News host Maria Bartiromo said America has done business with “amoral people across the world” for years and hasn’t let their questionable behavior conflict with its global agenda.
Bartiromo was discussing the disappearance of Saudi journalist and dissident Jamal Khashoggi with GOP Rep. Peter King of New York and said this isn’t the first time America has dealt with bad actors.
“This is the balance that we want,” Bartiromo said on Fox Business’ “Mornings with Maria” Tuesday. (RELATED: Maria Bartiromo Laments Low Point Of Donald Trump’s Presidency)
“Because you said that the Saudis — you always thought that they were amoral. We do business and partnerships with other amoral people, across the world let’s not forget that,” she said.
Khashoggi was also a contributor for The Washington Post and was reportedly lured into a diplomatic facility and murdered. It’s also been reported the Saudi government will claim he was killed during a botched interrogation.
Bartiromo said despite America’s past dealings, the death of Khashoggi is a “disappointment” because it dampens any hope for stability in the region.
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“But, at the same time, this was a real disappointment because this was our last hope of any stability in the Middle East to fight back on the terrorists from Iran,” she continued. “Do you walk away from that when you know that we needed that partnership with Saudis to fight the terrorists in Iran?”
“We have to find a way to keep the relationship with the Saudis, but letting them know that they need us more than we need them,” King replied. “We can’t give any impression we are dependent on them.”
King also suggested putting Saudi Arabia on probation and said the punishment must be swift and public, to show the U.S. won’t tolerate such behavior in the future.
“Put them on some sort of probation if you will, because we can’t allow this to go on. If it happened behind closed doors and no one knew about it, that’s bad enough. But to let the world see what happened here and for us silent is just wrong,” he said, adding:
“We have to do more than a slap on wrist. It has to be punitive. We have to find someway to get back at them and make it clear that this is intolerable and can’t go forward.”
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