Monday August 1, 2005

I've Been Thinking:

King Fahd of Saudi Arabia died this morning.
He ruled for 23 years, ascending to power in 1982.
The transition of power in Saudi Arabia will be smooth.
The Crown Prince has been the effective leader for at least the past 10 years.
Do not expect any major changes in Saudi policy.

The Saudis have mastered the balance:
They satisfy the demands of the West
They sell as much oil as is possible
They support religious extremist Wahabi Islam from the inside.

The House of Saud is about stability and continuity.
It is not about change and revolution.

How do they do it? First they preserve power, next they maximize oil revenues, then they teach Islam.
The Islam the Saudis teach in schools stimulates and creates a religious environment that endangers both their own existence and the West.

Why do they do it? It is who the Saudis are, it is what they are made of.
Part special balance, part self-destruction, part true belief in Islam.