1. For SAUDI ARABIA, give the following information:

1. capital
2. location/the countries that share its borders
3. the religious breakdown of the population
4. the type of government
5. the chief of state (and head of government if different) If monarch or dictator, since what date has he/she ruled? – include name of heir apparent for monarch
6. the population

Find the answers at the CIA World FactBook website. For each country, answers can be found under the “Geography” “People” and “Government” headings.

NOTE: Before answering the questions below, read the “Background” and watch the videos under “Resources.”

2. For SAUDI ARABIA:
a) list the who, what, where and when of the news item
b) What did King Salman tell President Trump when questioned about the disappearance?
c) What do Turkish officials say happened to Mr. Kashoggi?
d) What response did President Trump say the U.S. would take if the Saudi government was responsible for Kashoggi’s murder?
e) Following the disappearance of Kashoggi, when questioned by reporters, President Trump said that he is against cancelling a $110 billion arms deal with Saudi Arabia because of the presumed murder of the journalist. He said,

“We'll have to make a determination. I do think this: …the order for the military [is] $110 billion. …if they don't buy it from us, they're going to buy it from Russia or they're going to buy it from China, or they're going to buy it from other countries. Russia and China wanted it very badly...I would -- from the standpoint of jobs, economic development, a lot of other reasons, I would like to do something where we could maybe look at other things, because that's a tremendous order for our companies. It's a tremendous order from an economic development standpoint.”

The president said by taking such a step, the US would be hurting itself.

"I actually think we'd be punishing ourselves if we did that. There are other things we can do that are very, very powerful, very strong…” he said.

In addition to the $110 billion arms deal, Trump said the Saudis are going to invest $450 billion in the US through their companies. "And all of these -- Raytheon, and General Electric, and General Motors -- they were there getting contracts for $25 billion, $30 billion, $40 billion…” he said.

President Trump sent U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo to Saudi Arabia today to speak directly with King Salman to get to the bottom of the disappearance of Kashoggi.
Ask a parent: Do you think the Trump administration should have canceled the deals with Saudi Arabia right now? Please explain your answer.   --If it turns out that Saudi Arabia admits to the killing, or the audio from the consulate is released proving he was killed by Saudis, would you change your answer? Please explain.

CHALLENGE: This is a most horrific story. If Kashoggi was really murdered, and in such a manner, and MbS (Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud) is behind his murder, readers have suggested his father the King should remove him from his position. (Don’t expect more than that - it is Saudi Arabia.) (Read the UK Spectator article “Death of a dissident: Saudi Arabia and the rise of the mobster state.”  Why do you think the media omitted Kashoggi’s link to the Muslim Brotherhood?