The Khashoggi Report: Baseless allegations and worthless information

The CIA has recently declassified an intelligence report blaming Saudi Arabia for the murder of the Saudi citizen Jamal Khashoggi. Many of Saudi Arabia’s opponents and enemies have been patiently awaiting this highly controversial report, which was claimed to contain accurate facts and information about the crime and the people who are behind it, including the person who ordered the assassination. However, as expected, the report failed to reveal anything of value.

After the report came out, Saudis repeated the proverb “the mountain that labored and brought forth a mouse,” in reference to all the big promises and flashy statements made by the US regarding this report only for it to produce little result. The report was devoid of facts and accurate information, and it merely cited impressions and estimates as well as correspondence that showcased political rivalry. The report was entirely devoid of security information, and it failed to present a coherent legal argument. Releasing this unfounded report only disgraced all those who placed their bets on it and against Saudi Arabia.

The report was officially rejected by the Saudi Ministry of Foreign Affairs, and Saudi citizens have been firmly outspoken about their denunciation of the report even before its release. It is evident that all those who chose to support the report are unaware of the kingdom’s remarkable transformation under the leadership of the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques, King Salman and his Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, nor do they know the efforts of younger generations and Saudi youth. They have simply underestimated the leading role of Saudi Arabia and its young and visionary leader.

How can an internationally renowned intelligence agency be blind to the magnitude of love and loyalty Saudi citizens have for their prince. His Royal Highness Prince Mohammed has proven his benevolence through his deeds, decisions, and vision. How can the historic changes and revolutionary reforms he has driven be dismissed entirely? His unparalleled vision for the future does not only reflect the dreams and aspirations of the Saudi people, but rather those of Arabs everywhere. Many have found him an inspiration and wished their own countries would follow his example. Chants of his name has been spreading around public places, media, and social networking sites.

A handout picture provided by the Saudi Royal Palace on November 20, 2019, shows Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman.

All of those who turned a blind eye to His Highness’s inspirational achievements will soon realize that they have made a big mistake. Crown Prince Mohammed is a symbol for young people all over the Middle East; no one can deny that he has faced many challenges head on and resolved many problems. This report proved that it was a total waste of ink and presented an argument that is flimsier than a spider’s web.

There is nothing really new in this report, and all the information that was revealed had been previously released by Turkey years ago. It appears this report followed the same steps previously taken by anti-Saudi countries and repeated the same baseless allegations and weak rhetoric. More importantly, these countries have failed to achieve their intended goal in the past, and once again, these efforts are failing miserably now.

They have failed in the past and they will keep on failing because no one is capable of standing between the Saudi people and their leadership; no one can shake the Saudis’ loyalty and faith in their crown prince.

Everyone is fully aware of Saudi Arabia’s leading regional and international position, not to mention its political, religious, and economic significance. As a sovereign state, Saudi Arabia has unparalleled power and influence, which has doubled after the launch of the Saudi Vision 2030 by the crown prince with unwavering support. Any country in the world that seeks stability, development, and the eradication of terrorism cannot abandon its alliance with Saudi Arabia.

It is important to highlight that Saudi Arabia is not a banana republic that can be easily shaken by threats or influenced by foreign pressure. It is capable of upending the balance of power in the region and the world. With its strength and strong alliances, there is no denying that Saudi Arabia is a formidable adversary that cannot be dismissed or undermined.

The statement released by the Saudi Ministry of Foreign Affairs quickly responded to the event in a consistent and resolute manner. It categorically rejected the conclusions reached by the report and denounced its defamatory accusations directed at Saudi Arabia and its leadership. The ministry also confirmed the judicial procedures carried out by Saudi Arabia and the decisions of its leadership in this regard, and how this was welcomed by the family of the deceased. The statement then emphasized the strong partnership that Saudi Arabia has had with the United States for more than eight decades.

Al-Arabiya has reported statements from several media correspondents who specialize in American media. These statements clearly indicate that this report is not based on any real evidence whatsoever. This will be further highlighted in the coming days as more statements by influential figures and entities will surface.

US President Biden. (Reuters)

The US released statements reaffirming the strength of US-Saudi relations, and these statements are true and can be built upon. It is a political miscalculation to allow US internal conflicts to affect foreign relations, traditional alliances, and long-term partnerships. Ever since the end of World War II, and to this very day, Saudi Arabia’s relations with the US have always been steady and strong in all major international aspects, and that has been the case with both Democratic and Republican administrations.

The new Saudi Arabia is the one leading the world in facing the threat of the Iranian theocratic regime, the extremist regime of the mullahs, which breaks all international rules and resorts to heinous escalations in its war against Arab countries and against the world. It would be enough to compare Iranian policies a month after the new US administration took office to its policies during the Trump administration, when Tehran had been fearful and would deny any terrorist act that may have been attributed to it. Now, on the other hand, Western countries are adopting a lenient approach which allowed Iran to overstep and escalate its provocations and support of terrorism. Perhaps the US strike against their militia in Syria would help put an end to their acts of terrorism.

Any analytic comparison between this superficial report and what Saudi Arabia has done regarding the same issue clearly shows the magnitude of Saudi Arabia’s professionalism and meticulousness, while highlighting the level of superficiality displayed in the CIA report which was clearly unmethodical and rushed.

International conflicts are mounting and the balance of power in the region has shifted. The global economy is collapsing while everyone is eager to establish good relations with Saudi Arabia. It would be a major mistake to tarnish these relations for ideological reasons that have nothing to do with politics. The left liberal media that took part in this unjust campaign against Saudi Arabia must apologize to its readers and followers for its lack of journalistic professionalism and its blatant bias against Saudi Arabia in this case, which was closed by the final court rulings.

Finally, Henry Kissinger once said that the United States must work to cultivate a common understanding with a country [Saudi Arabia] which has become the last pivotal prize targeted by both radical Sunnis and Shia, a country whose efforts and endeavors will be essential for constructive regional development.

This article was originally published in, and translated from, the pan-Arab daily Asharq al-Awsat.

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