The killing of Saudi Arabian dissident and Washington Post contributor Jamal Khashoggi on Oct. 2 at the Saudi consulate in Istanbul, Turkey, is an outrageous event that should trigger a full and independent United Nations investigation as well as a probe by the U.S. government. There are reasons to be cynical about the U.S.-Saudi relationship and to see Khashoggi's murder as part of a continuum of bad Saudi behavior that has long been overlooked by U.S. leaders because of the importance of the Washington-Riyadh relationship. In Yemen, for example, a Saudi-led coalition is credibly accused of war crimes that have killed thousands of civilians.
But at a time when democracy seems in retreat in parts of the world, allowing a powerful nation to kill a prominent critic without consequence is a horrible idea. Yet a proper U.S. government response to Khashoggi's murder isn't just about holding the Saudis to account. It would also be a healthy counterpoint to President Donald Trump's campaign to fan hatred of the media and to his recent joking about a congressman's assault on a reporter.
Many conservatives believe Trump will get bad coverage no matter what he does. But Trump's rhetoric could turn this animus into something awful. If his administration undertook far-reaching efforts to hold the Saudis responsible for the killing of a critical journalist, that would send a welcome message.
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