alfrombarking

What is really going on at Erga Palace in Riyadh? I just hope the wonks at foggy bottom in DC and ours at the FCO have a plan in the wake of of things turning out differently.


Story sounds like a plot out of The Game of Thrones

According to Alastair Crooke is a long-time observer of the ME. Here is what he recently wrote about SA:

"The third variable is Saudi Arabia. The Kingdom is becoming heavily extended financially in the face of the drop in crude prices. Linked to this, Saudi is over-extended politically: engaged in wars in Yemen, Syria, Iraq, Lebanon and Libya; and in ensuring the survival of President Sisi’s government. On top of this, the kingdom is being led by a young man, the King’s son, who has crossed every al-Saud family ‘red-line’: by not accommodating other family branches in a ‘balance’ of power; by persuading his father unilaterally to tear-up the succession arrangements; by refusing access to his father, by taking ARAMCO under his control; and above all, by launching and conducting the war in Yemen, without seeking, or obtaining, the family’s support. Reports are openly circulating within the al-Saud family (which are now public), calling for the King, Prince Mohammad and Prince Naif – the two crown princes – to be deposed".

Syria: The Strategic Site : Conflicts Forum

Growing princes' revolt could bring down Saudi Arabian king Salman | Daily Mail Online

Boomhauer

Inshallah the Sauds end up killing each other

scot47

The House of Saud is not loved by all in the Arab World. Within Saudi Arabia itself, at least among the majority Sunni population, they are popular. Or maybe just feared. Fear does play a part in most Arab polities.

Meow

Better the devil you know.

redShark

The Saud family are quite a weird and funny bunch. I personally view them in the same way an English person views America, basically it’s a mixed feelings. An English person knows too well that the well-being of America is particularly crucial for the survival of the Anglo-Saxon culture, but at the same time he just can’t agree with all what the Yanks are doing. That’s why I personally believe that the dilemma of the century would be if there was a serious conflict between America and Europe and Brits would need to make a choice between which side to be on! For Arabs, KSA is equally crucial for the well-being of the creed and the stability of the region but they just can’t agree with everything they do.

Tockalosh

I hope to God that England never has to rely upon the treacherous race across the water for the survival of it's culture.
Even though America will soon be spic and England will soon be Syrian: there will always be Lytham and where there is Lytham, there will be culture

shiva

given the rifts in Saudi and popular support for what we might deem less than reasonable people, we'd better hope that whatever happens its a vaguely moderate or at least sensible extreme side that takes over, the alternative is a nightmare to consider

Millhouse

Almost sensible and half right post.

The only difference, is that the Saudis are really universally disliked. The GCC generally hate them, the Pakis hate them (for different reasons), the west distrust them - I have actually not met anyone who openly likes the Saudis - they even, for the most part, dislike each other.

Saudis are like Earthworms - no one actually likes them, but we all recognize they are needed to keep the carbon cycle and food chain going so we don't kill them off.

Bahtatboy

The world could still function perfectly well without Saudi's input, and once Iran gets back on its feet I can imagine many countries preferring to buy their oil than the Saudis' if there was a need to. The small matter of arms sales might cloud the issue slightly.

And I like earthworms.

redShark

These kinds of anti-Saudis sentiments comes mainly from those who are jealous of them

Bahtatboy

We can understand that you're jealous of them.

However, if you look around you, there is not one single aspect of civilised life that you can see that is the product of anything the Saudis have (there is perhaps one, in a limited way, but it's highly unlikely that your limited thought processes will be able to identify it -- but go on, have a go at astounding us). Try to think what the west would be like if it was based on untold wealth available without effort. Just ponder that for a little while, and put a little thought into identifying one single aspect of western civilisation that would exist if people hadn't had to make an effort to improve their lot and that of those around them. And then compare the result with what Saudi Arabia has contributed to the world.

mikewot

For comedic value you are the gift that keeps on giving

redShark

I found that individuals who were brought up in council estate houses where they had to share a room, (or a box more like it) with other siblings, and were often fed on beans-on-toast as a main meal, given the parents were on state benefits, are the actual ones who have those kinds of ill feelings towards the Saudis who happen to live in big houses with maids and driven to schools in luxury cars.

How many siblings did you have to share a room with when you were (assuming you have grown by now) a kid ?

Bahtatboy

Responding to a question by asking a totally unrelated one is not a grown-up method of debate. Please grow up or **** off.

mikewot

I would have thought you were familiar with its MO by now? I will answer though.

Hhhhmmm, jealousy you think? I grew up in a council estate and shared a room with my two younger brothers. My parents worked though, they would rather have died than take any form of state benefits.
It was very obvious to me at a young age that if I wanted to better myself I had to do something more than the rest of the family and others around where I lived. No one in my family had been to university and the chances of me doing so were zero. So when I decided school had taught me all it could I left and joined the forces. I learnt a profession and when I left the services I carried on in civilian life. Then the Middle East was willing to pay me handsomely for my skills because they did not have them out here. So I came here and am putting those skills to good use for a lot more money than I would receive in Europe. I would venture to suggest that most, if not all of the UK posters on here have pulled themselves up by their bootstraps.
Compare and contrast lets say an average citizen of KSA (male obviously because females are only breeding stock). The family have everything, maids to look after every little thing, no one has to raise a finger. No need to worry about educating themselves at school, who cares if they have no skills because they have so much money they can bring in infidels to do the real work. The state provides everything they want in the way of medicine etc. and free money for a house blah blah blah.

Now which of us two is the more useful person? Which of us contributes to society instead of being a net drain on resources, like oxygen?