Murdered journalist Jamal Khashoggi's last column published by the Washington Post

By now, readers must certainly know that mounting evidence, believable because of its sources and because of its explanatory logic, strongly suggests that journalist Jamal Khashoggi's brutal murder and dismemberment took place in the Saudi consulate in Istanbul -- and that the facts as known point directly at this having been done under orders from Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman (often referred to simply as MBS).

Let me emphasize one important point:    This young de facto ruler of Saudi Arabia, who has become buddies with Jared Kushner, is no innocent.   He is waging a brutal war in Yemen that targets civilians;   he kidnapped the prime minister of Lebanon;   and he initiated a blockade of the nation of Qatar.

The fact that he is also trying to modernize his nation by allowing women to drive cars and by reopening the cinemas should not make us overlook his cruelty.  And now he has ordered the unspeakably horrible torture and murder of a respected journalist who dared to criticize the lack of freedom -- sending a message to journalist worldwide and to the autocratic despots who might want to get rid of them.

Of course they will concoct a different story, perhaps with the help of Donald Trump, who apparently came up with the phrase "rogue killers."   But that won't fly, because it's not believable that this could have been carried out without the knowledge of the crown prince, MBS.

Donald Trump, president of the United States, is not -- in my view -- totally without some blame in this larger issue of attacks on journalists.   His hostility to the media in our country, calling them the "enemy of the people," also sent a message to despots around the world that they could attack journalists with impunity.   His weak and delayed response to this outrage in Istanbul only adds to that message.

Here is the last opinion piece that Jamal Khashoggi wrote for the Washington Post.   The editor's note will explain the circumstances of its publication.

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A note from Karen Attiah, Washington Post Global Opinions editor

I received this column from Jamal Khashoggi’s translator and assistant the day after Jamal was reported missing in Istanbul. The Post held off publishing it because we hoped Jamal would come back to us so that he and I could edit it together. Now I have to accept: That is not going to happen. This is the last piece of his I will edit for The Post. This column perfectly captures his commitment and passion for freedom in the Arab world. A freedom he apparently gave his life for. I will be forever grateful he chose The Post as his final journalistic home one year ago and gave us the chance to work together.

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"I was recently online looking at the 2018 "Freedom in the World 'report' published by Freedom House and came to a grave realization. There is only one country in the Arab world that has been classified as 'free.'  That nation is Tunisia.   Jordan, Morocco and Kuwit come second, with a classification of 'partly free.' The rest of the countries in the Arab world are classified as 'not free.'

"As a result, Arabs living in these countries are either uninformed or misinformed. They are unable to adequately address, much less publicly discuss, matters that affect the region and their day-to-day lives. A state-run narrative dominates the public psyche, and while many do not believe it, a large majority of the population falls victim to this false narrative. Sadly, this situation is unlikely to change.

"The Arab world was ripe with hope during the spring of 2011. Journalists, academics and the general population were brimming with expectations of a bright and free Arab society within their respective countries. They expected to be emancipated from the hegemony of their governments and the consistent interventions and censorship of information. These expectations were quickly shattered; these societies either fell back to the old status quo or faced even harsher conditions than before.

"My dear friend, the prominent Saudi writer Saleh al-Shehi, wrote one of the most famous columns ever published in the Saudi press. He unfortunately is now serving an unwarranted five-year prison sentence for supposed comments contrary to the Saudi establishment. The Egyptian government’s seizure of the entire print run of a newspaper, al-Masry al Youm, did not enrage or provoke a reaction from colleagues. These actions no longer carry the consequence of a backlash from the international community. Instead, these actions may trigger condemnation quickly followed by silence.

"As a result, Arab governments have been given free rein to continue silencing the media at an increasing rate. There was a time when journalists believed the Internet would liberate information from the censorship and control associated with print media. But these governments, whose very existence relies on the control of information, have aggressively blocked the Internet. They have also arrested local reporters and pressured advertisers to harm the revenue of specific publications.

There are a few oases that continue to embody the spirit of the Arab Spring. Qatar’s government continues to support international news coverage, in contrast to its neighbors’ efforts to uphold the control of information to support the “old Arab order.” Even in Tunisia and Kuwait, where the press is considered at least “partly free,” the media focuses on domestic issues but not issues faced by the greater Arab world. They are hesitant to provide a platform for journalists from Saudi Arabia, Egypt and Yemen. Even Lebanon, the Arab world’s crown jewel when it comes to press freedom, has fallen victim to the polarization and influence of pro-Iran Hezbollah.

The Arab world is facing its own version of an Iron Curtain, imposed not by external actors but through domestic forces vying for power. During the Cold War, Radio Free Europe, which grew over the years into a critical institution, played an important role in fostering and sustaining the hope of freedom. Arabs need something similar. In 1967, the New York Times and The Post took joint ownership of the International Herald Tribune newspaper, which went on to become a platform for voices from around the world.

My publication, The Post, has taken the initiative to translate many of my pieces and publish then in Arabic.  For that, I am grateful. Arabs need to read in their own language so they can understand and discuss the various aspects and complications of democracy in the United States and the West. If an Egyptian reads an article exposing the actual cost of a construction project in Washington, then he or she would be able to better understand the implications of similar projects in his or her community.

The Arab world needs a modern version of the old transnational media so citizens can be informed about global events. More important, we need to provide a platform for Arab voices. We suffer from poverty, mismanagement and poor education. Through the creation of an independent international forum, isolated from the influence of nationalist governments spreading hate through propaganda, ordinary people in the Arab world would be able to address the structural problems their societies face."

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This reasoned voice of dissent, this restrained call for freedom -- this is what was so threatening to the young crown prince that he ordered the most heinous crime of murder and dismemberment.

And the president of the United States can barely bring himself to criticize the obvious perpetrator -- but wants to give him three more days to "conduct a complete investigation" . . . of himself?     And all Trump can think about is "I don't want to lose the $100 million weapons contract" they have promised.

For too long, we've said that Donald Trump has no moral sense.   That does not go far enough.   He has no soul.

Ralph