The Actions of Madmen

The dismemberment and murder of Washington Post journalist, Jamal Khashoggi, allegedly by a fifteen-member Saudi hit squad, has shaken many of us around the world. And if it turns out that there are people in our government who either looked the other way or gave tacit approval, our country may never be the same again. Oh, it’s not that we’re incapable of such heinous actions, because we’ve seen many examples of such degradation and horror, sometimes nightly, on news programs, the abuse of Iraqi prisoners at Abu Ghraib by military personnel a fairly recent example.

We see it every time a police officer guns down a child or person of color. We see it every time the current occupant of the Oval Office slanders and degrades, well, anyone, because it sure seems as if he’s an equal opportunity bully. No one is exempt.

But now, he draws a distinction between someone who is a permanent resident of this country and someone who is a citizen. Apparently, because Mr. Khashoggi is only a permanent resident, his comment implied that it’s not worth sending the FBI over to Turkey to investigate the journalist’s dismemberment and murder. But then he continued on, taunting the reporter who asked him questions about the FBI’s potential involvement, saying that the reporter didn’t know if it was happening or not. As if it’s some sort of a secret.

In truth, it would be odd if the guy in the Oval ordered the FBI to do anything particularly given his disdain for law enforcement and the rule of law. After all, according to him, it’s likely the work of “rogue” actors. His buddy, the King or the MBS character, not so much. After all, they’ve denied it. Strongly. No muss, no fuss. Let’s move on.

A bone saw was allegedly carried onto a plane and into the Saudi Arabian consulate in Istanbul where it was allegedly used to dismember Mr. Khashoggi. Within seven minutes. While music played allegedly so that Mr. Khashoggi’s screams wouldn’t disturb anyone.

Allegedly.

If we find out that the current occupant of the White House had anything to do with this, what then? Will that be enough for his supporters to see what the rest of the world sees? Or will Mr. Khashoggi’s dismemberment and murder be irrelevant in their eyes? Have they become so jaded that they will not turn away in disgust? Will they cheer his efforts? Like they do at his nightly rallies?

When will they turn their backs on a man who has done nothing but lie to them, every step of the way, from the campaign to this present moment? When will their chants turn to, Lock HIM up???

Our intelligence community allegedly knew Mr. Khashoggi was in danger and said nothing. Who gave the order to stay silent? Because if this is true, then someone needs to not only be fired but brought up on charges.

What on earth is happening? Who have we become? To think that the president of our country cannot bring himself to at minimum feign outrage over the alleged state-sponsored murder of someone who is a permanent resident of the United States is beyond shameful. In fact, it’s not even human.

He believes dictators and strongmen who think nothing of killing those who speak out on behalf of the human rights of all. He dismisses our own intelligence agencies and the information they’ve so diligently gathered. And now, it appears that someone who knew may have stayed silent. Mr. Khashoggi may have never entered that building had he been made aware. But that didn’t happen. And now, he’s dead. Not that we’ll ever see a body. His fiancee’ stood outside the consulate while her beloved was being dismembered and murdered. Allegedly receiving an upload of an audio file, possibly of his murder. And still, the new guy can’t bring himself to speak out, to publicly insist that our FBI investigates what happened. No strong words from this guy. No words of compassion, only words that cover the actions of madmen.

If things don’t change in November, then it is what it is. And at that point, we deserve it.