(Toronto Globe and Mail) Laurent Murawiec - Saudi Crown Prince Abdullah's offer of a limited amnesty to al-Qaeda terrorists is a sure sign of the panic that has taken hold of the enfeebled House of Saud. It is also a sign of weakness, and will be read as such by the Saudi population. The dynasty does not have what it takes to fight and win. Arabia's Islamists believe they can grab it all: power, money, oil fields, holy places, and high-tech weaponry. There is an informal consensus among many Saudi watchers: The regime's life expectancy does not exceed 18 to 24 months. The writer is a senior fellow at the Hudson Institute in Washington, D.C.
2004-07-12 00:00:00Full ArticleBACK Visit the Daily Alert Archive