Authoritarian states

Nope. Not buying this one. From CNN:

The Saudis are preparing a report that will acknowledge that Saudi journalist Jamal Khashoggi's death was the result of an interrogation that went wrong, one that was intended to lead to his abduction from Turkey, according to two sources. One source says the report will likely conclude that the operation was carried out without clearance and transparency and that those involved will be held responsible.

Translation: One of the rogue dudes who flew to Turkey on a government plane was cleaning his bone saw when it accidentally discharged.

[...]

Earlier Monday, President Donald Trump suggested that "rogue killers" could be behind Khashoggi's disappearance, after a phone call with Saudi Arabia's King Salman about the case. Trump said King Salman told him "in a very firm way that they had no knowledge of it." Later Monday, Trump said he had seen the latest media reports. But he said he did not know if the report is accurate or just "rumor." The President said he remains eager to get to the bottom of what happened to Khashoggi. He noted that Turkey and Saudi Arabia are "working together" to determine what happened.

Translation: I must consult the orb—and the French Impressionists who keep my books—to resolve this dispute between my presidential idol who runs Turkey and my son-in-law's sugar daddy who runs Saudi Arabia. Big, beautiful clean coal!

The age of impunity rolls on. Leaders of democracies—putative and otherwise—feel free to float the most obvious lies to their people in the same way that the leaders of authoritarian satrapies do. It's hard to know when and where we passed over this line.

  Charles P Pierce

All presidents in my lifetime have lied, but the lying with impunity may have started with Reagan and Iran-Contra. It became obvious and oft-employed, however, in Dubya Bush's term. Trump is the master.

Safety Tip for Citizens of a Democracy: The bone saw is always loaded.