The Khashoggi Sanction – WSJ

News of the confidential report leaked at the time, in part to embarrass Donald Trump. The former president saw the Crown Prince known as MBS as an ally and did not want to damage the ties between Saudi Arabia and the United States. He accepted the denial of MBS without nuance or moral condemnation, which was his habit. President Biden is downgrading these ties, or what he calls “recalibration”, which will work well on Capitol Hill with progressives and isolationists who want to distance the United States from the Saudis.

Secretary of State Antony Blinken also announced on Friday what he called a “Khashoggi ban”, a new visa restriction policy for individuals who “are believed to have been directly involved in serious extraterritorial counter-dissident activities ”. The United States will apply the new ban to 76 Saudis, and this could serve as a warning to foreign officials that they and their families may be prevented from entering the United States if they act against opponents abroad. Don’t underestimate how many foreign leaders want to send their children to Stanford or Duke.

But note that the US did not apply this sanction to MBS, which is the Saudi defense minister and probably the next king. Democrats and the media are already calling this inappropriate and want the MBS barred, if not indicted. The Biden government seems to understand that this would lead to a more serious break in relations between the United States and Saudi Arabia, which would help opponents in Tehran, Moscow and Beijing.

Mr. Trump had a keen moral ear, but his support for the Saudis and Israel, and opposition to Iran’s nuclear ambitions, helped pave the way for Abraham’s historic agreements between Israel and the Arab countries. The Biden government should think twice before alienating the Saudis, who are rare friends with the United States in a dangerous part of the world.

Khashoggi’s assassination was an especially brutal attack on a political opponent, but we can think of others who could make the new list of “banned”. If MBS qualifies, what about Vladimir Putin’s circle in the Kremlin and the members of the Chinese Council of State responsible for the arrest of Democrats in Hong Kong? Or the terror sponsors in Tehran that Biden seems to want to woo (see nearby)?

Khashoggi’s report and sanctions send a message of revulsion from the United States for a horrible crime. But in a cruel and cruel world, the United States still needs partners like the Saudis.