If he has impunity, he doesn't need immunity. The headline writer seems to have lost his head. But why? It's no occasion for rhapsodizing!
Here's the article. The immunity is from a civil suit brought by the fiancee of the murdered journalist Jamal Khashoggi.
The Trump administration shielded the Saudi leader, but President Biden initially claimed he would hold him accountable, describing him as a “pariah.”...
U.S. District Judge John Bates, who is hearing the Khashoggi case, asked the Justice Department in July for a ruling on whether MBS should be granted sovereign immunity, as his lawyers requested. On Sept. 27, three days before the deadline for the Justice Department’s response, Saudi King Salman declared his son prime minister. That triggered Thursday’s decision that MBS was entitled to sovereign immunity as a “head of government.”...
The Biden State Department deliberated whether the immunity issue was a policy question, involving significant human rights issues, rather than simply a legal matter, an administration official told me. But there was a strong legal argument that prime ministers routinely receive immunity. And in the end, as has so often been the case with MBS, the Biden administration acceded to the Saudi leader’s desires....
Posts
42 comments:
how much did Biden make off of THIS? Did Hunter get a cut too?
Trump did it so that the Saudis owed him a favor. Biden got nothing for it.
Sing like Clint Eastwood: “They call the prince pariah.”
It is standard foreign policy. Pretending the leader of Saudi Arabia could be sued for this would be like allowing Afghans to sue Biden directly.
This immunity thing. Is it by royal decree? Is it done with a mere say-so or do we need an Oval Office signing ceremony with free pens being handed out?
I understand a Presidential pardon but I thought that was predicated upon the recipient having been found (or pleading) guilty to specific and disclosed deeds. Can you give a pardon to undiscovered deeds: a kind of full-spectrum legal vaccine or general absolution?
When a witness gets immunity there is a very specific deal worked out with lawyers ‘n’ stuff. Did that happen here, or was it done with that sexy little fist-bump?
On Sept. 27, three days before the deadline for the Justice Department’s response, Saudi King Salman declared his son prime minister.
Don't give the Biden Crime Family any ideas.
Again...how many millions did Biden make this time??
They PAID alright...right into the Biden bank accounts...
"Biden said in 2019 that he wanted to “make [Saudi Arabia] pay the price and make them, in fact, the pariah that they are” after U.S. intelligence said in a report that they assessed that MBS “approved an operation in Istanbul, Turkey to capture or kill Saudi journalist Jamal Khashoggi.”"
Biden's arrogance is palpable and as transparent as his ass-kissing. If someone sues King Charles, will he pardon him too? How about Rocket Man, who slaughters Christians on North Korean soil?
Khashoggi was a Saudi killed in a Saudi consulate in Turkey. Can anyone explain how an American court has jurisdiction over that?
Were the actions of the Saudis in killing Koshoggi legal under their system of government and laws? If those laws conflict with international laws, who gets to complain and who gets to do stuff to the Saudis?
A million or so Chinese Uighurs are curious to find out.
Perhaps Qatar can pay JK’s girlfriend. He was working for them.
US courts shouldn’t be the forum to resolve intra-Saudi disputes.
Khashoggi chose to play the game and lost.
“I-I-I-I-I-I-I-I-I-I-…”
—- Joe Biden
If it rhymes, it leads.
Immunity for Saudi Country, impunity for MAGA Country.
I don't see what power Biden invoked here that allows him to even do this. Can anyone find such power? All Biden can do is refuse to enforce any court rulings from the lawsuit.
The media is the Devil.
murdered journalist Jamal Khashoggi.
Is an editorial writer for the propoganda wing of the Muslim Brotherhood considered a journalist now? It might explain a few things about the MSM if that's the case. I already know the Press is lazy, and lies a lot, but the level of incoherence is over the top.
On the question whether Khashoggi was a journalist, this is from Wikipedia:
"Jamal Ahmad Khashoggi... was a Saudi journalist, dissident, author, columnist for Middle East Eye and The Washington Post, and a general manager and editor-in-chief of Al-Arab News Channel who was assassinated at the Saudi consulate in Istanbul on 2 October 2018 by agents of the Saudi government, allegedly at the behest of Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman. He also served as editor for the Saudi Arabian newspaper Al Watan..."
It seems to me that his profession was journalism.
Johnny Cochrane did not kill himself.
I agree that the headline would be inappropriate for a "news" article, at least for a paper like WaPo, which stills tries to assert its seriousness. I think it is within bounds for an "opinion" piece, and the article is labelled as such. To be fair, it is becoming increasingly difficult to distinguish between "news" pieces and "opinion" pieces, which is one of the major problems with contemporary "journalism."
" general manager and editor-in-chief of Al-Arab News Channel "
His original profession was gaslighter and mouth piece for the Saudi security state.
Al Watan is owned by a grand son of King Fisal. It too is a publication for the Saudi police state.
Turn on your police state sponsors, get butchered. It's the fucking middle east man.
The headline writer is clearly a fan of "Pirates of Penzance".
Now here's a first rate opportunity
To get married with impunity
And indulge in the felicity
Of unbounded domesticity ...
“It seems to me that his profession was journalism.“
At least, his cover was journalism. It seems he was an operator, but you never know. Journalists have been killed in the Middle East for many reasons. Since the murder was linked to the Saudis the question arises, were they stupid or were they making a statement?
Biden rewards Kiev then Riyahd a la Obama rewards Tehran's progress in World War Springs series.
Althouse, why does Wikipedia omit that Kashoggi was a member of the Muslim Brotherhood in his earlier years, and continued to support their terrorist causes up to his death? Getting paid to write for the news media does not provide immunity for terrorists or their supporters.
I don't see what power Biden invoked here that allows him to even do this
Executive privilege with a braying press where democracy dies in darkness.
Can he do that without Senate consent?
Biden-the babbling begging bozo asking for some of that good old Saudi crude--has learned that when the Saudi's have you by the oil can, your heart and mind will just naturally follow.
I'm not certain just what effect Biden's "granting legal immunity" will have in the real world. I mean so freaking what? Will some US court be able to assert jurisdiction over a Saudi prince who won't be traveling to the USA anytime soon. Will Biden's fiat have any effect on some World Court sitting in Brussels or the Hague?
Biden is big on meaningless pronunciamentos--but short on real effective action that might actually promote the interests of the USA.
MacMacConnell is right, as is mikee and Josephbleau. I doubt you could throw a fist of pebbles in the WaPo newsroom without hitting quite a few enemy state operatives.
Somewhat like Larry King despoiling his reputation by becoming a mouthpiece for RT, Putin's propaganda machine.
If Russia issued a warrant for the arrest of Joe Biden and Anthony Blinken for unspecified war crimes related to Ukraine, our newsmedia would change their minds about sovereign immunity really fast.
Note to Althouse: back when I was a mere adjunct professor I would not accept Wikipedia as an authoritative source. So I’m surprised to see a (retired) tenured full professor resorting to same.
He'd also forgive the Taliban if they had anything to give other than US equipment.
My phone is telling me that Merrick Garland has appointed a special counsel to investigate Trump. Sounds like a move to bury the coming hearings into Biden with leaks about Trump. If true (or even if not true) you'll read about it in the Times and Post tomorrow. I am so sick of living in this banana republic. Ecuador looks better and better every day.
Moral indignation tends to wear people out. Biden always shouting about the Saudis or Putin, protestors complaining about Qatar or climate change. When people know it's all insincere posturing, they care less and less.
The Saudis have the big money and the big oil...
Some of the players know who's ass they can kiss.
“It seems to me that his profession was journalism.”
He was an activist/journalist.
Maybe the headline writer thought "impunity" and "impudent" were different forms of the same word?
Lurker21 said...
My phone is telling me that Merrick Garland has appointed a special counsel to investigate Trump. Sounds like a move to bury the coming hearings into Biden with leaks about Trump. If true (or even if not true) you'll read about it in the Times and Post tomorrow. I am so sick of living in this banana republic. Ecuador looks better and better every day.
11/18/22, 12:57 PM
It's true. Two sets of justice in this country. Bidens, Clintons and Obamas can do whatever they want, and Trump breathes funny...and they have to investigate. How many times does this make?? All they are doing in making people want Trump to kick some ass, since we all know the Republicans in office won't do a freaking thing. They will cave to the Progressives like they always do, and we just go on and on with the corruption getting worse and worse.
So a Saudi royal has a Saudi citizen killed in Turkey, and a Turkish citizen who is related to the victim neither by blood nor marriage wants to pursue a wrongful death suit in the United States. How is this even a thing? Are U.S. courts now open for redress of any wrong committed by anyone against anyone anywhere in the world?
And what standing does a mere fiancee have? If a Turkish citizen is planning to buy a house in Istanbul, but has made no binding commitment to do so, and some Saudi arsonist burns it down, can the Turk sue the arsonist for damages (in a U.S. court, no less)?
did anyone mention his ties with Iran?
In other words, he was a state actor for Iran working against his own country using the guise of a journalist.
did anyone mention his ties with Iran?
So, Biden's good humor is motivated by protecting Obama's investment in the Spring series, and their partners' sources and methods in transnational JournoListic intrigue.
We'll always have Xhosa and Zulu... and whatever pretense exists for invasion and carving of European states that do not take a knee, beg, "donate".
I have a good friend who spent a lot of time with the Royal family. His Dad was a healthcare provider. Spent time with the crown prince when he was young. What we don't know about the Kingdom, good or bad, would fill two books.
Khashoggi was at least supporter of the Muslim Brotherhood, Hamas, Hezbollah and ISIS. His father was a notorious arms dealer. The rest is speculation. The risk to publicly kill him was not taken lightly.
Post a Comment