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Washington Will Prop Up the House of Saud - For Now

(Guardian-UK) Mai Yamani - In the face of mounting violence and international pressure, the House of Saud has sunk into terminal denial and paralysis. Convinced that their enemies are all around them, they are nevertheless unable to locate them. While the princes have insisted reforms are in progress, they continue to fling reformists themselves into jail. High-level analysts insist the Saudi security forces which guard the oil installations are infiltrated by extremists. With continuing violence in Iraq, Washington's priority is to prevent Saudi Arabia descending into similar anarchy, even if it means propping up a regime it no longer likes or trusts. The writer is an associate fellow at the Royal Institute of International Affairs.
2004-06-07 00:00:00
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