How do US research centers defend Mohammed bin Salman?

Mohammed Al-Menshawi, Washington

More than a week ago, the US Senate voted to hold the crown prince responsible for the murder of journalist Jamal Khashoggi in his consulate in Istanbul in early October. Some members, including Senator Lindsey Graham, vowed not to work with Saudi Arabia unless Ben Salman was replaced by someone else.

In spite of this firm stance of the Senate with its Republican and Democratic members, analyzes and studies of US centers on the future of relations between Riyadh and Washington in the post-Khashoggi phase distract attention from the murder and responsibility.

These studies describe the killing of Khashoggi as a heinous and unacceptable act, but what he concludes in the end is to ensure that Saudi Arabia does not repeat this crime or the like in the future.

Center for Strategic Studies and Policy (CSIS)
The Center issued a study on December 12 on the future of US relations in Saudi Arabia in the light of the Khashoggi crisis, and concluded:

That the Saudi Crown Prince has broad ambitions for economic reform, but hampered by bad decisions taken on foreign policy issues.

Despite Bin Salman's unthinkable decisions, he was able to assemble all the centers and sources of power in his hand in a way that has not been repeated in modern Saudi history.

The United States should be wary of demanding that bin Salman be changed because that would lead to a conflict within the ruling family. Instead, Washington should encourage the Crown Prince to change his behavior.

King Salman bin Abdul Aziz should identify other actors who will be charged with managing the future relationship with the United States.

The study criticized what it saw as a special relationship between Bin Salman, Jared Kouchner and President Trump, which prompted Strump to support Bin Salman's chances of reaching the crown.

The study found that Washington, during its long relationship with Saudi Arabia, did not care about the identity of high-ranking officials in Riyadh and was able to maintain good relations with all the monarchs, including King Abdullah, who adopted a "hostile attitude" from some Washington policies.

The demands of some politicians, such as Republican Sen. Lindsey Graham or former National Security Adviser Susan Rice, demanding that the crown prince be changed is a big mistake, and that it is "interference in internal affairs and counterproductive."

The study focuses on what Washington wants from Riyadh is "behavior change", not change of people. The study praises President Trump's recognition of this reality, which prompted him to demand an end to the war in Yemen and its demand to end the conflict with Qatar.

The study calls on Riyadh to recognize the hostility of Washington's political, media and academic elite and its policies, and Riyadh should help Trump's administration to face the pressure because of its attachment to Riyadh and Mohammed bin Salman.

It is noteworthy that the UAE has supported the construction of the new building of the center of several million dollars, and the Center has also signed an agreement through which the staff of the Saudi Embassy in Washington worth 900 thousand dollars annually.

The Foundation for the Support of Democracies (FDD)
John Hanna, a senior researcher at the Foundation, wrote criticizing the two major parties in Washington on how to deal with the consequences of the death of Jamal Khashoggi. Hanna believes that the position of the Trump administration and the position of its opponents, whether in Congress or the media, are both wrong.

Hanna praises the vision of President Trump, who believes in the importance of US relations with Saudi Arabia, which he sees as very consistent with the vision of his predecessors, American and Democratic presidents.

Hanna believes Trump's position "depends on the absence of a rift in Washington's relationship with Riyadh or on Washington's ability to maintain a working relationship with Mohammed bin Salman, who is likely to become king for decades to come." Trump's position should not shock anyone.

Hanna disagrees with the claims of opponents of Trump that the current US administration has given Bin Salman a blank check. He believes that Washington has already imposed harsh sanctions against 17 Saudis close to Bin Salman.

He adds that the Trump administration has also done the Magnitsky Act, which may impose penalties in the future. The Hanna study cited sanctions against one of Bin Salman's most important advisers, referring to Saud al-Qahtani.

Hanna reviewed the Washington sanctions imposed so far on prominent Saudi figures, compared to the imposition of no sanctions against Russian President Vladimir Putin, despite the attempt to poison the former spy Sergey Scrippal outside London, despite the support of the Syrian president, who kills thousands of his people, About the Russian intervention is certain in the US elections.

The Foundation for the Defense of Democracies held the preparatory conference in Washington, which paved the way for the imposition of the blockade on Qatar on May 23, 2017. UAE Ambassador Yousif Al Otaiba attended the conference, which he personally oversaw and organized excellent relations with the institution's researchers close to the Israeli lobby in Washington And beyond.

Hudson Institute
Michael Duran, a researcher at the Hudson Institute, who previously served on the National Security Council under President George W. Bush, also wrote an advocate of Trump's position on the Khashoggi crisis.

Duran said that Trump's marginalization and questioning of the CIA's assessment of Mohammed bin Salman's responsibility for Khashoggi's death was a harsh thing.

Duran believes that Trump is like the rest of the American presidents who stood next to dictators in the Middle East. But the difference in his view is that Trump did not talk about the values ​​and ideals of America, which contradict with what represents the killing of a journalist.

When the White House's position is assessed in response to Khashoggi's killing, and with the inclusion of strategic relations between the two countries, Trump manages the crisis with "great skill."

Duran says that despite the enormity of Mohammed bin Salman's crime, he supports US interests in the region, which the Iranians are trying to harm. Duran stresses the "idiocy" of calls coming out of Washington demanding that King Salman replace his crown prince, which ignores the fact that Mohammed bin Salman is the de facto ruler in Riyadh and not his father.

He believes that those who believe that King Salman will change his mind about his favorite son are behind more serious illusions than the consequences of Trump's positions. Duran imagines that the calls to replace bin Salman if they are under American pressure threaten the legitimacy of the next king, which will allow al Qaeda to confirm that Saudi Arabia is a puppet in the hands of Washington, and would be better off than a crown prince pressed to become a better partner to maintain stability in the East Middle.

Duran warns that sanctions against Bin Salman will prompt him to go to Russia and China, which would also hurt Washington's interests and influence throughout the Middle East.

As for the pressure on Saudi Arabia to end its war in Yemen, Duran stresses that these calls will push Yemen to be like Lebanon, a new base of influence for Iran in the Arab world.

In the end, Duran says sanctions against Mohammed bin Salman will not bring justice to Jamal Khashoggi and will not make Saudi Arabia a trusted ally. The punishment of Mohammed bin Salman will also reduce US influence and strengthen Washington's enemies in the Middle East.

The Hudson Institute organized the second anti-Qatar conference in Washington on October 23, 2017, which was attended by the UAE ambassador in Washington.

Thus, Saudi Arabia and UAE relations influence these centers in determining their position based on various factors, including Saudi or Emiri funding, directly or indirectly, of financing new construction or expansion projects or financing certain research programs, and allowing these centers to train Saudi and Emirati officials on heavy contracts The temptation.

These centers and others talk about the need to review the relations between Washington and Riyadh and the need to lay the foundations for them, but in the end does not talk about accountability responsible for the killing of a journalist within the diplomatic mission of his country in another country.