LTE: The U.S.-Saudi relationship

The savage murder of the Washington Post columnist Jamal Khashoggi in an operation planned by the Saudi government was an appalling crime. You should be commended for continuing to call for justice against the perpetrators.

But Mr. Khashoggi’s killing is not the end of the story. Under Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, Saudi Arabia has proved to be a purveyor of instability in the Middle East.

Whether it includes a war in Yemen that has resulted in a humanitarian crisis, the kidnapping of the Lebanese prime minister or an embargo on Qatar that has divided the Gulf Cooperation Council, the time has come for the United States to undergo a strategic re-evaluation of its relationship with Riyadh.

Despite what the Trump administration says, Saudi Arabia is not an ally. When national security interests coincide, Washington should cooperate with the Saudis as it would with any country that shares similar goals. But when those interests diverge, Washington should show the courage to go its own way. Lawmakers on Capitol Hill are increasingly coming to this very conclusion.