Saudi Arabia
211 Articles

The Saudi Playbook: Self-Investigations of Civilian Deaths in Yemen and Khashoggi
We’ve been here before. Saudi Arabia has a sordid track record of announcing formal mechanisms to look into deaths of civilians at the hands of its own officers which have then…

Options for Congress to Respond to Saudi Transgressions: Here’s What Works according to Former Senior U.S. Officials
Former senior officials weigh in on options for Congress to respond to Khashoggi crisis, Yemen War, and US-Saudi policy more generally.

Dispelling Some Myths About Consular Immunity and the Khashoggi Investigation
Turkey and Saudi Arabia are both parties to the Vienna Convention on Consular Relations (VCCR). Because the alleged acts took place at a consulate rather than the Saudi embassy,…

Trump Gets “Presumption of Innocence” Wrong on Saudi Responsibility for Khashoggi Disappearance
President Donald Trump has weighed in several times in recent days on the disappearance of Jamal Khashoggi in ways that seem intended to minimize Saudi Arabia’s responsibility,…

Trump Administration Missed Crucial Opportunity This Summer to Rein In Saudi Arabia
Over the summer, Canada took a stand against Saudi Arabia’s flagrant human rights violations and suffered economic consequences while the Trump administration watched on in silence.

MBS and the Torture Victims Protection Act–His travel to the United States may no longer be an option
As each day brings new developments in the murder of Jamal Kashoggi, one of the questions I’ve been wondering about is what role, if any, US courts might play in helping…

Annotation of Sec. Pompeo’s Certification of Yemen War: Civilian Casualties and Saudi-Led Coalition
Former special counsel to Pentagon critiques Pompeo's memo which claimed Saudis have taken sufficient steps to reduce civilian casualties.

Saudi Arabia Policymakers’ Outlook: How to Convert Financial into Political Clout?
Commentators are now highlighting the Jamal Khashoggi situation as the last in a series of reckless and disruptive activities of the Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, a point…

U.S. Should Condition Saudi Membership in Elite Financial Club on Progress Prosecuting Terrorists and Observing the Rule of Law
"Until such time as Saudi Arabia has demonstrated a serious commitment to investigating all financing of terrorists and a genuine commitment to the rule of law– whether internal…

An Explainer: Senate’s Letter on Khashoggi and the Global Magnitsky Act
Here are answers to a few common questions concerning the Global Magnitsky Act as it relates to the disappearance and alleged murder of Saudi journalist Jamal Khashoggi.

What Due Diligence Backs U.S. Denial of Advance Knowledge of the Khashoggi Plot?
State Department spokesperson Robert Palladino's categorical denial that the US government knew of threat to Khashoggi may be a mistake that lasts a long time.

Did the U.S. Fail Its “Duty to Warn” Jamal Khashoggi? How U.S. Directive 191 Applies to Kidnapping Threats
A US executive branch order would have required US intelligence agencies to warn Khashoggi of the threat to kidnap or kill him.