King Abdullah dies

[Pretty Boy]

King Abdullah of Saudi Arabia has died.

Will be an interesting few months ahead given the perceived threat of Al Qaeda and IS in Saudi Arabia.

As strange as it is to western eyes Abdullah was often criticised by conservatives in Saudi for being a bit too liberal, will be worth watching to see if his predecessor adopts a harder line to appease sympathisers of the aforementioned groups within Saudi.

[NAE NOOKIE]

King Abdullah of Saudi Arabia has died.

Will be an interesting few months ahead given the perceived threat of Al Qaeda and IS in Saudi Arabia.

As strange as it is to western eyes Abdullah was often criticised by conservatives in Saudi for being a bit too liberal, will be worth watching to see if his predecessor adopts a harder line to appease sympathisers of the aforementioned groups within Saudi.

I bow to your greater knowledge PB .... But from an outsiders point of view, if that was an example of a Liberal regime the good people of Saudi Arabia are in for 'interesting' times.

[johnbc70]

The relationship between Saudi and the West baffles me a little. Their human rights record is shocking but nobody seems to mention that, of all the 9/11 hijackers were not they all nearly born in Saudi, a lot of funding for terrorist activities comes from the region I believe yet they remain a 'friend' of the west. I assume cause they spend so much on defence and control so much of the world's oil supply so we turn a blind eye?

Oh and where did Bin Laden come from?

[NAE NOOKIE]

The relationship between Saudi and the West baffles me a little. Their human rights record is shocking but nobody seems to mention that, of all the 9/11 hijackers were not they all nearly born in Saudi, a lot of funding for terrorist activities comes from the region I believe yet they remain a 'friend' of the west. I assume cause they spend so much on defence and control so much of the world's oil supply so we turn a blind eye?

Oh and where did Bin Laden come from?

Bingo !

[Pretty Boy]

I bow to your greater knowledge PB .... But from an outsiders point of view, if that was an example of a Liberal regime the good people of Saudi Arabia are in for 'interesting' times.

He certainly wasn't liberal by any definition of the word that we would comprehend. However he did allow a level of criticism of the government in the Saudi press (a total no go under his predecessors) and privately argued within the family the case for women to be allowed to work, he allowed female athletes to represent Saudi Arabia at the Olympics and allowed limited female voting in municipal elections. He appointed his son in law as minister of educatiom and a woman as his deputy which was seen as something of a pro reform move as she was US educated. He also brought about some deregulation of Saudi business to try andake it easier for individuals to start a business in the country without so much red tape. He overhauled the judicial system with retraining of judges (still strictly bound by Sharia Law) and he appointed a new head of the Department of Vice and Virtue who was seen, by Saudi standards, as more liberal than his predecessor.

Of course the Saudi record on human rights is utterly appaling and it's still a deeply conservative country but by the standards previously set he was somewhat more liberal than others had been.

[DH1875]

Does Saudi have nuclear weapons?

[Pretty Boy]

Does Saudi have nuclear weapons?

Bit of a grey area.

They signed the Non Proliferation Treaty and regularly call for a nuclear free Middle Eastas part of a coalition of states.

However it's long been reported they have tried to purchase a warhead from elsewhere. Their reasoning is if the rest of the Middle East isn't nuclear free (specifically Israel and Iran) then they need and are entitled to a deterent. It's pretty much accepted they have financed Pakistans nuclear programme and part of that deal is that they can have a warhead as and when they want it. They definitely have misiles capable of supporting a nuclear weapon.

[johnbc70]

David Cameron and Prince Charles going to Saudi to pay their respects.

[Colr]

He certainly wasn't liberal by any definition of the word that we would comprehend. However he did allow a level of criticism of the government in the Saudi press (a total no go under his predecessors) and privately argued within the family the case for women to be allowed to work, he allowed female athletes to represent Saudi Arabia at the Olympics and allowed limited female voting in municipal elections. He appointed his son in law as minister of educatiom and a woman as his deputy which was seen as something of a pro reform move as she was US educated. He also brought about some deregulation of Saudi business to try andake it easier for individuals to start a business in the country without so much red tape. He overhauled the judicial system with retraining of judges (still strictly bound by Sharia Law) and he appointed a new head of the Department of Vice and Virtue who was seen, by Saudi standards, as more liberal than his predecessor.

Of course the Saudi record on human rights is utterly appaling and it's still a deeply conservative country but by the standards previously set he was somewhat more liberal than others had been.


They walk a tight rope with reform given the power of the religious establishment and the ever present threat of religious uprisings. We forget sometimes that these countries have yet to experience the benefit of the Enlightenment.

[HappyAsHellas]

The biggest problem they have is a very young population who are largely unemployed. This, as in all societies, provides a good breeding ground for discontent. Being a bit more liberal is unlikely to change anything over there - they have to get rid of the hundreds of thousands of primarily Asian ex pat workers and try and get their own people to perform what they see as menial tasks. Neither Fahd nor Abdullah could manage it and I don't fancy the new boys chances either.

[Colr]

The biggest problem they have is a very young population who are largely unemployed. This, as in all societies, provides a good breeding ground for discontent. Being a bit more liberal is unlikely to change anything over there - they have to get rid of the hundreds of thousands of primarily Asian ex pat workers and try and get their own people to perform what they see as menial tasks. Neither Fahd nor Abdullah could manage it and I don't fancy the new boys chances either.

A large amount of young men can lead to unrest. 1968?

[heretoday]

David Cameron and Prince Charles going to Saudi to pay their respects.

I'm surprised we didn't have the obligatory 45 seconds of applause/silence before our matches this weekend.

[Colr]

I'm surprised we didn't have the obligatory 45 seconds of applause/silence before our matches this weekend.

I find the insistance on these acts at football for almost any event inappropriate.

[heretoday]

I find the insistance on these acts at football for almost any event inappropriate.


I quite agree. Exceptions for servants of the club.