Iran: Riyadh would not have murdered Khashoggi without U.S. protection

[karynnj]

6. This shows why Trump's lame reactions have harmed the United States

Both the Shia and Sunni governments have terrible records on human rights - and both have arrested, tortured and killed journalists. Both have been sponsors of terror. Since at least 1979 (the Iranian Revolution), we have allied with the Sunnis. For decades, it has been a balancing act to project our values - which until Trump, we pretty much agreed on in theory - with what was perceived as our interests.

Where, in the past, we were willing to say that both OUR interests and our values are NOT identical to the interests of our middle eastern allies, Trump has been unwilling to even mildly criticize Saudi Arabia. His strongest, most recent statement on the Kossouggi murder places more emphasis on it being poorly planned and badly covered up -- rather than that the country ordered a murder of an American based journalist!

Trump's reaction gives the high ground to Rouhani, whose own government is not above reproach on human rights. Rouhani cleverly does not state Trump had any prior knowledge or involvement. Unfortunately, his reaction and complete unwillingness to question MBS's actions at all does open us to the charge that Saudi Arabia has carte blanc to do anything it wants without losing us as its powerful ally.

Internationally, it should be what is happening in Yemen that may be the bigger issue. There, it is interesting that it was SA and UAE that were more responsible for ceasefires and potential resolutions failing pre 2017.