American presidents, they said, have little choice but to interact with sometimes loathsome figures in the pursuit of larger goals vital to the national security of the United States. Saudi Arabia, they said, has been the linchpin of American influence in the Middle East and energy security for decades. President Vladimir V. Putin has presided over a crackdown in Russia and has been blamed for the deaths of some journalists and political opponents. Mr. Khashoggi was killed last October when he visited the Saudi consulate in Istanbul, Turkey, seeking papers to allow him to get married. A hit team flown in from Saudi Arabia awaited him, referring to him as the “sacrificial animal.” He was then dismembered with a bone saw and his remains have yet to be recovered.

Source: International New York Times June 28, 2019 23:26 UTC