Jamal Khashoggi, and his billionaire uncle Adnan Khashoggi, have been players in the Intel Community for decades.
We will never know for sure all the details of what went on with him. That is how it is in that world - story on top of story, with opposed professionals planting and spinning endlessly.
But there are big things afoot, which could prompt some Foreign Intelligence Services, or foreign leaders, to make some particularly extraordinary efforts.
- We are entering a critical period for the elections in the USA, and Trump is really shaking up the status quo for a lot of (all) big players. The Left wants to avoid prosecution/gain power, and China wants to maintain its trade revenues.
- Days before that election, full sanctions hit the Iranian regime - the biggest existential threat to that regime since its founding.
- Saudi Arabia is nearing an epochal transfer of the all-powerful kingship to a new a generation, which will effect the direction on the country, it huge fortune, and its influence on the world, for decades to come. Some competing interests would strongly want something to keep MBS from the throne.
The stakes are exceptionally high - long term, strategic stakes. It is the high point of risk and opportunity for senior Intelligence officials around the world, to influence events in their favor - the greatest battle in the career of some of them.
Risks will be taken, and lots of resources will be available to confuse the issue.
Excellent overview, thanks!! A lot of balls in the air at once.... David Ignatius (CIA stooge) of WaPo has some fervent quotes supporting Khashoggi and giving the CNN/WaPo version of the story. That only makes me more suspicious, not less, thank you David Ignatius. He is a reliable channel in the MSM for certain CIA interests which are not necessarily good AMERICAN interests.