... oops, wrong thread.
Posted on 04/29/2005 11:01:02 AM PDT by HAL9000
Riyadh, 29 April (AKI) - Saudi Arabia's Crown Prince Abdullah's visit to the United States this week to discuss oil matters with President George W. Bush, took place amid growing speculation back home that the bed-ridden King Fahd's condition has worsened with the monarch slipping out of conciousness. Speculation is rife among Riyadh's ruling elite of Fahd's clinical death - but even if this were true, any official announcement would delayed until a final decision on Fahd's successor has been taken. Sources close to the Saudi royal family told Adnkronos International about the "suspicious" disappearance of King Fahd from public scene in the last ten days. At the same time, the sources have noted frantic activity involving the Seven Sudaris - the seven sons of King Abdul Aziz's wife, who hailed from Saudi Arabia's Sudari tribe, around whom the succession question revolves - King Fahd and Defence Minister Prince Sultan Bin Abdul Aziz are two of the most powerful Sudari sevens.Crown Prince Abdullah - who is Fahd's half brother - has long been touted to ascend the throne, but well placed sources maintain that there is resistance from other Sudari sevens members who favour closer ties with the West, something which Abdullah, who is very popular among Saudi religious circles, seems reluctant to cultivate. However, past efforts to promote the more Western-friendly defence minister Prince Sultan as Crown Prince instead of Abdullah failed because of division among the Sudaris.
Abdullah seems likely to remain the main beneficiary of internal Sudari squabbling, and already three years ago, he set up a Royal Council including all the 65 sons of the late King Abdul Aziz to settle all disputes related to the monarchy.
It is believed that Abdullah is more acceptable to the majority of the Royal Council members than any other candidate. Hower, the succession is unlikely to be smooth and a new phase of conflict could start in oil-rich Saudi Arabia, also a strategic hub in the war against terrorism given the Saudi origins of most of the September 11, 2001 hijackers, and Osama bin Laden is thought to have many supporters in the country's military and religious establishments.
Hrmmm I may need a moist towelette.
About ten years ago I worked for a year in Saudi. I saw a few teen boys holding hands, but don't recall any others. However, I worked in an engineering office and it was different from the general population.
Never the less, the Crown Prince is getting old and it was very apparent that part of the reason for the hand holding was to steady him. I heard today that rather than age 78 as I stated, he is actually in his eighties.
He can't be clinically dead until Judge Greer has been consulted.
Yes! Yes! That's what I've been saying all along. Take over the oil and gas fields and manage them the right way, the way only Americans can do correctly. Free market, lower gas/oil prices, win-win. We have paid for it with our blood, it's ours, don't be shy now...OK libs, here I am, start screaming, I WELCOME it, pansy b*****ds.
SEVEN grandgirls!
You are truly blessed!!!
I've got two grandsons and two granddaughters - and wish I had at least 10 granddaughters, spaced about 1 year apart..
Grandsons are great, but granddaughters are pure JOY...
Semper Fi
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