Here’s some interesting things to consider about the New King Salman bin Abdul-Aziz Al Saud, 79.
The new king’s health has been a question of concern. He suffered at least one stroke that has left him with limited movement on his left arm. Some rumors he has Alzeheimer’s.
A veteran of the country’s top leadership, versed in diplomacy from nearly 50 years as the governor of the capital Riyadh.
Known as a mediator of disputes within the royal family.
Has been increasingly taken on the duties of the king over the past year as Abdullah became more incapacitated.
Salman had served as defense minister since 2011 and so was head of the military as Saudi Arabia joined the United States and other Arab countries in carrying out airstrikes in Syria in 2014 against the Islamic State, the Sunni militant group that the kingdom began to see as a threat to its own stability.
Saudi has been trying to navigate social pressures from a burgeoning youth population (over half the population of 20 million is under 25)...... increasingly testing boundaries of speech on the Internet where criticism of the royal family is rife.
Thanks.. so we know how his kid was raised, diplomacy and defense.