July 13, 2022
By Andrew Buncomb
Hanan El-Atr and Jamal Khashoggi married four months before his murder
The widow (click here) of murdered journalist Jamal Khashoggi has urged Joe Biden to try and secure the release of Saudi Arabia’s poltical prisoners when he visits the kingdom.
Ahead of a controverisal trip to the Middle East that will see Mr. Biden head to Saudi Arabia and meet with its crown prince Mohammed Bin Salman (MBS), Hanan El-Atr met top officials at the White House where she pressed her late husband’s cause.
The invitation followed the publication of an open letter, in which she said if the US president was to go ahead with the trip, he should use it to press the issues that were so important to her late husband....
Axios seems to have good information regarding the president's trip. This trip is about regional security. I also believe Iran is a concern to many of the countries in the region other than Israel.
Americans have to put into perspective the radical change in global order. Russia and China are becoming a greater threat without either showing interest in ending that threat. So, the idea the USA would be sitting on the sidelines with Israel in the balance is unrealistic.
July 13, 2022
By Mustafa Alrawi
Biden on Saturday (click here) will meet with the leaders of the Gulf Cooperation Council plus Egypt, Iraq and Jordan (known as the GCC+3). This forum has added an extra dimension to the GCC’s influence, and the meeting is significant for both Gulf and U.S. interests.
- At the meeting, the GCC countries — Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar and the UAE — are expected to discuss prioritizing defense matters, countering Iran, and solidifying support for the Yemen war truce, as well as exploring economic initiatives with the U.S.
- Cybersecurity, as well as the development of a regionally integrated air defense system, is also expected to be discussed.
- Although the chances of a new nuclear deal with Iran appear to be low, the GCC countries hope that any return to the deal will also include Iran’s ballistic missile and drone threat....
Journalism has this issue regularly. There are frequent notices in any given week about jailed journalists. The community is very involved in knowing these injustices while seeking a resolve. The problem with the Khashoggi murder is that it occurred at the Saudi Embassy in Turkey. It was also very heinous. The murderers attempted to hide any existance of Jamal Kashoggie by dissolving his body in a vat of acid. It doesn't become more heinous than that.
I might add, I have Jamal Kashoggie's picture with his wife on my laptop and see it every time I open it. That picture is there along with others. So, I am not at all dismissing his death. He, in my heart, is no different than that of Daniel Pearl. I might add, Daniel Pearl and Jamal Kashoggi were journalists to the Washington Post. The Washington Post has always taken a very public role in their journalists when such tragedy strikes.
Mariane Pearl has been followed by the Washington Post and given access to the publication in the name of the common interests Daniel and Mariane shared. It would be the same treatment of Hanan El-Atr in representing her husband's interests.
I think it is the Washington Post's right to have a relationship with the US State Department with these matters and have timely replies to any of their questions or statements regarding the policies of foreign journalists that are in their employ.
The USA has the highest degree of cutting edge military defense. NASA is the National Aeronautics and Space Administration and the X-43A is one of their successful projects.
By Loukia Papadopoulos
The plane's flights have been recognized by the Guinness World Records.
NASA's X-43A, (click here) also known as the Hyper X program, was a $230 million high-risk, high-payoff research program that led to a hypersonic flight in March of 2004....
The United States of America has spent a lot of money to research and create these machines that are developed to protect Americans. We are a valuable ally to other freedom loving countries. if it weren't for the USA there would be no counter balance to China or Russia, especially since they consider each other allies.
The Middle East has always been in the sights of the USA. The region have countries we consider allies and very strong allies. We have a military base in Qatar and with this trip by President Biden, Israel and Saudi Arabia now have a constructive relationship that will enhance the national security of both countries.
We must be there. We don't really have any other alternative.
In regard to Jamal Kashoggi, he is missed. His journalism is missed. His death is heinous and President Biden has carried that message directly to the Saudi Prince and stated the USA's understanding of the intelligence surrounding his death. This is not being frivolous about the murder of an American journalist. Those statements to the Saudi Prince is a unique address of Jamal Kashoggi's death. Hanan El-Atr message has been carried forward. That in and of itself has made history.
Hanan El-Atr is a woman. Her loss is held in highest esteem of the American government. That is a profound statement by this administration. Saudi Arabian women are not highly esteemed on such an international scale. The realization that a widow of a highly respected journalist is important is an international statement this region needs to understand and absorb into their policies.
The esteemed status realized by Hana El-Atr has been afforded because the USA values life and more profoundly we reject personal loss to the degree this murder is heinous.
If it were any other president, this would be deemed exceptional and held in esteem, but, because this is Joe Biden a 78 year old man the issue of Jamal Kashoggi is more important in the press than the purpose of his trip to build defense relationships with the countries of the GCC +3.
Jamal Kashoggie, his widow and the Washington Post have a place in the policies of the USA. That was reflected strongly by President Biden during this trip. Nothing has gone unnoticed, including the fact the global community is shifting to build their own national defenses that include able allies. The USA has a place with these countries. This trip by President Biden is necessary and quite frankly it has accomplished what most of us believed to be impossible in the Middle East.
