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Having spent the last 2.5 years in the Kingdom as an architect, the word is that the reign of King Salman will not be a long one. He has suffered a major stroke already and is reported suffering from the onset of dementia. The greater question is how quickly the next generation of Princes can take the reins of governance. The current generation of the brothers of King Abdullah are almost extinct. The next generation will be in their 60’s and considerably less rigid, more Westernized and better educated. The US needs to speed the transition to this generation while maintaining the understanding that there are considerable forces of regression (fundamentalism) still deeply imbedded in Saudi society.

With the various forces now in place to *seriously* not just undermine, but to completely eliminate the House of Saud as a factor on the Arabian Peninsula, the reign of King Salman may be both much shorter than many think, and the final king from the House of Saud. Consider the following:

Isis has the House of Saud in its crosshairs, Iraq is within striking distance of Saudi Arabia, to its north and west...

The Houthis have essentially taken over Yemen, directly to the south. They are about 600 miles from the city of Mecca, and are supported by...

The Iranians, to the northeast, across the Persian Gulf. Iran may, or may not already possess a nuclear device, but at any rate is close to achieving one. Iranian naval assets are *already* in place in the Red Sea (on the opposite side of the country from where Iran faces Saudi Arabia) giving support to the Houthis.

I give Salman about nine months before the KSA is invaded in force by any, or all of these forces. Game, set, match...

the infowarrior