Why does Trump accept Saudi Arabia’s ludicrous story about #JamalKhashoggi’s murder? It’s not because of strategic partnership, oil, arms sales or MBS’s BS. It’s about squeezing Iran. My take: bit.ly/2R98bJj 1/7
Undermining Iran’s economy tops Trump’s foreign-policy agenda. He needs KSA oilfields to make up for the Iranian oil removed from the market. 2/7
Those who claim the kingdom is a vital ally vis-à-vis Iran confuse the direction of dependency. It is Saudi Arabia that feels threatened by Iran’s missiles, proxies and soft power. The US faces no threat from Iran, which cannot project power beyond its neighborhood. 3/7
To what end the US imposes pressure on Iran, and in the process lets Saudi Arabia get away with murder, is not obvious. Although the stated goal is behavior change, regime change is the not-so-hidden agenda. 4/7
The 12 demands on Iran that SecState Pompeo made in May would amount to a capitulation that no nation with Iran’s pride and resilience could ever accept. And having a dozen priorities means having none. 5/7
In his recent Foreign Affairs article, Pompeo added a 13th demand, regarding Iran’s shameful human-rights record. Pity Pompeo’s timing that the article, undoubtedly written before 2 October, appeared the week that Khashoggi’s apparent dismemberment dominated the news. 6/7
Human rights are universal. Condemning Iran’s record falls flat when the US at the same time seems to condone the gruesome act of an ally. Trump’s handling of the Khashoggi murder will not make other nations any more willing to join in his crusade against Iran. 7/7
