Although the following article mentions one case in particular, we’re hoping it speaks for all the journalists that risk their lives to bring us news of wrong doing and corruption by those that deem themselves all powerful.
https://www.theguardian.com/media/2018/dec/05/journalists-murdered-khashoggi-kuciak-panama-papers
The calculated planned execution and disposal of Jamal Khashoggi shocked the world but did not it seems shock Donald Trump. We at the Guff always like to see things in an alternative light and use that light to highlight the alternative. In this instance, we wish to draw comparisons in a way which will (we hope) help our readers see for themselves the story between the LInES.
The callous murder and inhumane disposal of Mr Khashoggi should have America up in arms (rather than muted because of the billions supplied to the Saudis…..in arms).
We wish to ask some questions that we feel are pertinent and worthy of asking. Mr Khashoggi worked for a newspaper (The Washington Post) that’s based in the very capital of the nation that suffered it’s worst terrorist atrocity at the hands of hijackers that included 15 from the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. A murder squad of 15 was dispatched from Saudi Arabia to Turkey to murder Mr Khashoggi in cold blood and then callously dismember his body (coincidence, or is this the preferred number when the Kingdom sends out their goons to carry out barbaric acts?).
We at the Guff now puts this question to the people and indeed the President of America “What if Mr Khashoggi and his extensive knowledge of the region (in particularly Saudi Arabia) coupled with his skills as a journalist had unearthed information that could prevent a 9/11 style attack in the future, would his life or the taking of it been more worthy and shocking to lose? What price (the loss of thousands of jobs or billions in arms sales) would preventing such an attack equate to? What would the American people be prepared to sacrifice to prevent such an attack, an attack that killed thousands? And before you think that such an attack could never happen again the following image was posted by the official Saudi Twitter account in August 2018, not so much a veiled threat but definitely a troubling one, almost taking a sickening pleasure from an attack they deny having anything to do with.
OK even if Mr Khashoggi did not have any information regarding an imminent attack surely as a citizen just doing his job he should be afforded the rights as any other private citizen or indeed any member of the secret or military service for as a journalist his services to those who live in a “free” world can not be commended enough, for journalist fearlessly go where even politicians fear to tread.
A free press is one of the cornerstones that supports the freedom of the U.S and when this is attacked by either foreign powers or self serving powers from within it is then we see the nation wobble (and in some cases fall to it’s knees) to quote Rorschach “An attack on one is an attack on all”. It is therefore only right to protect journalists as they carry out their work of giving the voiceless a voice or investigating, revealing and reporting corruption and wrong doing by the worlds Rich and Powerful. This as they struggle to live their everyday lives, just as Mr Khashoggi was planning to do with his new bride, but alas this was not able to happen for instead of being able to sleep with his wife on his honeymoon he was brutally murdered and disposed of by an autocratic regime that America is quite happy to have as a bedfellow.
