Gina Haspel is sworn in to testify at her Senate confirmation hearing in May. Aaron Bernstein / Reuters
Krishnadev Calamur and Kathy Gilsinan, The Atlantic: The Coming Senate Showdown Over Saudi Arabia
Republican senators positioned themselves against the White House after the CIA director testified about Jamal Khashoggi’s death.
Senate leaders are pitted against the White House in an escalating battle over whether Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman himself ordered the hit on the Saudi journalist Jamal Khashoggi. That split grew into a chasm on Tuesday, after CIA Director Gina Haspel briefed select Senate leaders on her agency’s conclusions.
Her closed-door testimony followed separate briefings from Secretary of State Mike Pompeo and Secretary of Defense James Mattis last week. Though both officials stated then that there was no direct proof of the crown prince’s involvement, senators from both parties cast doubt on that conclusion in public remarks afterward.
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Commentaries, Analysis, And Editorials -- December 4, 2018
Can the United States Prevent Saudi Arabia from Getting Nuclear Weapons? -- Emily B. Landau & Shimon Stein, National Interest
What Happens After the Trump-Xi G20 Summit? -- Paul J. Smith, National Interest
The China trade reality show -- David P. Goldman, Asia Times
The US and China are headed for a showdown. Do the American people care? -- Harry J. Kazianis, Spectator
Beijing may be ‘testing Tokyo’s resolve’ with drilling missions in contested parts of East China Sea -- Julian Ryall, SCMP
China has been welcomed into the liberal world order, but it isn't held to the same standard -- Kori Schake, ABC News Online
Embrace the Moon Miracle: Why Trump Should Let the Koreas Build Peace -- Daniel R. DePetris, National Interest
Behold the rise of Cambodia’s political princelings -- David Hutt, Asia Times
Emmanuel Macron has united France against him -- Jonathan Miller, The Spectator
Macron, What Now? France Faces Worst Social Unrest Since 1968 -- Jérôme Fenoglio. World Crunch/Le Monde
Boiling Over in Paris: Anger at a tax hike has turned into violence and mayhem. -- Theodore Dalrymple, CJ
Vox shocks Spain -- Diego Torres, Politico
US-Mexico relations: Will AMLO bring a new era? -- Tessa Clara Walther, DW
