Jamal Ahmad Hamza Khashoggi was a Saudi Arabian author, journalist and dissident who opted for self-imposed exile in 2017 because of his opposition to the policies of the Saudi government and its rulers, King Salman and Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman (popularly known as MBS). Khashoggi wrote articles critical of the Saudi regime for a number of publications, including the Washington Post.

In October of 2018, he entered the Saudi consulate in Istanbul, Turkiye, to obtain documents required for his upcoming marriage. He was never seen leaving the consulate, and it was later determined that he had been killed and dismembered there. Intelligence reports concluded that the murder — eventually admitted by Saudi Arabia’s attorney general as having occurred — was ordered by Mohammed bin Salman himself.

Today, MBS was an honored guest of Donald Trump at the White House, where he was greeted at the South Portico — not merely at the Pennsylvania Avenue front entrance with a presidential handshake and an appropriate welcoming committee — but by U.S. military troops riding horses and carrying the flags of both nations, accompanied by drum rolls and blaring trumpets, and a fly-over of six jet fighters.

Also on the agenda for this evening is a star-studded dinner (too bad the new ballroom isn’t ready yet), followed by a business-focused conference tomorrow at the Kennedy Center. U.S. officials have said they will be discussing a multibillion-dollar investment in America’s AI infrastructure, cooperation on civil nuclear energy, and plans for Riyadh’s investments into the U.S. economy. [Alexander Ward and Michael R. Gordon, Wall Street Journal. November 18, 2025.]

But to me, the highlight of MBS’ arrival was Donald Trump’s statement as he stood next to the Crown Prince and was asked by the press about the Khashoggi killing:

“You’re mentioning somebody that was extremely controversial. A lot of people didn’t like that gentleman that you’re talking about. Whether you like him or didn’t like him, things happen.”

And then, turning to MBS, he added, “But he knew nothing about it.” [Id.]

“Things happen.” What things? Just the murder and dismemberment of one annoying journalist? Or maybe we should talk about September 11, 2001, when 19 hijackers — of whom 15 were Saudis — took the lives of nearly 3,000 civilians in New York, Washington, and Pennsylvania.

“Things happen.” That’s been the attitude of every murderous despot the world has ever known: a casual shrug, and, “Oh, well . . . c’est la guerre.”

Or, as Josef Stalin said: “The death of one man is a tragedy; the death of millions is a statistic.”

“Things happen.”

Just sayin’ . . .

Brendochka
11/18/25