(CNN) Saudi Arabia's Crown Prince Muhammad bin Salman approved an operation that led to journalist Jamal Khashoggi's brutal assassination in 2018, according to a declassified US intelligence report the Biden administration released on Friday. The then-Saudi ambassador to the United States, Prince Khalid bin Salman, who is MBS's brother, quickly said claims that Saudi Arabia killed or detained Khashoggi were "absolutely false, and baseless." This was the beginning of a series of lies, cover stories and rationalizations that the Saudi government told about Khashoggi's murder. In any case, our relationship is with the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia." Having enjoyed a very close relationship with the Trump administration, the Saudis are now getting just a taste of what could be a recalibrated relationship with the Biden administration.

Source: The Nation February 27, 2021 18:22 UTC