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Saudi Monarchy: Part of the Problem or Part of the Solution?

(Washington Institute for Near East Policy) John Bradley - In the wake of the September 11 attacks, the Saudi royal family took a religious approach to the ensuing domestic crisis. By appealing to the kingdom's hardcore Wahhabi constituency - specifically, by arguing that the royal family endorsed a "truer" version of Islam than the terrorist organizations - the regime tightened its grip on the population. This agenda became clearer as subsequent developments unfolded, including the ouster of Muhammad al-Rashid, a reform-minded education minister; an increase in mass arrests of Christian Saudis; and a drastic increase in the number of beheadings. The royal family must appease both its Wahhabi constituents and the U.S., even though the two parties are inherent enemies. Current U.S. policy toward the kingdom may help keep terrorists at bay in the short term. Yet, by remaining complicit with the regime, Washington is essentially allowing the kingdom to become a recruiting ground for al-Qaeda. If the U.S. does not look beyond the short-term benefits of its relationship with the regime, it can expect to face severe consequences in the future.
2005-07-08 00:00:00
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