One fatal decision and Saudi Arabia's standing falls to rock bottom

The suspected brutal torture and murder of Jamal Khashoggi, the dissident Saudi Arabian journalist, will cause a longlasting and damaging effect on relations between the royal kingdom and every other country in the world that does business with them. The repercussions, if foul murder is proven, will destroy the reputation of Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman and could even lead to his ousting if it turns out he and he alone ordered this gross killing. When he was selected to be the heir apparent there were genuine hopes in the West that he would bring reforms so vitally needed for Saudi Arabia. He made a good although ruthless start by arresting masses of princes and top businessmen and accused them of corruption, although rather than put them in jail they were housed in a luxury hotel and not allowed out until they had paid billions of dollars into government funds. Then women were allowed to drive for the first time in the kingdom's history. But power is corrupting. Khashoggi had become a hate figure for the Saudi royals for being so outspokenly critical, and doing it from a safe distance in exile in the US. Someone in the hierarchy must have decided to bring such criticism to an end. The Turkish authorities have been extraordinarily revealing about what they know about Khashoggi's disappearance, including the startling claim that they have audio tapes of the journalist being physically restrained, interrogated, tortured and finally killed. It was a shocking revelation. The Saudis have denied all knowledge of the murder and insist Khashoggi left the consulate in Istanbul the way he entered it - out of the front door. But while there is CCTV of him going in there is no CCTV of him leaving. The unavoidabe conclusion is that the Saudi government is lying. All the focus now seems to be on what Donald Trump will do to punish Saudi Arabia if the Turkish evidence turns out to be accurate. But it cannot just be a matter for Trump. This is an issue for all western leaders who rely on Saudi Arabia for oil and fat defence contracts.