[This message has been edited by randye (edited 03-03-2021).]

[This message has been edited by randye (edited 03-03-2021).]

Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman or "MBS." There are a number of words that could well describe the mood of this photograph. "Pensive" certainly comes to mind. It's a sharp contrast with the self-satisfaction bordering on smugness that seems to characterize most of the photos of MBS that appear in English language media.

At least, that's the impression of this observer.

"Recalibrate, not rupture." That's how State Department spox Ned Price described the Biden administration's approach to the U.S.-Saudi relationship on Monday.

quote The US Department of State on February 26 put 76 Saudi nationals on a no-travel list and the Treasury Department imposed financial sanctions on Saudi officials involved in the killing of Khashoggi but Crown Prince Mohammed was not included.

quote The administration’s decision not to punish the crown prince drew harsh criticism from the publisher of the Washington Post, where Khashoggi was a columnist. Accusing Biden of breaking his campaign promise to make the Saudi regime “pay the price” for the killing of Khashoggi, Post publisher Fred Ryan wrote: “It appears as though under the Biden administration, despots who offer momentarily strategic value to the United States might be given a ‘one free murder’ pass.”

"US defends not sanctioning MBS for Khashoggi’s murder"
Aljazeera's English language news online edition; March 1, 2021.
https://www.aljazeera.com/n...bs-for-khashoggi-hit

Previously in this thread, U.S. Navy Admiral (Ret) James Stavridis was positively effusive in praising the Biden administration when interviewed in conjunction with this story, declaring that "Amateur Hour is over" in an unambiguous dismissal of the Trump administration's handling of foreign policy.

Former U.S. Ambassador to Russia Michael McFaul also began by lauding the Biden administration's approach, but went on to say that the Biden administration "could do more" and referenced the possibility of invoking the Magnitsky Act against the Saudi crown prince.

The Magnitsky Act? I don't know about that. But he said some other things that could make more sense.

This is material that can be found by scrolling this thread in the reverse chronological sequence, starting from here.

I like what I'm seeing here so far from the Biden administration. I'm onboard with the "recalibrate but not rupture" ethos towards the U.S.-Saudi relationship, as it's been characterized by State Department spox Ned Price. I think Ned Price is right.

[This message has been edited by rinselberg (edited 03-03-2021).]

JAMAL KHASHOGGI update

House Democrats Ilhan Omar and Tom Malinowski have introduced separate bills for the U.S. to apply sanctions directly and personally to MBS, going beyond the basic "name and shame" approach that the Biden administration has opted for, that is characterized as a recalibration but not a rupture of the U.S.-Saudi relationship. The language in both of these bills would bar MBS from visiting the U.S. and so, in effect, ban MBS from having any photo ops with President Biden at the White Housse.

Democratic Senator Chris Murphy reminded MSBC viewers that MBS is already the de facto Saudi head of state and will soon become the literal Saudi head of state, considering King Salman's advanced age and declining vigor. Senator Murphy compared the situation to Russia, where the U.S. has already used sanctions and will likely be adding even more sanctions in the near future, but has always exercised a certain restraint about targeting Russian #1 Vladimir Putin in the most direct and personal way. Senator Murphy seemed to be aligning himself with the Biden administration's recalibrate but not rupture approach towards the U.S.-Saudi relationship. (Maybe it will become known as "the two 'R's.)

Speaker of the House and Democratic Majority Leader Nancy Pelosi has echoed the Biden administration's recalibrate but not rupture approach and said the House would introduce legislation to honor Jamal Khashoggi’s memory.

This, from the Guardian:

quote A Turkish court trying 26 Saudi nationals in absentia for the murder of Jamal Khashoggi has refused to admit as evidence a recent US intelligence report implicating the kingdom’s crown prince, Mohammed bin Salman, despite a petition from the journalist’s fiancee, Hatice Cengiz. The declassified US report released last Friday said Washington believed that Prince Mohammed approved the operation to “capture or kill” Khashoggi. In the third session of the Istanbul trial on Thursday, Cengiz’s petition to add the report to the evidence case file was rejected on the grounds that it would “bring nothing” to the trial. . . .

That looks like the "powers that be" in Turkey are on the same recalibrate but not rupture level about it as the Biden administration, carefully calibrating their reproach of MBS over Khashoggi's murder at the Saudi consulate in Istanbul in terms of how directly Turkey is willing to go against the Saudi crown prince. (Not very directly against MBS.)

MBS looks to be going Full Steam Ahead with a project to create a new and futuristic "megacity" in Saudi Arabia that would develop as many contiguous square miles of real estate as the entire nation of Belgium. The project, called "NEOM", is cast as the "signature project" in MBS's far-ranging plans to diversify and enlarge the Saudi economy.


Big History credits these reporters and publishers:

"Ilhan Omar unveils bill to sanction MBS for Khashoggi’s murder"
Aljazeera's English language news online; March 2, 2021.
https://www.aljazeera.com/n...or-khashoggis-murder

"Turkish court refuses to admit [the newly declassified CIA report] as trial evidence"
Bethan McKernan for the Guardian; March 4, 2021.
https://www.theguardian.com...rt-as-trial-evidence

"Saudi Prince Preps $500 Billion Megacity As US Points At Khashoggi Murder"
Reuters; republished by NDTV; March 4, 2021.
https://www.ndtv.com/world-...oggi-killing-2383751

"NEOM'"

quote The race to a new future is on.

https://www.neom.com/en-us/

Finally, another Big History backgrounder on NEOM:

quote NEOM means "New Future". The acronym NEOM was first used publicly with the meaning "New Future" on 24 October 2017, when Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman announced the launch of a project involving the construction of a futuristic $500 billion city that will be built to run entirely on alternative energy. The first three letters of NEOM ("NEO") come from the Latin word for “New”; the final letter ("M") is an abbreviation of the Arabic word “Mostaqbal” which means “Future”. NEOM will be built on land along Saudi Arabia's Red Sea coast, near Egypt and Jordan, and will span the three countries. The city will focus on up-and-coming industries such as digital sciences, advanced manufacturing, biotech and technology. NEOM is part of a plan to diversify the Saudi economy away from dependence on oil exports. It will be a hub for new technologies, including the creation of drones, driverless cars and robotics.

Cyber Definitions: An Academic Look at "Cyber Speak"
https://www.cyberdefinition...efinitions/NEOM.html

[This message has been edited by rinselberg (edited 03-04-2021).]

quote Originally posted by rinselberg: JAMAL KHASHOGGI update

[This message has been edited by randye (edited 03-04-2021).]

quote Originally posted by rinselberg: Let me guess here. It was "NOBODY CARES!"...

[This message has been edited by randye (edited 03-05-2021).]