Salman of Saudi Arabia, a different king, but can he deliver?

[galbeedi]

 

 

King Salman bin Abdul-Aziz Al-Saud is the last ruler among the 45 sons of King Abdul-Aziz Al-Saud, founder of The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. Among The Sudairy seven brothers, King Fahd was the oldest, while Salman was the second youngest. Of those who were born in the twenties, thirties and early nineteen forties, he will represent the last generation of Saudi princes who are in their late seventies and early eighties. The new king himself is 80 years old. The old guard is out.

 

He is considered as one of few hard working among Saudi princes. AS governor of Riyadh province for almost 50 years, he transformed the region as one of the most advanced in terms infrastructure, education , business and tourism. He advised his brothers who ruled the country and watched their performance for fifty years. He contributed to charities in foreign poor countries. In all accounts, he is not a playboy like his older brother Fahd, and not too lazy, complacent, sick and senile as the last king Abdullah, who ruled until he died at the age 90.

 

No one notices or talks about these old kings except when they die or crowned as rulers. In 2016 that is about to change. Almost everyone around the world have noticed the global nature of the world. information technology and trade has transformed the world. Conflicts, natural disasters and human events are felt within the global village as they happen and are streamlined live for everyone to see. The Saudis and the gulf monarchs thought that by shielding themselves from the world , and rejecting democracy, human right, modernity, accountability and the generational change that is sweeping nations around the world, they could remain inside the feudal bubble created by their ancestors. By enjoying their petro dollars within their borders and spree spending the rest of their wealth around the globe like drunken sailors , and buying loyalties from others powers, would save them from the turmoil and conflicts ravaging their neighbors and around the region. Rather than keep the Wahabi ideology--which perfectly fits to their closed feudal society---they exported in conflict zones with deadly consequences.

 

 

 

They watched as their neighbors fall like dominos one after another. After dictator Saddam was removed - he was the greatest barrier to Shia dominated Iran- they did not raise their voice or proposed alternatives to the Iran backed Shia parties. The Shia leaders of Iraq protested loudly if any one among their neighbors involved in their affaires, but welcomed Iran from the back door. To confront this alliances, the Sunnis who did not had any meaningful support, were hijacked by terrorist groups like Al-Qaeda who bombed markets, innocent civilians and government forces alike. From 2004-2008, this Sunni insurgencies created unparalleled suffering for both the Iraqi people and the coalition forces. For Al-Qaeda and it's followers, the suffering, the death and destruction of the Sunni population, was simply a collateral damage for their goal creating chaos among the middle east and Africa. The United States and the coalition forces, with help of Sunni tribesmen defeated the Al-Qaeda affiliated groups from Anbar and other provinces to salvage the remaining Sunni community from destruction. Although the invasion of Iraq by America was the biggest calamity in the region, I am one of those who believe the over throw of Saddam could have happened regardless of who became President in America.

 

 

Rather than incorporate the Sunnis to the Government and build a non sectarian national government , the Shia led government used both the national army and illegal sectarian militia, to target and eliminate all Sunni voices regardless of terrorist connection or not. To confront this Shia hegemony, the response of the Saudis were to arm few Sunni tribes and send Saudi Wahhabis, misfits and criminals in their jails to Iraq to fight the government forces. Rather than implement a wide regional strategy to help those seeking change both in Syria and Iraq , they just sent weapons to the narrow minded sectarians who do not have the wider support of the people.

 

 

Even when these Sunni tribes, Baathists and Salafis were winning both in Iraq and Syria, they found a way to throw away all that success and confront the international community in a dramatic way that no one have ever seen before in their life times. They could have told the world that, the Sunni population will no longer suffer under the yolk of Iran inspired Shia governments of Assad and Iraq, and are seeking protection and cooperation with both the Arab world and the international community. They found a way to crown a self appointed Amir. He never mentioned the suffering of his people , he never proposed the partition of Iraq to save his community, nor he sent an olive branch of hope to the world. Like most Arab despots of his time, he declared himself the Amir of all Muslim faithful around the world. These Arabs always find a way to portrait every sectarian and regional conflicts among them as some sort of an issue facing the Billion and half Muslims of the world. They are not even 25% of the total Muslim population of the world. When he was confronted, his answer was beheading of the innocent hostages while the camera was rolling. He found an ally and willing propagandists among the American cable news who told us about the birth of the so called ISIS . The rest is history. The gulf nations watched as these events unfold.

 

 

Iran on the other hand, claims to be a friend of Muslim revolutionary movements around the world especially those seeking change among the Arab countries and the Palestinian territories. At the same time, for the last four years , they spent blood and treasure to keep Assad in power, facilitate the killing of hundreds of thousands and uprooting millions of civilians from their homes. They are willing to shed as much blood as possible to keep a small Shia minority, who are 10% of the population to stay in power. They just sit back and plot while refugees are pouring around the region. They want to keep Syria in order to have an access in Lebanon to a small rag tag militia called HisbuAllah. Iran says, these militias are it's proxy army against Israel, but Israel left southern Lebanon fifteen years ago in 2000. Millions of people are sacrificed, in order to keep a satellite militia in another country. The American leadership seem to be rewarding these Iranian adventures in the middle east. Obama was negotiating with Iran over nuclear proliferation for the last five years and finally singed a deal this year. As a world power, the United States could have pressured Iran to find a reasonable settlement to the conflict in Syria and stop the suffering of the civilian population. Iran not only got what it wanted, but went even further and invited the Russians to complicate the matter and reduce the American voice. Folks, Obama is retreating while the despot Putin is flexing his muscle.

 

 

 

they Arab league and it's members were unable to resolve any conflict within the Arab world. Three of the biggest wars in the world for the last 30 years happened in their back yard. They watched Somalia, a member of the Arab league , suffer for more than twenty years while leaving her to the mercy of ruthless neighbors. The Arab League was founded in 1945. For seventy years nothing has changed. Compare that to the evolutionary steps the European union and others had taken to be an organization for the common good of it's members. They always called others to clean up their mess. The two of biggest Arab armies in the region, Saudi Arabia and Egypt, plus the modern gulf air force with help of Turkey , could have imposed no fly zone and sent a 100,000 army to stop the murderer Assad. They waited and waited, putting their hope that America could intervene and stop the genocide in Syria. Well, by now they realized America is led by a weak president who doesn't want any headache.

 

 

Now, the whole world is waiting if this Saudi sponsored anti terror coalition has any teeth. Are they willing to do the heavy lifting necessary to achieve these goals?, Are they willing to confront these terror groups in Africa, especially in Nigeria and Somali?. If the answer to all this yes, then they must move and act quickly before it is too late. They must open their wallets and help build the national armies of these venerable nations. With two or three billions , Somalia can organize a series national army that can keep the peace in the horn of Africa. We are known to be generous and tough if the right circumstances present themselves.

 

 

Can you imagine, the poor and dirty Burundi, inflamed by a dictator who wants to rule for life, is burning as we speak , yet, they have soldiers in Somalia for keeping the peace while the African union is trying to send peace keepers to Burundi. Another dictator, Ismail Omar Gelle of Djibouti, this week massacred 20 people and wounded 70 , who gathered for Mawliid celebration. For this thin skin dictator, any gathering or peaceful protest is detrimental to his ego. He can't hear any criticism. That is why he invested heavily in all Somali owned television and radio stations in the diaspora. He pays directly those who manage the BBC Somali service, the VOA, Universal TV and all others. Few weeks ago he declared himself President for life. He said that his supporters said--- " Aabo hanaga Tegin", -- please do not leave us. In Ethiopia, the ruling party won 99% of the vote. If anyone dare to protest, they use life bullets, killing scores to send a message. These are the despots the who are trying to keep Somalia save while sitting in a hot volcano. The King and his men could both change the Kingdom and the region if they have the will, then again it might be too little too la

 

[xabad]

we need cliff notes, senior.

 

or something equivalent to tl;dr in reddit.

[galbeedi]

You right . From now on I will consider that.

[Alpha Blondy]

he's obviously better than the previous leader.

[Holac]

Galbeedi, Salman's quest to gain market share at the expense of oil price may become his Achilles heel. He is loosing billions of dollars dipping into his sovereign wealth savings.

[galbeedi]

So true, the deficit is huge. I think the days of $100/barrel are gone. The U.S may not import oil in the future. The Saudis will suffer, but the Russians will became bankrupt, which is good for the world.

[CidanSultan]

The kingdom of Saudi Arabia according to all the economists can go on at least 10 years without feeling the hit from the current oil price. You forget Saudi Arabia and it's business people collectively own shares in all the world's top companies so much so that it's estimated that Saudi Arabia owns about 20% of the jewnited states of America.

 

So in terms of economic power the Saudis are in a good position. The countries most effected by the oil hit are the ones killing Muslims in the thousands Russia, Iraq and Iran.

 

According to sources confirmed last week Iran requested 10 billion dollar credit line from Russia. Iraq has cut its budget by almost 40%.

 

King Salman. Is the greatest king in the history of Saudi Arabia after king faisal who modernised the kingdom and paid off its debts.

 

Shia's are a sinister dirty lot and king Salman has shown Saudi will use its power in the fight against this dirty Ali worshipping scum. The houthis heartland of Saada has been bombed back to the stone age including the tombs of their saints. In Syria Iran is losing so many generals that it is withdrawing it's forces hence why Russia intervened. 2 years ago 7 thousand Iranian troops were in Syria today it's a few hundred.

 

Russia saw the collapse of the rubble and it's new Syria initiative is wasting even more money. In Iraq the government is so in debt it's asking people for donations to fight IS.

 

King salman is a master tactician and a solid player in international politics.

 

Can he deliver he has made his enemies cry thus far.

 

God bless him and may he continue.

[CidanSultan]

In yemen:

 

 

In Syria:

 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8sELUxfyBLU

 

In Russia:

 

 

In Iraq:

 

 

 

King Salmon reminds me of the famous Ottoman Caliph who killed Shia's by the millions in Iran and Iraq. Sultan Mehmet.first time I seen Saudi show serious leadership ever.

 

[xabad]

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