US in delicate balancing act as Saudi prince spared sanctions
AFP
27th February, 2021 05:47:07
US President Joe Biden s decision not to sanction Saudi Arabia s crown prince over journalist Jamal Khashoggi s murder has frustrated campaigners, underscoring Washington s delicate balancing act as it seeks to avoid a diplomatic rupture.
Washington on Friday released a long-delayed intelligence report that accused Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman of approving Khashoggi s 2018 murder in Istanbul, drawing a rebuke from Riyadh, which strongly rejected the assessment.
The public censure of the prince and a slew of US sanctions on dozens of Saudi officials marks a sharp departure from the policy of former president Donald Trump, who sought to shield the kingdom s de facto ruler.