Collapsing House of Saud
by Farooq Sulehria
"King Abdullah had at least two phone conversations with President Obama to convey his concerns in the weeks before Mr. Mubarak's ouster, and the last conversation ended in sharp disagreement"
The New York Time's Robert Worth, writing about Saudi worries over Arab revolutions, reports how 'the Saudis felt that Mr. Mubarak should have been allowed to stay on and make a more "dignified" exit' and "King Abdullah had at least two phone conversations with President Obama to convey his concerns in the weeks before Mr. Mubarak's ouster, and the last conversation ended in sharp disagreement" (NYT Feb 19).
However, delineating his wishes as journalistic analysis, Mr. Worth informs us: "Saudi Arabia is far less vulnerable to democracy movements than other countries in the region, thanks to its vast oil wealth, its powerful religious establishment and the popularity of its king". He even has access to 'analysts' who believe Saudi "people are cushioned by oil wealth and culturally resistant to change".
In these times, it definitely takes a fanatical orientalist courage to stick by notions of popular Arab kings and Arab world's cultural incompatibility to democracy. Ironically, the House of Saud itself is not ready to buy Mr. Worth's worthless boasts. Hence, on Feb. 22 when popular Sultan of Arabia, King Abdullah returned to his country after three months abroad, his first decree was to announce lavish economic concessions for Saudi citizens.
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Socialist Pakistan News (SPN) is managed by supporters of Weekly Mazdoor Jeddojuhd and Labour Party Pakistan
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A.H Amin
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