Khashoggi's disappearance has thrown a spotlight on the authoritarian rule of Saudi Arabia's crown prince, Mohammed bin Salman, the charismatic young heir to the throne who has vowed to modernize the kingdom. Turkish authorities allege Khashoggi, a self-exiled Saudi journalist and critic of the prince, was killed and dismembered earlier this month by Saudi agents inside the Saudi Consulate in Istanbul. If Khashoggi's disappearance shocked Westerners, they were simply not paying close attention to events in the kingdom, and the lengths to which the crown prince — widely known by the initials MBS — has been willing to go to quash dissent, said seasoned Saudi human rights advocates. "This never would have happened without MBS's approval. Never, never, never," said a former senior U.S. diplomat. |
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