

Apparently, Mr. Khashoggi had the audacity to perform his job as a journalist and question some of the policies of the Saudi Government and, in particular, those of its current ruler, Crown Prince Mohammed Bin Salman. For this, he paid with his life.

This is not new for the Saudis. Recently, they publicly beheaded 48 people, including some dissidents, in a period of just 4 months.

Saudi Arabia had carried out nearly 600 executions since the beginning of 2014, more than a third of them in drug cases. Nearly 150 people were put to death last year in the kingdom, where convicts are beheaded using a sword. The Guardian (4/26/2018)

So, where is the moral dilemma here?

Well, there certainly shouldn't be - and, WOULDN'T be, if not for the actions of our president, Donald J. Trump. From the very beginning, Mr. Trump has sowed the seeds of doubt as to what really happened, consistently siding with the Saudi version of the story and asking for patience and understanding.

Again, we ask WHY?

Well, there are many reasons. But, one in particular stands out as particularly foul and egregious:

MONEY.

Getty Images

It seems that Mr. Trump's love affair with the almighty $$ shapes virtually every decision he makes. He claims that it's not ALL personal (although it is reported that Mr. Trump and son-in-law Jarod Kushner have MANY business dealings with the Saudis). He touted an un-verified arms deal of $100 billion as further reason to believe them. So, that means he has not only put a dollar sign on the value of a human life, often for his own gain, he has severely damaged the reputation of the United States as a country that will NOT TOLERATE assaults on common human decency.

"I get along great with all of them," Trump said of the Saudis at a 2015 campaign rally in Mobile, Alabama. "They buy apartments from me. They spend $40 million, $50 million. Am I supposed to dislike them? I like them very much!" CNN (10/16/2018)

The United States, as represented by Washington, D.C., was once seen as a shinning city on a hill - a beacon of freedom and fair play. I fear that as long as this man is in charge, who aligns himself (hoping to BE like them) with despots and tyrants like Putin, Kim Jong Il, Duterte, and bin Salman, the light has gone out. And, darkness reigns . . .

My friends, there is no moral ambiguity here.