Troubling developments in Saudi Arabia
Major developments have continued to unfold in the Middle East since the rise of Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman (popularly called MBS) in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.
The latest is the alleged detention of the Prime Minister of Lebanon Mr. Sa’ad Hariri after his sudden and unexpected resignation from office was announced in Saudi. Since then a major diplomatic row has ensued with the Lebanese President, Mr. Michel Aoun, declaring that Mr. Hariri is a victim of kidnapping.
About the same time, MBS has orchestrated massive arrests and detention of more than 200 high profile officials including four ministers, 11 princes of the Al-Saud family and several high profile entrepreneurs in what has been presented as an anti-corruption purge but is in reality an aggressive measure of power consolidation. Many of those targeted in the purge are his rivals.
Significantly also, his Vision 2030 includes a proposal to build a beach resort on the Red Sea where alcohol will be available and women will be permitted to roam about in their bikinis all in a bid to ensure conformity with “laws at par with international standards”. Significantly also, members of the clergy who are deemed too ‘conservative’ to the new order have been arrested.
The Crown Prince in his former portfolio as the country’s defense minister also championed the on-going punishing blockade of Qatar, a fellow Muslim neighbour and member of the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC). He is also chief architect of Operation Decisive Storm- a Saudi-led coalition in Yemen against Houthi rebels in control of much of the country. The war has been a spectacular failure with the Houthis still controlling the capital, Sanaa, and areas in the North. The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia is the leader of the Muslim world. It is quite troubling to see the country being taken down a very dangerous path by an adventurous 32-year-old that is succeeding in muzzling all voices of reason and moderation in the country. Coming at a time when several Arab countries are in ruins owing to wars in Syria, Iraq, Yemen and Libya, the coming to power of such impetuous King-in-waiting is very troubling. Analysts have posited that MBS is acting out a well-crafted script; by instigating diplomatic crises abroad, he cunningly diverts Saudis with drama and manufactured patriotism while he consolidates power at home all for his own personal gain but at a hefty cost to everyone.
What future awaits the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia? What future awaits the Middle East and the larger Muslim world? Will the leading Muslim nation be safe in the hands of a man who in an interview with The Washington Post in April 2017 opined that “without America’s cultural influence on Saudi Arabia, “we would have ended up like North Korea”?