Troubling times in Saudi Arabia

BBC ^

[BlackJack]

For Saudi Arabia, these are testing times.

King Fahd's health is failing, the economy faces massive problems, al-Qaeda is stirring inside the country, the Americans want a war with Iraq next door.

And now, Saudi Arabia has been described by a respected US think thank as "a sponsor of terror at all levels" - could things get any worse?

Unfortunately for the Saudis, they probably will.

The country's biggest problem is the economy - there simply are not enough jobs to go around.

A huge portion of the national budget is swallowed up by civil service salaries, often for people who put in two hours work a day in token jobs that contribute little to the economy.

Meanwhile, oil revenues are shrinking in real terms, while the population is growing at nearly 4% a year.

Power struggle

Against this backdrop, there is a hidden power struggle going on between the senior ruling princes.

And the country as a whole is being pulled in opposite directions.

Liberal-minded professionals want to see it open up more to the rest of the world, but many religious conservatives would like it to shut its door to the West.

In recent weeks, the Islamists have grown bolder, openly voicing their hatred of America and its policies.

For the ruling al-Saud dynasty that must contend with all these problems, there is one consolation: they have no obvious rivals for power.

As much as people grumble about the extravagance and corruption of some of the thousands of princes, there does not appear to be any coherent plan to overthrow them.

But in the absence of any serious reform, that could change in the future.

[BlackJack]

Like a few of the princes died recently in suspicious circumstances. hmmmm

[F16Fighter]

In a land of oil, sand, and camels, of course the job market is tough. The Saudi could have invested in land use innovations like the Israelis, or developed various industry research with all their billions.

Instead, they chose to invest in harems, BMWs, terrorism and hate -- in the name of Islam.

[DainBramage]

This tells me that it's the perfect time to find ways to buy oil elsewhere, destabilize the country as much as possible, and either allow someone besides the House of Saud to run the place, or run it ourselves.

This family has for years openly laughed at us as we explored for oil, found oil, produced oil, made them rich, and then protected them over our own citizens.

They are as evil as the Iraqi's and Shrub knows it. As we say in Texas "Some people need killin'.".

[Selara]

Why are people of the "religion of peace" and the liberal "peace" activists, the most obnoxious, contentious and unhappy people on the face of the earth?

[Jack Black]

Well put. They did build some very impressive buildings, and the worlds largest desalination plant. Monarchys are not an acceptable form of Govt. in the 21st century, except possibly for the ceremonial British type, but even that is ridiculous and wrong to most Americans. Personally I think we should impose democracy on them and see what happens. Iraq is an excellent alternative, but the Arabs must be force marched into the present.

[yankeedame]

I read an article like this a few months back in The Economists, both were real eye openers. If the ruling family wishes to survive --literaly and physically-- they have little choice but to keep the troublemakers well funded, the militants busy, and the populace (a huge number of which are young males under 30 w/ no real job prospects) stirred up against the West. Anything to keep attention...and anger..away from them (the royal family).

[brewcrew]

The country's biggest problem is the economy - there simply are not enough jobs to go around.

Who needs a job when you get a huge monthly oil check just for being Saudi? The jobs that are disappearing are the jobs of servitude, occupied by Phillipinos, Indians, Pakistanis and Bangladeshis.

[BlackJack]

Bin Laden wants to return to Saudi like the Ayahtolla returned to Iran. I hear that Al Qaeda is operating in Yemen to destabilize
Saudi Arabia. Didn't Osama's family originally come from Yemen?

[MissAmericanPie]

They will reap what they have sown, and soon.

[SCHROLL]

Think of it this way, in legal parlance the Saudis are what amounts to unindicted co consprititors. We have the goods on them but right now we have bigger fish to fry. We'll get around to them before this is all over, bet on it.

[Redleg Duke]

That will be corrected when it is renamed "East Texas" after the next Iraq Operation.

[BlackJack]

Yes exactly. I hear the royal family is moving large amounts of money out of the country. Also....King Fahd has been in Switzerland
for a very long time now. Went for eye surgery and never came back.

[kinghorse]

Bin Laden aint showing his face anywhere anytime in his lifetime, even if he was alive, which he isn't. Bin Laden condemned his children and his children's children to death. The US won't rest until they have capped every last member of that part of the Bin Laden family tree.

Going back to Saudi Arabia like the Ayatollah came to Iran?

Hahahahahahahahah HA!

[jwh_Denver]

allow someone besides the House of Saud to run the place

The fundamentist Muslims will take control and turn into a more radical country. I don't know how much they can get worse but I'm sure they'll figure that out.

[F16Fighter]

" Personally I think we should impose democracy on them and see what happens. Iraq is an excellent alternative, but the Arabs must be force marched into the present.

I don't see how we can "impose" democracy upon any of the Middle Eastern countries as long as they abide by their calling to Islamic tenets of blind fanaticism and hatred. That will never change.

IMO, the Iranis are the best chance for democracy, but even they are a long-shot.

[F16Fighter]

"They will reap what they have sown, and soon."

It's called the "hammer of justice".

[MissAmericanPie]

Yes Sir.

[Salvey]

The fundamentist Muslims will take control and turn into a more radical country. I don't know how much they can get worse but I'm sure they'll figure that out.

That'll do the trick: after a good dose of fundamentalism, their people will grow restive, just as the young generations of Iranians, and will eventually overthrow the new batch of tyrants.

[DainBramage]

Bin Laden is dead IMO, but if he were alive and try to run Saudi Arabia, we would then know his where abouts and blast him to kingdom come.

The one to watch is Jordan. He has all the makings of a traitor to us and on Biblical proportions.

[river rat]

The House of Saud is the diseased whore that gave birth to and sustains radical/militant Islam...
The two faced lying bitch has earned our hatred, and deserves our vengence..
Semper Fi