Saudi Shades of World War I

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By Douglas V. Gibbs
Author, Speaker, Instructor, Radio Host

Saudi Arabia’s Sunni population and Iran’s Shiites have been at odds, not only because of the two warring sects already being rivals of the Islamic political ideology that masks itself as a religion, but now to greater escalation as a result of a Saudi-allied Lebanese politician, Saad al-Hariri, resigning as prime minister last weekend.  He blamed Iran and Hezbollah for his departure in his resignation speech.

Hariri cited a plot to assassinate him during his unexpected resignation speech broadcast from Saudi Arabia.  He also slammed Hezbollah and Iran for their role in sowing strife in the Arab world.

Since the resignation, a missile attack was launched against the Saudi Arabian capital from Yemen, and the Saudis blame Iran for the missile attack.
Meanwhile, the Saudis are cleaning house, arresting various Saudi Arabian royals, ministers and businessmen as the country works to purge corrupt members of its leadership.

The purge, according to Reuters, is the latest in a series of dramatic steps by Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman to assert Saudi influence internationally and amass more power for himself at home.

“The kingdom is at a crossroads: Its economy has flatlined with low oil prices; the war in Yemen is a quagmire; the blockade of Qatar is a failure; Iranian influence is rampant in Lebanon, Syria and Iraq; and the succession is a question mark,” wrote ex-CIA official Bruce Riedel.

“It is the most volatile period in Saudi history in over a half-century.”

The crackdown has drawn no public opposition within the kingdom either on the street or social media. Many ordinary Saudis applauded the arrests, the latest in a string of domestic and international moves asserting the prince’s authority.

A number of countries in the Middle East, largely those aligned with Iran, view Salman’s move as being provocative, and could be seen as a direct challenge to Iran.  The Crown Prince is being seen by some as being a power-hungry leader who is willing to take any action to stop influential opponents from blocking his economic reforms or reversing the expansion of his political clout.

President Trump has voiced support for the actions of the leadership in Saudi Arabia, stating in a Tweet, “I have great confidence in King Salman and the Crown Prince of Saudi Arabia, they know exactly what they are doing.  Some of those they are harshly treating have been ‘milking’ their country for years!”

So far, 11 members of the Saudi royal family have been arrested in the alleged crackdown against corruption.  The arrests represent the most sweeping purge of the Saudi ruling elite in the country’s modern history.

– Political Pistachio Conservative News and Commentary