Saudi Arabia
Reports
We’ve never seen [the crackdown on dissidents] on a scale like this. A dissident like Jamal Khashoggi in the past wouldn’t have been considered worth the effort.
"Sanctioning the deputy head of state of a foreign country, let alone an ally, is a major step and something [the U.S.] wouldn’t pursue without strong evidence and a willingness to see through the political consequences."
[The White House] would love for this to just disappear because the administration wants to have close ties to Saudis, to continue with business as usual.
You know, from the moment Mohammed bin Salman was appointed defense minister at his tender age, I have heard voices from around the gulf expressing a desire to see more experienced foreign policy hands advising him. At the end of the day, the proof of the pudding is in the eating. He can have all the good advice he needs, but he's got to take it.