... the Saudis are preparing a report that will acknowledge Jamal Khashoggi's death was the result

[demmiblue]

Just in from @clarissaward and @TimListerCNN: "According to two sources, the Saudis are preparing a report that will acknowledge Jamal Khashoggi's death was the result of an interrogation that went wrong, one that was intended to lead to his abduction from Turkey..."

Link to tweet

More from Ward and Lister's @CNN report: "One source says the report will likely conclude that the operation was carried out without clearance and transparency and that those involved will be held responsible."

Link to tweet

[mobeau69]

1. Well, we know who they're going to pin it on.

[louis-t]

2. Uh, interrogating someone to death is not

interrogating. It's murder.

[demmiblue]

4. Oh, c'mon!

Having a bone saw handy is completely meaningless and totally not indicative of planning to murder the man.

[fleur-de-lisa]

22. And they just happened to bring a bone saw and a guy who performs autopsies?

No pre-meditation there!

[Renew Deal]

3. They're going with the Chris Christie defense?

Will they return the body?

[C_U_L8R]

5. So they chopped him up?

Will they at least produce the remains?

[spanone]

6. and trump will say since we tortured people, all is forgiven....back to normal

[demmiblue]

7. MORE (NYT source):

Source tells NYT the Saudis are preparing to describe a scenario that would protect MBS from blame.

The source said the royal court would soon put out a narrative that an official within the kingdom's intel services carried out the killing of Khashoggi.

"The person said Prince Mohammed had approved an interrogation or rendition of Mr. Khashoggi back to Saudi Arabia. But, he said, the Saudi intelligence official was tragically incompetent as he eagerly sought to prove himself in secretive operations."

Link to tweet

[spanone]

11. maybe trump himself floated that fantasy....sounds like him

[maxrandb]

12. Ahhh, the old "My Dog ate the face off my enemy" defense

[Reader Rabbit]

19. "Will no one rid me of this meddlesome priest?"

Overenthusiastic underlings providing royalty with plausible deniability for centuries. Who says no one learns from history anymore?

[Basement Beat]

8. I wonder if reporters

will hold Trump's feet to the fire for always going out of his way to "believe" or "protect" leaders of this ilk.

[Kurt V.]

9. what a load of crap.

the Saudi's are testing their new found relevance .

[Johnny2X2X]

10. Making a fool out of Trump

Trump was assured it wasn't them, and then without any concrete knowledge announced it.

Zero respect for Trump, in fact it looks like they wanted to make a fool out of him, which is really easy to do.

[demmiblue]

13. Actually, it almost seems like they collaborated with Trump given his comments this morning...

about the possibility of "rogue killers".

Link to tweet

[dewsgirl]

21. It sure does.

[Baitball Blogger]

14. Erm... that bone saw is going to cause a widdle problem with their alibi - non-alibi.

[gratuitous]

15. Gol durnedest case of suicide ever

Horrifying to watch a man carve himself up into nine pieces, but how are you going to argue with the testimony of all those eyewitnesses?

[Satch59]

16. And what about the tape? Both Turkey & Saudia Arabia

Will bury that? Did Turkey get a deal now to keep quiet? If the GOP senators agree to this nonsense, every GOP senator needs to go...

[barbtries]

17. he was lured there

to be murdered. jmo

[politicaljunkie41910]

18. What about the fact that the news has reported that Jared had provided Top Secret information

on Khashoggi to the Saudis. Information that he had received through his security clearance regarding Khashoggi. If Jared provided info to the Saudis on Khashoggi, he needs to be tried as an accessory to murder. Our intelligence information is not something Jared can use as he pleases.

[fleur-de-lisa]

23. +1

[Crutchez_CuiBono]

27. Just a suggestion?

Maybe write that up as an OP. It deserves it's own discussion. Good point. funny how Jareds name fell so fast from the headlines. He gave away American Intel. He should suffer the consequences.

[Autumn]

20. Is this to protect the 666 boy?

[demmiblue]

24. Chris Murphy: Been hearing the ridiculous "rogue killers" theory was where the Saudis would...

Been hearing the ridiculous “rogue killers” theory was where the Saudis would go with this. Absolutely extaordinary they were able to enlist the President of the United States as their PR agent to float it.

Link to tweet

[onethatcares]

25. well, at least

their putting out a narrative. How much further would you want them to go? Should they say some unnamed guy got carried away while trying to get his wings as an interagator?

Oh, that's what they are doing . Whoda thunk?

[The_Counsel]

26. Am I the Only One Wondering...?

...how long it'll be before this somehow gets blamed on Barack Obama and Hillary Clinton?

[mr_lebowski]

32. Pffft ... it's OBVIOUSLY their fault, c'mon ... they are the source of all evil in the universe ...

Sorry Soros, and AlGore ... you had a good run ... and there may still occasionally be things that come up ...

[getagrip_already]

28. This is classic saudi...

I could swear they have done this before. Screw something up, then behead the poor schmo standing closest to the incident, even if they had nothing really to do with it.

So they will publicly behead someone. For justice. Then it will all be over.

Move along citizens. Nothing to see here.

[moondust]

29. Who doesn't travel with their bone saw handy?

[sfwriter]

30. How fucking bad is the truth,

When “tortured to death” is the more palatable option?!?!?

[dhol82]

31. I will be waiting for the fifteen guys who did this to be brought up on charges

and then summarily executed for insubordination.

[mr_lebowski]

33. You say that as though you think that Dog and Pony show isn't going to happen?

Now, it might be 15 random underlings, not the people who ACTUALLY took part, but ... the Saudi's would absolutely execute a bunch of people to put on a show for the world to cover up for their crimes.