Jonathan Beale

A former British ambassador to Saudi Arabia told me that the Americans were given 24, 48 hours' notice that the war was going to take place, which was his way, I think MBS's way, of saying that he was independent from Washington. And 350,000 dead, perhaps. A large number of people killed either in the conflict itself or in the subsequent starvation of the people.

So an incredibly controversial war, which MBS has struggled to get himself out of.

So an incredibly controversial war, which MBS has struggled to get himself out of.

Yes, sure. So the Ritz-Carlton Hotel in downtown Riyadh became a prison, really. I mean, these businessmen, as you say, tycoons, including some of the richest people in the world, people like Prince Alwaleed bin Talal, who had flew around the world on his own jumbo jet. So all these businessmen were rounded up in what is colloquially known as the shakedown. And fleeced of their money.

Yes, sure. So the Ritz-Carlton Hotel in downtown Riyadh became a prison, really. I mean, these businessmen, as you say, tycoons, including some of the richest people in the world, people like Prince Alwaleed bin Talal, who had flew around the world on his own jumbo jet. So all these businessmen were rounded up in what is colloquially known as the shakedown. And fleeced of their money.

They were essentially told that unless they handed large sums to the state coffers, they couldn't leave. And MBS himself estimated that about $100 billion had been recouped for the Saudi treasury. MBS said, you know, this was his drive against corruption, against businessmen who'd been milking the state. And there's probably a great deal of truth in that.

They were essentially told that unless they handed large sums to the state coffers, they couldn't leave. And MBS himself estimated that about $100 billion had been recouped for the Saudi treasury. MBS said, you know, this was his drive against corruption, against businessmen who'd been milking the state. And there's probably a great deal of truth in that.

But it served a wider purpose, I think, which was about the consolidation of MBS's own power and just removing all the possible avenues that there could be in Saudi Arabia to move against him.

But it served a wider purpose, I think, which was about the consolidation of MBS's own power and just removing all the possible avenues that there could be in Saudi Arabia to move against him.

Well, this journalist, Jamal Khashoggi, walked into the Saudi consulate in Istanbul to get a piece of paper that proved that he was divorced because he wanted to marry a Turkish woman and show the Turkish woman's father that he wasn't married to anyone else.

Well, this journalist, Jamal Khashoggi, walked into the Saudi consulate in Istanbul to get a piece of paper that proved that he was divorced because he wanted to marry a Turkish woman and show the Turkish woman's father that he wasn't married to anyone else.

And he never came out again alive.

And he never came out again alive.

The Turks were bugging the Saudi consulate and they successfully recorded conversations in the lead up to the killing and indeed the killing itself, which they released to the international press. Astonishing move against the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.

The Turks were bugging the Saudi consulate and they successfully recorded conversations in the lead up to the killing and indeed the killing itself, which they released to the international press. Astonishing move against the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.

And to cut a long story short, Donald Trump, the president at the time, gave MBS a free pass in the sense that if you look at one of Bob Woodward's books on the first Trump presidency… He quotes Trump as saying, I saved his behind. Tell him he owes us one. In other words, Trump very much sort of took ownership of the fact that that MBS survived that scandal.

And to cut a long story short, Donald Trump, the president at the time, gave MBS a free pass in the sense that if you look at one of Bob Woodward's books on the first Trump presidency… He quotes Trump as saying, I saved his behind. Tell him he owes us one. In other words, Trump very much sort of took ownership of the fact that that MBS survived that scandal.

Although his successor, Joe Biden, published the intelligence into the killing scandal.

Although his successor, Joe Biden, published the intelligence into the killing scandal.

the operation to either capture or kill the journalist was most likely approved by the Saudi crown prince, simply down to his absolute control of the Saudi security services. And several of the men in the hit squad were bodyguards of the crown prince, and they were flying on diplomatic passports on a plane owned by the Saudi sovereign wealth fund.