Blizzard warnings in Northwest Minnesota, winter weather advisories across the state

MPR News helps you turn down the noise and build shared understanding. Turn up your support for this public resource and keep trusted journalism accessible to all. 

Turn Up Your Support

The war against journalists likely claimed another victim when Jamal Khashoggi, a Washington Post contributor, Saudi Arabia's most prominent journalist,  and a thorn in the side of the Saudi royal family, visited his country's consulate in Turkey and never came out.

It's believed Khashoggi was killed inside the consulate

, a claim that is hotly denied by Saudi Arabia, a country that is against everything America has traditionally stood for, but gets a pass because it has oil.

"We believe that the murder was premeditated and the body was subsequently moved out of the consulate," said an advisor to the president of Turkey.

Saudi Arabia says he left the consulate, but his girlfriend -- they were to be married the next day -- waited outside for four hours. It's easy to prove Saudi Arabia's claim; there are security cameras surrounding the consulate but the video has not been released. Turkey also hasn't provided any evidence.

Historically, there has been a bright light on the planet to stand up to this sort of thugishness. There is, however,  no longer a moral authority left to say "no" to the slaughter of journalists who threaten those in power.

"The U.S. needs to insist that the government come clean," said the head of the Committee to Protect Journalists. .

 also calls on the United States to do something the United States is currently unlikely to do: give a damn.

Jamal Khashoggi, who went to the consulate to get papers needed for his marriage,  was murdered because he chose to tell the truth, his Washington Post colleague David Ignatius

the journalist had fled to Washington out of fear for his own safety.

"He really loved Saudi Arabia and he just wanted to write. He didn't want to be a dissident. He just wanted to write about his version of the truth. That's what makes this so hard to deal with."

NewsCut

Bob Collins

Author

A Saudi journalist is probably dead because there's no country left on the planet using its moral authority to prevent the killing  of those who seek the truth about power.

Washington Post journalist is likely casualty in the war on truth

Go Deeper.

Like this?