By ann summers

Disinformation is getting a bad name these days, but then again isn’t bad naming what it’s about?

Saudi Arabia’s cascade of excuses for killing Jamal Khashoggi hinge on not making it seem like an official act, but a misadventure, performed by rogue elements somehow not related to the object of his media criticism, the Saudi Crown Prince.

Because making it sound like involuntary manslaughter and not murder won’t make it less a slaughter. Or an assassination attractive to a POTUS* who has proclaimed the press an “enemy of the people”, because as he has stated, Khashoggi’s status as a US permanent resident and “not a US citizen” apparently made him less important.

After denying any involvement in the 59-year-old’s disappearance for two weeks, Saudi Arabia on Saturday said Khashoggi, a critic of the crown prince, had died during a fight in the building.

An hour later, another Saudi official attributed the death to a chokehold.

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A Saudi official has told ABC News that Jamal Khashoggi was killed when he was “placed in a chokehold position” to prevent him from leaving the country’s consulate in Turkey and calling for help.

After Khashoggi was reported missing, the Saudi government initially said Khashoggi had come out of the consulate the same day.

Two weeks later, on this past Friday, the country’s public prosecutor said an initial investigation revealed that discussions between Khashoggi and the individuals who met with him at the consulate led to an argument and a fistfight, which resulted in the journalist’s death, according to the Arabic report in the Saudi Press Agency. (The English version said “brawl,” but the Arabic version said “fistfight.”)

​That Khashoggi story now has become further massaged by official Saudi sources as 18 have now been arrested and two officials fired. Apparently the Saudis know how to “Kavanugh” a cause of violence.

Except now there was no dismemberment of Khashoggi and rugs were involved, even as that rolled-up body has yet to be found.

Because Khashoggi was put in a chokehold and went over the top rope, after hitting his head on the turnbuckle?

Much like in the US, suspects die from police chokeholds because they were responsible for controlling their resistance, maybe Khashoggi caused his death from noncompliance with his rendition. “Stop resisting!” will be heard on Sideshow Ed Whelan’s version of the tape.

Pretty soon the Saudis could claim that helium and a plastic bag was involved. Plastic definitely because what self-respecting forensic pathologist is going to stand around dismembering a body on a stereotypic clue like a middle-eastern rug.

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