Saudi Arabia: Pending Obama
By Scarlett Haddad
Published on: 10/03/14
What is happening in the United Wahhabi? Despite the opacity prevails,the feeling is that dominant behind the calm facade, thunderstorms rumble and anxiety becomes palpable.
On the eve of the visit of U.S. President Barack Obama planned to Riyadh on March 22, Arab and Western diplomats in Beirut have their eyes on the Wahhabi kingdom to try to understand what is happening. Some of them feel that behind the quiet facade, thunderstorms rumble and anxiety is palpable, as the kingdom is on the spot. But due to the lack of transparency, it is difficult to obtain credible and accurate information on the scenes of the Saudi government. The setting aside of the head of the intelligence services of the kingdom and former strongman, Bandar bin Sultan Emir and the now open between Saudi and Qatar war are only visible signs of discomfort deeper and deeper.
According to a specialist in the kingdom, it is currently experiencing one of the worst crises since its inception, due to an almost existential anxiety. This concern is driven by several factors: firstly, the fact that the power is getting old and many emirs within the royal family favors clan wars for the succession. On the other hand, the soaring of the Muslim Brotherhood, an Islamic brotherhood sharing theses on Wahhabi Islam, but is more structured, while having now experienced the power in some countries in the region and lapped remaining underground. This brotherhood is the only Sunni Muslim training to compete Wahhabis in terms of Islamic legitimacy, and therefore, its development in Arabia is a real threat to power. This is also the reason why the leadership of the kingdom have almost said "soft war" with the Muslim Brotherhood and the emirate of Qatar accused to continue to protect and finance. The third factor that causes concern Wahhabi leaders is the war in Syria and the failure of betting on a fall of the Syrian regime, which would have allowed the installation of a new regime under the control of Arabia. Specialist kingdom precise about it, the Wahhabi leaders fear that the fall became imminent Yabroud is for the Saudi government that the drop was Qousseir for the emirate of Qatar. It will be recalled that the fall of this strategic area around Homs and part of the border
Lebanon has cost the Qatar Emir and his prime minister, quickly replaced by the son of the former leader and a new team. It is partly for this reason that the power in Saudi proceeded to put away the Emir Bandar, the plan to overthrow the Syrian regime preparing an assault against the capital by the Eastern Ghouta and Deraa has failed, when the United States abandoned launch strikes against Syria.
The Saudi government has designated the Emir Mohammed bin Nayef to replace Bandar, and this decision is primarily intended to meet the Americans who see this as an acceptable interlocutor emir, particularly because of its hostile to al-Qaeda positions, following an attack that had covered it a few years ago.
The fourth factor of concern to the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia is the rapprochement between Iran and the United States, which has totally taken aback and suddenly found himself in reality it is not a partner that Americans consider when they decide to follow the policy.
In some Arab diplomatic circles, one is convinced that the forthcoming visit of Obama in Riyadh façade is intended to show the consideration that the United States bears to King Abdullah, but in reality, it would be designed to prepare the succession of King and avoid the kingdom a fatal war of succession, especially in the context of the awakening of the Islamic forces throughout the Arab world and the possible return of jihadis sent to Syria in their country of Arabia. This is also where the last factor that causes concern among Saudis. Because, despite the royal decree punishing prison jihadists returning to the kingdom, this folder may cause internal tub it will be difficult to manage. About the succession, it must be remembered that the current King Abdullah wants to promote accession to the throne of his son Meteeb, recently appointed head of the royal guard, while Americans prefer him Emir Mohammed bin Nayef who has to recently been received (February) in Washington by Obama himself and key officials in the U.S. administration ...
L'Orient-Le Jour By Scarlett Haddad