Does CIA has proof against Saudi Crown Prince MBS or its a conspiracy against him?
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ISLAMABAD - For two years, the US President Donald Trump has been trying to undo several decisions and agreements made by his predecessor, Barak Obama, that have caused a lot of concern and distress in the Gulf region.
The Obama Administration was convinced that Iran will be the US peace partner in the region. Therefore, the former US President used all his abilities to push Tehran to the forefront, according to Jim Hanson, the President of the Security Studies Group link in Washington DC.
“Obama’s policy had really changed things for a lot of Gulf States when they see their enemy being empowered by the United States,” he added.
Riyadh was Trump’s first overseas destination link following his inauguration in which, Hanson noted, he met with the world’s Muslim leaders. “He also met with King Salman and the Crown Prince to basically talk about how they could form a counterweight to what President Trump saw as Iran’s malign influence as opposed to Iran’s role as a partner for peace,” he pointed out.
“This had completely upset the US media’s reflexive support for President Obama. Media outlets have a vested interest in the idea that Tehran was not the bad guy and anything that jeopardizes the Iran deal was a problem. Therefore, they began their attacks,” Hanson told Al Arabiya English. He emphasized that Khashoggi’s case was a lever the media used to attack Trump and his Saudi allies, and to damage both of them at the same time.
Following the US President’s announcement, link in which he stated that the CIA report “might” be true, without either confirming or denying, Trump and the Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman were targeted through a smear campaign which Hanson described as a “crusade,” due to the historical significance of the crusade which is similar to what implies currently.
“The media attacks are hallmarks of a crusade. The US media has been attempting to impose western ideas, western concerns, and desires on the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia by deciding to depose a royal leader of another sovereign nation. This is a crusade from my perspective,” he stressed.
Hanson, who was a member of the US Army Special Forces for counter-terrorism and insurgency in more than a dozen countries, highlighted, to Al Arabiya English, that the CIA does not have evidence that the Crown Prince is responsible for Khashoggi’s death. Otherwise, the people who leaked the CIA report certainly would mention it, if that information really existed.
"The CIA report did not state that it has a proof that Mohammed bin Salman had ordered the killing. Instead, it said that it believes with high confidence that the Crown Prince was responsible, because in a country like Saudi Arabia, it is almost inconceivable that he would not have,” he emphasized, adding that the modernization steps taken by the Crown Prince have resulted in several internal enemies. - Al Arabiya