Posted on 11/05/2017 1:38:29 PM PST by RoosterRedux
EVEN by recent standards, it was a dizzying Saturday in Saudi Arabia. On November 4th the kingdom announced that scores of people had been held in a massive anti-corruption sweep. The marquee name was Prince Waleed bin Talal, the billionaire businessman and investor. But the detainees also include ten other princes; dozens of current and former ministers; the chairman of the Saudi Binladin Group, a construction conglomerate; and the owner of MBC, the largest satellite network in the Middle East. Some are reportedly being held in Riyadh’s opulent Ritz-Carlton, which told paying guests to leave and stopped accepting new bookings. Private jets were grounded in a bid to stop wealthy businessmen from leaving the kingdom.
This is already a fraught moment for Saudi Arabia, even without the palace intrigue. A ruinous two-and-a-half-year war in Yemen, meant to topple Houthi rebels who ousted the government in 2015, has plunged that country into a humanitarian crisis. Though the Houthis have lost territory, they still control Sana’a, the capital, and most of northern Yemen. As the Saudi shake-up began on Saturday night, they fired a ballistic missile at Riyadh. (It was intercepted.) Just as unsuccessful is the five-month-old blockade of Qatar, which was meant to force the gas-rich emirate to drop its support for Islamist groups. Meanwhile Saudi Arabia’s arch-rival, Iran, is gaining influence across the region. Indeed, Saturday’s wild news started with the resignation of Saad Hariri, Lebanon’s pro-Saudi prime minister. Mr Hariri announced the move from Riyadh, blaming Iran’s malign influence on his country.
(Excerpt) Read more at economist.com ...
WINNING!
I haven’t a clue what any of this means or the good princes vs the bad...any explanations would be great.
Just read all the articles posted (not many) on this subject today at FR and you will be an expert.
Ok thanks
There is a massive clean-up to be done if Saudi Arabia is to be governed in a sane way that will still be going strong after the oil revenues go away. I’m hoping that this is just a sign of this leader reading the writing on the wall and responding with unusual honesty.
The Economist is the mouthpiece of statist, printed-money globalists.
I meant to respond, but failed to, that MBS is probably responding to movements in the country and not initiating these actions.
King Salman is reportedly in declining mental health and therefore there is a battle for turf.
MBS is merely consolidating his power.
There was even a rumor of a coup attempt.
I have read reports that indicate that 51% percent of the population is under 25 y/o (source). That is the future of the Kingdom and MBS knows it.
This is a dangerous period for the Kingdom, but MBS has Trump on his side.
See title.
Well, I wish him the best. What a spot to be in though.
Without tough spots, leaders would not be refined in the heat of battle.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.