Who is Jamal Khashoggi? Dissident Journalist or Saudi Loyalist?

Khashoggi's Past

The coverage swirling around the disappearance and suspected murder of Washington Post journalist Jamal Khashoggi would have you believe that he was an exceptionally brave journalist and dissenter that stood up to the powerful Saudi royal family. Yet, the truth is never so clean cut and Khashoggi's history is much more complex than the legacy media would have you believe.

Here are some facts about Khashoggi that should give you pause.

Reported to have been a close friend of Osama Bin Laden
Joined Bin Laden in Afghanistan and the CIA trained Mujahideen
Wrote several jihad propaganda books in the 1980s
Member of the Muslim Brotherhood
Back in KSA was media adviser to Saudi intelligence under Prince Faisal
Supporter of Islamic rule
Washington Post Journalist

dcclothesline.com

Let's flesh this out a little.

America's greatest villain, Osama Bin Laden, the man that supposedly masterminded the September 11th terrorist attacks and the worst terror event ever on American soil was a close and dear friend of Jamal Khashoggi. And Khashoggi ends up working for the ~~CIA~~ Washington Post, which is owned by Jeff Bezos who happens to have a $600 million contract with the CIA.

What is a member of the Muslim Brotherhood and a staunch Islamist doing working for WaPo?

Yesterday, I came across an interesting analysis of Khashoggi by The Real News

Khashoggi Picked the Wrong Prince

In this Interview, As-ad Abukhalid, professor of Political Science at California State University, reacts to the way Khashoggi was/is being portrayed by western media use flowery language to describe the WaPo journalist. Words such as "truth, democracy and freedom" and "outspoken critical journalism" came as a surprise to someone who has followed Jamal's career for several decades.

He describes Khashoggi as an advocate and loyal servant of the Saudi regime who closely allied himself with several Saudi princes. Most notably, he was connected to prince Faisal (former chief of Saudi Intel) and sponsor of Osamba Bin Laden and radical Islam around the world.

According to professor Abukhalid, Khashoggi admits in an interview that he was a censor for the Saudi regime in his editorial role at Al Watan newspaper.

Khashoggi later attached himself to another Saudi prince, Prince Alwaleed bin Talal and it's this alliance that got Khashoggi into trouble with the current Saudi regime. He left Saudi Arabia because he fell out with the ruling regime and not because of any opposition to the government or because he wanted democracy for the people.

arab news.jpg
[Crown Prince MBS and Prince Alwaleed bin Talal]

Remember back in November of 2017, the acting crown prince Mohammad Bin Salman (MBS) arrested and imprisoned a large number of Saudi princes including billionaire Alwaleed Bin Talal. After these events, Khashoggi offered his services as an advisor to MBS but was rejected.

As a journalist for WaPo, Khashoggi was careful not to write about the Palestinian plight but writing in Arabic he often passionately advocated for the Palestinian cause.

At the very least, a more complex picture emerges of Khashoggi then is being widely reported.
To be clear, this is in no way, shape or form meant to be an attack on Khashoggi, but it does raise some uncomfortable questions for the Washington Post and Western media who are misrepresenting Khashoggi to their audiences.

I made a post about Justice for Journalists a few days ago deploring the increasing violence towards reporters, including Jamal. Khashoggi may not be a "dissident" or a campaigner for human rights but if we are to believe the reports from Turkish Intelligence, no one deserves that fate.