WASHINGTON, D.C. Oct. 15 (DPI) – Trump came out today with another idiotic remark that once again cast doubt not only on his veracity but on his loyalties: Perhaps, he tweeted, it was “rogue killers” who dispatched a vocal critic of the Saudi Arabian ruler.  The journalist Jamal Khashoggi is believed to have been murdered, after he was last seen walking into a Saudi consulate in Istanbul two weeks ago.

Readers were largely united – remarkable in these times – in the view that Trump was being disingenuous and downright dishonest when he made his remarks, which appeared to provide some cover to King Salmon of Saudi Arabia, who has denied any connection to the disappearance of Khashoggi, a columnist for The Washington Post.

It’s remarkable too that Trump would suggest rogue elements would commit such a crime in a Saudi diplomatic office.   As one poster wrote:  “Rogue Killers” in the Saudi Consulate???
Seriously?”

The question is not so much whether the US can “punish” Saudi Arabia for such a craven act – it can’t, just as Russia and China eliminates their most vocal critics. The bigger issue for Trump is how much this latest episode will thoroughly expose him as a politician who is merely looking out for his business interests – and weaken him permanently. The Saudis have done tens of millions of business with Trump – from buying condos to purchasing hotel space – in recent years, even as Trump serves as president.

From NYTimes.com’s most recommended:

Just put a “For Sale” sign on the United States Capitol, the White House, and the Supreme Court building and be done with it.

“It sounded to me like maybe these could have been rogue killers — who knows,” Mr. Trump said.
“It sounded to me like maybe Obama was born in Kenya — who knows,” Mr. Trump said.
“It sounded to me like maybe Elizabeth Warren is lying about her Native American heritage — who knows,” Mr. Trump said.
“It sounded to me like they want me to grab them by the xxxxx — who knows,” Mr. Trump said.
“It sounded to me like Christine Blasey Ford was assaulted, just not by Brett Kavanaugh — who knows,” Mr. Trump said.
“It sounded to me like no one would care if we separated immigrants from their children — who knows,” Mr. Trump said.
Who knows? We know, Mr. Trump. And we full on fed up with your stupidity, your lying, and most of all, your immorality You, and your entire GOP sycophantic chorus, cannot be gone fast enough.

Rogue killers roaming embassies. Or may be witches, which requires launching a which hunt. Or leprechauns. Makes sense.

With the Khashoggi outrage, it’s painfully (and sickeningly) obvious that Trump is already following the “it could have been a 400 pound guy in his bedroom” type talking points, he used in his Russian election interference disinformation campaign.
He knows that no normally informed person will believe his nonsense, but he doesn’t care because he’s just concerned about creating enough doubt in people’s minds to stall any action.
Yet again, honesty, Democracy, and the rule of law are trampled on in favor of murdering regimes and cold, hard corrupted cash in Trump’s pockets. I’m sure he’s loving this.

No one thought it would take long for Trump to give his fellow authoritarians a pass on such a grotesque human rights violation.  The entire White House press corps should strike. Give them the same level of respect as they have shown journalists. Let Trump’s mouthpiece Sarah Sanders lie to herself rather than the whole country.

How did the “rouge killers” gain access to the Saudi Consulate in Istanbul?

Top comments on WSJ.com today:

Oh, alrighty, then. I mean, if you can’t trust Vlad Putin and the Saudis, who can you trust?

So the king told Trump there must be a cell of “rogue killers” hidden in the Saudi Embassy. And Trump obviously believes the king.

Trump Suggests ‘Rogue Killers’ Could Be Behind Missing Saudi Journalist”
“Rogue Killers” in the Saudi Consulate???
Seriously?
Only Trump supporters could possibly be stupid enough to believe that blatant nonsense.

Yes, but every regime in the region is medieval and plays this same nonsense on their own citizens and each other every day.
I can’t get outraged over this.  I’ve seen enough videos of Americans being beheaded, Muslim homosexuals being slaughtered in the street, people being hanged in the public square for crimes against Allah, honor killings, and state sponsored zealots strapping bombs to themselves and blowing up civilians.
Barbarians are barbarians and they appear to enjoy being barbarians.  When you live advocating violence and revolt, as Khashoggi did, it’s not surprising it ends in violence.