and if mohammad bin salman was somehow toppled, the most likely outcome is the return of more conservative traditional elements to saudi government. there are very few jeffersonian democrats out there in the kingdom. the fact remains that mbs has done more reform in saudi arabia in the past few years than took place in the previous several decades. saudi arabia today is a different country. and yet it is also true mbs punishes dissent, sometimes savagely. his pursuit of foreign policy at times is wreckless and the conflict that is causing so much turmoil in the middle east. the biden administration needs help lowering the price of oil, and so now it comes to a saudi arabia that is rich and embolden. in reality the two countries should find a broader way to effect reconciliation.
government. he is creating an environment of intimidation and fear. khashoggi was well connected with ties to some senior royals. he had been treated well at the consulate before. so at the appointed time, he went inside. what follows is from an audiotape described to cnn. within moments of his fateful steps into the consulate, khashoggi recognizes someone. mahereb matreb, a former intelligence official close to the crown prince, mohammad bin salman. matreb tells him, you are coming back. khashoggi says, you can t do that. and then he s attacked. there are screams. his last words, i can t breathe. then the sound of a saw. turkish officials say khashoggi s body was cut up with