The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia is the largest country in the Middle East. And the country with the largest oil reserves. Unfortunately, ordinary residents do not get to enjoy oil money - it all ends up in the pockets of members of the ruling Saudi dynasty (Al Saud). The family is large: approximately 25,000 people. But “only” 2000 of them control all the power and all the wealth of the country. And what are they doing... As they say, absolute power corrupts absolutely.
459 tons of luggage for a 9-day trip
84-year-old Alman ibn Abdul Aziz Al, the current king of Saudi Arabia, is a very rich man. It feels like money means nothing to him at all - he throws it away so easily. For example, in 2017, he needed to go on a visit to Indonesia for 9 days, so he ordered 459 tons of luggage to be taken with him. Why does he need 459 tons of luggage for 9 days? It is impossible to understand this. Yes, and what was included in the luggage? A sofa, a suitcase, a travel bag... In fact, a bunch of different equipment, including two Mercedes-Benz s600 limousines and two electric elevators. As if you couldn't find all this in Indonesia.
Game of the Saudi throne
Back in 1975, the people's favorite King Faisal ibn Abdul-Aziz Al Saud reigned. It was under him that oil production increased incredibly and enormous wealth appeared in the country. He invested in the modernization of the country, took care of the needs of the population, under him Saudi Arabia became the leader of the Muslim world and began to dictate its rules to all countries (using oil leverage).
On March 25, 1975, Faisal was shot and killed by his nephew, Prince Faisal ibn Musaid, who had returned to the country after studying at an American university. The prince approached the king, bent down for a kiss, pulled out a pistol and fired three times at point-blank range. He was found guilty of regicide and his head was cut off (although the dying King Faisal asked to spare his nephew). Faisal ibn Musaid Al Saud was beheaded with a blow from a gold-plated sword, after which his head was displayed on a wooden stake for 15 minutes for the crowd to see. These are the passions.
Hypocrisy and alcohol at parties
Consumption of alcohol in Saudi Arabia is prohibited and severely punished by law. Of course, if you belong to the royal family and you really want it, then you can do anything - including alcohol. People who worked at parties thrown by Saudi princes said that alcohol, drugs, and what not were in use there. The two-faced Al-Saids party at alcohol parties, and the next day they frantically and zealously talk about how important it is to comply with Sharia law.
In the next episode of “Game of the Saudi Throne” we will see how Prince Abdul Aziz ibn Fahd kidnaps his cousin Sultan ibn Turki because he wanted to tell the world the whole truth about the royal family. No joke, the Saudi royal family is corrupt to the extreme and, one might say, rotten from the inside. However, they have plenty of money and power to get rid of anyone stupid enough to open their mouth on this topic.
During a visit to Geneva in 2004, Prince Sultan bin Turki said that he was going to reveal the secret plans (or rather, evil intentions) of the Saudi government. The next day, his cousin Prince Abdul Aziz ordered Turki to be sent back to Saudi Arabia immediately. Sultan ibn Turki never again complained about the family or spoke about its crimes. After all, he who talks a lot does not live long.
In 1977, 19-year-old Saudi Princess Mishaal bint Fahd al Saud, the niece of then-King Khalid, was accused of adultery and executed. At the same time, her lover - the son of the kingdom's ambassador in Lebanon - was beheaded (the head was cut off with a saber and this was only possible with the fifth blow). The execution was supervised by the princess's own grandfather. So the Saudis can be very, very cruel to their own people.
It seems like the members of the royal family don’t have a lot of money anyway, why should they try to earn more, and at that in an illegal way? However, in 2004, Prince Nayef ibn Fowaz Al Shalaan tried to smuggle 2 tons of cocaine from Colombia to Europe in his private Boeing. He planned to launder the money through Kanz Bank (which he also owns).
In general, the plan was quite cunning, but it failed because the French police caught Nayef red-handed. But that's not the most interesting thing. When he was caught, the Al Sauds intervened and ordered France to release the prince. They even threatened to reject several important commercial deals with France if she did not comply. Therefore, Prince Nayef's accomplices are still rotting in prison, while the prince himself walks free and enjoys the sun of Saudi Arabia.
When Prince Saud bin Abdulaziz bin Nasir al Saud brutally murdered his gay lover at a luxury London hotel in 2010, his main concern at trial was to prove that he himself was not gay. After all, homosexuality in Saudi Arabia is one of the worst crimes and can be punishable by death.
According to police, before the fatal attack on his servant, the prince drank champagne, as well as six Sex on the Beach cocktails. This happened on February 14, when the couple celebrated Valentine's Day. Shortly before midnight, the lovers returned to the hotel, where they had an argument that ended in murder. Everything happened in the UK and it was impossible to wriggle out of court. The prince was sentenced to life imprisonment, but was soon sent to Saudi Arabia in exchange for five British men. There is no doubt that he is free.
Residents of Saudi Arabia are required to obey all laws of their country, no matter how absurd or strict they may be. The main thing is to obey, pray and not try to adopt anything from the rotten West. Here's a typical example: In 2013, 21-year-old Abdulrahman Al-Khayal watched a YouTube video about a man who went out into the street and began offering random passers-by a hug - if they wanted one. Abdulrahman decided that this was a cool idea and that he should try to do the same at home, in Saudi Arabia. He wrote a “Hugs” poster, went out into the street with it and began hugging passers-by. Very soon he was arrested for criminal activities. What happened to him next is unknown. I would like to hope that he was not imprisoned, but released.
Everything related to the world's oldest profession is naturally prohibited in Saudi Arabia. And there's nothing special about it. However, it would be nice if members of the royal family also followed this law. But this, alas, is not the case.
For example, in Saudi Arabia it is illegal to celebrate Halloween due to its “un-Islamic” nature. But Prince Faisal Al-Thunayan threw a huge Halloween party at his residence. Approximately 150 men and women attended the party. With one single difference: the men came there of their own free will, and the women had no other choice. They were brought there to be sold.
And how did the royal family react when it turned out that Prince Faisal had broken several laws that night? But no way - they ignored the event. And they even threatened to kill anyone who spoke on this topic.
WikiLeaks has revealed the secrets of thousands of the world's most powerful people, including members of the ruling Al-Saud dynasty. Many have tried to fight WikiLeaks and somehow censor the information posted there, but no one has succeeded in this more than the Saudis. They simply banned WikiLeaks in their country. You can’t even pronounce the name of this organization if you don’t want problems.
Yes, we are talking about one of the richest countries in the world in the 21st century. There is simply no such thing as freedom of speech in Saudi Arabia. The royal family controls everything there. It is interesting that family members are not completely free: before doing anything, they must consult and ask permission from King Salman. He is still in charge.
With their money they could probably buy up the whole world. But few of the large companies want to deal with them. Why? Yes, because it is not clear what to expect from these people. And also because these are the type of clients who do not always pay their bills. For example, Princess Maha al-Ibrahim refused to pay $1.5 million to a limousine rental company in Geneva (even though all the princess's demands were fully satisfied). Well, it only ended with the company representatives saying, “We are no longer working with this family for obvious reasons.” And there are plenty of such cases.
In total, the Al-Saud family numbers 25-30 thousand people. And all the boys need to be assigned to the most prestigious jobs, so that they “earn” a lot of money and maintain the honor of the family. It is clear that they are taken without any interviews to wherever they want. Their knowledge and experience do not play any role. Last name is everything. It’s a pity for worthy people who cannot get a job because of this, and it’s a pity for a country in which inexperienced specialists are allowed to solve important issues.
According to information from WikiLeaks, using their name, the princes receive money in various ways - for example, by borrowing from banks and not repaying the loans. Having learned from bitter experience, Saudi banks routinely reject loan requests from members of the royal family unless they have a good credit history.
Another favorite way of taking money is the confiscation of land on which it is planned to build something and which can be resold at a great profit. So when the royal offspring don't have enough money to party hardcore, they just go and borrow it from the banks or take it from the public.
Saudi Arabia is one of the most repressive regimes in the world. There are no elections, political parties or parliament. The country belongs to King Salman and his family. They can do whatever they want with complete impunity. The rest of the world is afraid to interfere and somehow try to limit the power of the Saudis, because Saudi Arabia is control over the distribution of oil. Everyone knows that people there have a hard time, but no one can do anything about it. When it comes to civil and political freedoms, Saudi Arabia is the worst country in the world and can only be compared with North Korea and a couple of African dictatorships.
Everyone in Saudi Arabia is afraid of the Islamic morality police “Hayaa”, which is supposedly supposed to protect the country and people from moral decay, etc. For example, moral guards once invaded the house of a local resident and found young people dancing there. Just. However, by Hayaa standards, these men were caught in “a compromising situation in the dance, making shameful gestures.” This definition was enough to arrest everyone immediately. Moreover, the parents of these “criminals” were told that they needed to better monitor their children “because this could lead to immorality and even homosexuality.” Well, you understand, right? If you dance, it means you're gay.
Saudi Arabia was founded in 1932, with King Abdulaziz Al Saud as its first ruler. After his death in 1953, power in the kingdom was passed from one of his sons to another. However, in 2015, the current king for the first time violated the established order by appointing his nephew as heir. According to the fifth article of the Nizam (the Basic Law of the country after the Koran and Sunnah), power belongs to the sons of the founding king and the sons of their sons. Iranian media called the current reshuffle in the royal family a “soft coup.”
King of Saudi Arabia Salman bin Abdul Aziz Al Saud (Photo: Mohammad Hamed/Reuters)
Very little was known about Mohammed bin Salman before 2015, and his rise came very quickly when he was appointed defense minister that same year, writes the BBC. He was born in 1985 to the third wife of Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud. Unlike many members of the dynasty, he does not have a foreign education; he received his primary and higher education in Riyadh, where he received a bachelor's degree in law.
It is known that the prince enjoys the greatest influence in the royal family, his father listens to him first of all, and we can say that the country is led not by the 81-year-old king, but by his son, writes Politico. However, the new heir has earned a negative reputation for his impulsiveness and aggressive nature, the British newspaper The Independent points out.
The new heir has been overseeing the economic policy of Riyadh for several years. In 2016, he proposed a package of economic reforms designed to reduce the country's economy's dependence on oil, the price of which was then falling. His ambitious plan, Saudi Vision 2030, calls for partial privatization of state assets, including the reorganization of national oil company Saudi Aramco, of which he is president, and the listing of 5% of its shares on the stock exchange.
Al Saud fiefdom
According to the World Bank, in 2015, Saudi Arabia's GDP was $646 billion. The country's population is 31.5 million people. According to BP's annual report, the kingdom ranks second in the world in terms of proven oil reserves - 266.5 billion barrels. (after Venezuela) and the first in terms of production - in 2016 its volume amounted to 585.7 million tons. In terms of oil exports, Saudi Arabia ranks second in the world: in 2016 the country exported 8.53 million barrels. per day, accounting for 13% of global exports.
Since Prince Mohammed bin Salman is the architect of these economic reforms, his rise means they will continue, Reuters writes, citing experts.
In foreign policy, bin Salman is a fierce opponent of Iran and a supporter of the diplomatic blockade of Qatar. In a recent interview with Al-Arabiya, the prince accused Iran of intending to take over Saudi Arabia and its Muslim holy sites. His military successes are contradictory: in Yemen, Saudi Arabia has been unable to help the forces of President Mansour Hadi defeat the Houthi rebels (a militia group of Shia-Zaydis) for the third year.
The candidacy of Mohammed bin Salman has long been considered as the most likely future monarch, notes Maxim Suchkov, an expert at the Russian International Affairs Council. The appointment of a young heir indicates the ruler’s desire to update order in the kingdom, the expert says. Suchkov notes that the prince has developed a good working relationship with Russian President Vladimir Putin: in recent years, he has been the main contact from Saudi Arabia with Moscow on a full range of issues, including problematic ones. The Saudi Crown Prince sees Russia as an important regional player in the Middle East, relations with which need to be strengthened and developed, so a promising window of opportunity is opening for Moscow and Riyadh, the expert says.
Vladimir Putin and Mohammed bin Salman (Photo: Mikhail Metzel / TASS)
The appointment of a new heir shows that there is a demand for renewal in Saudi Arabia today, agrees Arabist Veniamin Popov, a former Russian ambassador to Yemen, Libya and Tunisia. The country needs a young and energetic leader who carries out new reforms and realistically assesses the internal situation in the country, explains Popov. According to the diplomat, the election of a new heir could have a positive impact on relations between Russia and Saudi Arabia, since Mohammed bin Salman is a pragmatist who is ready for dialogue with Moscow, despite existing differences, including on Syria.
Princes and heirs
All the kings of Saudi Arabia who ruled the country from 1953 to the present day are the sons of the first ruler, Abdul Aziz Al Saud. In 2015, the size of the royal family was estimated at 25 thousand people, of which about 7 thousand were princes. The current monarch was born in 1935.
Currently, the order of succession to the throne is determined in accordance with the decree of King Abdullah bin Abdulaziz of October 19, 2006, as well as the law introduced at that time on the so-called Fidelity Council. Before these changes, the crown prince was single-handedly appointed and removed by the king, and in accordance with the new order, the candidacy of the new heir must be approved by the Council of Allegiance.
The council includes the sons of the king - the founder of the monarchy, Abdel Aziz. Deceased sons are represented by their heirs.
In April 2015, King Salman of Saudi Arabia rearranged the heirs: instead of his brother Muqrin ibn Abdul Aziz, the throne was to pass to his nephew Mohammed bin Nayef.
A series of articles about the Middle East has long been conceived; an interesting tangle has been spun there. Yes, so masterfully that at first glance, and not only at first, it will be difficult for the ignorant to understand. A simple superficial glance will not give anything in understanding the process, because in the East everything is multi-layered, and at the top, as a rule, lies only what needs to be depicted for prying eyes, and what is deeper will be securely hidden.
To begin with, I suggest that you familiarize yourself with the main characters; this will be necessary to understand some of the processes. So, let's begin:
King of Saudi Arabia Salman bin Abdul Aziz Al Saud.
Salman bin Abdul Aziz Al Saud Salman was born on December 31, 1935 in Riyadh. 25th son of the first king of Saudi Arabia, Abdul Aziz ibn Saud. His mother was Hassa Al Sudairi. Together with six brothers, Salman formed the so-called “Sudairi Seven”. He received his primary education at the Princes' School in Riyadh, which was established by Ibn Saud for his children. At school I studied both religion and modern educational subjects. In March 1953, his father appointed him as his representative and emir (mayor) of Riyadh. Later, in April 1955, King Saud appointed him mayor of Riyadh with the rank of minister. Salman held this post until December 1960. In 1963-2011. - Governor of the province of Riyadh. As governor, he made a notable contribution to the development of Riyadh into a major metropolis. During Salman's governorship, his advisors were young, highly qualified technocrats recruited from the University. King Saud. Salman was King Fahd's most trusted advisor (1987-2005). In November 2012, he was appointed Minister of Defense of Saudi Arabia and joined the KSA National Security Council. Since June 2012 - Crown Prince and Deputy Prime Minister of the kingdom. At the same time, he retained the post of Minister of Defense. Arab media claimed that Salman's appointment was due to his conciliatory and diplomatic talents, which allowed him to act as a mediator between fathers and sons in the royal family, and his wide contacts in the Arab world and the international sphere, established during his tenure as governor of Er. -Riyadh.
On January 23, 2015, after the death of King Abdullah, Salman becomes the seventh ruler of the Saudi kingdom. In his first address to the nation, the new monarch promised to act in the interests of strengthening the unity of the Saudi nation and strengthening the stability and security of the country.
In April 2015, King Salman made important changes in the leadership of the KSA and in the line of succession to the throne. Crown Prince Muqrin (at his “personal request”) and KSA Foreign Minister Prince Saud, who had held this post since 1975, lost their posts. But the king’s most important decision was the appointment of his nephew Mohammed bin Naef as crown prince (he retained the post of head of the Ministry of Internal Affairs and became deputy chairman of the Council of Ministers, the head of which is the king). Note that Prince Nayef is considered a close friend of the United States.
At the same time, the king’s son, KSA Defense Minister Mohammed bin Salman (b. 1980), became heir to throne No. 2. Moreover, with Prince M. bin Salman, “my father associates the prospects for the urgent modernization of Saudi society, which is extremely traditional and deeply conservative.” In addition, the king created two new structures within the cabinet - the Political and Security Council, headed by Prince Nayef, and the Economic and Development Council, headed by Prince M. bin Salman, who simultaneously became the second deputy chairman of the Council of Ministers.
One of the key posts of the head of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs was transferred from a member of the royal family to a diplomat - a native of the mixed “educated class” A. al-Jubeir, a former ambassador of the KSA to the United States. Representatives of this “class” also received the posts of chairman of the state oil company Saudi Aramco, the Committee for Broadcasting and Television Affairs, and several ministerial posts. The governors of the provinces of Riyadh and Mecca were replaced with supporters of King Salman.
In general, thanks to this decision, for the first time, representatives of the third generation – the grandchildren of the founder of KSA Abdel Aziz – were brought into the leading roles. “Thus, almost instantly and without shocks, a potential crisis of power, which, as it seemed to many, hung over the kingdom like a sword of Damocles, was averted.” At the same time, an important step was taken towards the consolidation and renewal of power - day-to-day control over ministries and departments was concentrated in the hands of the crown prince and his successor. At the same time, Salman “has proven himself to be a leader determined to take decisive action to modernize the country in accordance with his views.” Thus, in the municipal elections held in December 2015, women participated for the first time in the history of KSA.
An important event in the life of the kingdom was the restriction in April 2016 of the rights of the Commission for the Promotion of Virtue and the Prevention of Vice, better known as the religious police. This service was deprived of the right to search and arrest those suspected of committing crimes “against morality” and transferring them to the regular police.
In May 2016, King Salman carried out another major government reshuffle. The Ministry of Petroleum and Mineral Resources was abolished, and the Ministry of Energy, Petroleum and Mineral Resources appeared in its place. The Ministry of Trade and Industry was also reorganized and several ministers were replaced.
In April 2016, Prince M. bin Salman announced the country’s development plan, “Vision of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia: 2030,” approved by the king, implying broad economic reforms and innovations in the country aimed at diversifying the KSA economy, ridding the country of dependence on oil exports and overcoming difficult and long-standing social problems. Among the main points of the document are the privatization (so far 5%) of the Saudi Aramco company, a sharp reduction in government subsidies for water and food, stimulating the development of the Saudi military-industrial complex, reducing unemployment, creating the world's largest sovereign wealth fund, whose assets should exceed $2 trillion, creation of new jobs for citizens of KSA and streamlining of foreign labor. In June this year The government approved the implementation of the first stage of the plan - the “National Turnaround: 2020” program.
While King Salman was on the throne, terrorist activity in the country did not decrease. Experts in this regard note that “the KSA leadership is beginning to reap the benefits of its policy of using the Islamic factor for state purposes. And so far on a controlled scale. But no one can say that over time and under the influence of economic reasons, these scales will begin to increase exponentially.” At the same time, the actions of the terrorists “not only call into question the king’s status as Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques, but also undermines confidence in the reform program” announced by the monarch’s son, Prince M. bin Salman.
Under Salman, Saudi Arabia launched a war in Yemen (March 2015), leading a coalition of Arab states. The military operation in Yemen was the first large-scale use of KSA armed forces outside the country. This war, which has become protracted and unpromising for Riyadh, has placed a heavy burden on the kingdom’s budget and has a negative impact on the country’s image. In January 2016, in connection with the execution of the Shiite preacher N. al-Nimr in KSA, relations with Iran sharply deteriorated.
At the same time, in the conflict with Iran, KSA received support from other Arabian monarchies and most Arab countries. The Saudis continue to take a tough position on issues of the Syrian settlement, clearly insisting on the resignation of Syrian President B. Assad from his post, and are increasing assistance to the most radical groups of the Syrian opposition.
There are difficulties in relations with the United States. Riyadh is not optimistic about the world powers' nuclear deal with Iran (2015), although it formally supported it. KSA continues to participate in the anti-terrorist coalition led by the United States. At the same time, the Saudi leadership does not intend to increase tensions in relations with Washington, as shown by the results of Prince M. bin Salman’s visit to the United States in June. G.
In general, political relations with Russia can be assessed negatively. KSA harshly condemned the Russian military operation in Syria. Riyadh is taking a firm line on the issue of freezing world oil prices, although the fall in oil prices has already led to negative consequences for the KSA economy.
In the Arab world, during the reign of King Salman, relations with Egypt strengthened. Riyadh put forward the ideas of creating inter-Arab armed forces and an Islamic anti-terrorist coalition. However, both of these ideas did not reach the stage of practical implementation.
Salman has been married three times. From his first marriage he has five sons and one daughter, from his second wife he has one son, and from his third marriage the king has six sons. To date, two sons have died of heart disease.
The king has serious health problems. In 2010, he underwent spinal surgery in the United States. He suffered a stroke, his left hand works worse than his right. He is believed to be suffering from Alzheimer's disease. Salman, known for his energy and efficiency in all previous posts, is currently forced to devote only a few hours a day to fulfilling his duties as head of state. Under these conditions, the son of the monarch, Prince Mohammed, is exerting increasing influence on the affairs of the state, gradually pushing aside the heir number 1, Prince Naef.
King Salman of Saudi Arabia has decided to change the heir to the throne. This is a significant event for both Saudi Arabia and the entire Middle East. In any monarchy, the heir to the throne is the second person after the monarch, and depriving him of the right of inheritance is a very large-scale event, not to mention the fact that it must have very good reasons behind it.
Prince Muhammad ibn Nayef
Prince Muhammad bin Nayef Al Saud, who suddenly ceased to be the heir to the throne by decision of King Salman, is made a nephew of the current monarch of Saudi Arabia. Muhammad ibn Naif is no longer young - he was born back in 1959, the prince was approaching sixty. His father, Prince Nayef bin Abd al-Aziz (1933-2012), was the 23rd son of the Saudi King Abdul Aziz bin Abdurrahman Al Saud (1880-1953). Muhammad ibn Nayef had a career in the Saudi security establishment. In 1985-1988 he studied in the United States at special courses of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, then interned at the British Scotland Yard, and in 1999 he was appointed assistant minister of the interior of Saudi Arabia. By the way, from 1975 to 2011. The post of Minister of Internal Affairs of Saudi Arabia was held by his father, Prince Nayef bin Abd al-Aziz. After Prince Nayef became heir to the throne, and Prince Ahmad ibn Abdul-Aziz Al Saud became the new minister of the Ministry of Internal Affairs of Saudi Arabia, Prince Muhammad ibn Nayef received the post of Deputy Minister of Internal Affairs, and a few months later - the Minister of Internal Affairs of Saudi Arabia. Muhammad ibn Naif maintained this post until recently.
In the 2010s, Prince Muhammad bin Nayef's influence on Saudi politics increased significantly. Firstly, Prince Muhammad ibn Nayef, having been appointed to the post of Minister of Internal Affairs of Saudi Arabia, concentrated enormous power in his hands, gaining control over the repressive apparatus and security services. Secondly, Muhammad ibn Nayef began to play an important role in the foreign policy intrigues of the kingdom, including in policy towards Syria. When octogenarian Salman became the new king of Saudi Arabia on January 23, 2015, replacing his deceased brother King Abdullah, Prince Muhammad bin Nayef was appointed deputy crown prince. In Saudi Arabia, such a position exists to dispel doubts about the strength of the vertical power structure and the preservation of the principle of inheritance. In this capacity, the influence of Muhammad ibn Nayef increased even more; he began to chair the Saudi Political and Security Council, which determined the foreign policy line of Saudi Arabia in the Middle East. Thus, it was Muhammad ibn Nayef who began to directly supervise Saudi actions in Yemen, where the KSA began carrying out Operation Storm of Determination. In an effort to win support in the West, Prince Muhammad ibn Nayef spoke a lot about the need to actively fight terrorism and emphasized his desire to deal with terrorist groups in the Arabian Peninsula and the Middle East as a whole with an “iron hand.”
On the other hand, Muhammad ibn Nayef has always been very wary of the activation of Iran and the Iranian arms build-up program. This circumstance also contributed to the growth of the prince’s popularity in the West. In the United States, the prince was even called “the most pro-American” among Saudi politicians. And this despite the fact that the kingdom’s security services, subordinate to the prince, pursue a fairly tough line of repression against dissidents - from supporters of radical fundamentalist organizations to the Shiite minority, which the Saudis consider the Iranian “fifth column”.
King Salman
However, the huge Saudi royal family has never been free from internal contradictions and conflicts. The first king of Saudi Arabia, Abdul Aziz, had 45 children, ensuring the succession to the throne passed from brother to brother. The current King of Saudi Arabia, Salman, is also the son of Abdul Aziz. Naturally, there was always a relationship of competition between the sons and then the grandsons of Abdul-Aziz - both for the throne and for government positions. Considering the polygamy and large number of children of the Saudi kings and princes, there are currently several thousand representatives of the Saudi surname in the country - according to various sources, the number of princes and princesses is close to 5-7 thousand people. Relatives of the late first king of Saudi Arabia occupy most of the country's most important government positions - both in civilian departments and in the security forces. The transfer of the throne from brother to brother provided the opportunity to experience the role of king for almost all of Abdul Aziz’s elderly sons. However, given their age, it becomes clear that in a few more years, the princes of a new generation will have to take power in Saudi Arabia. People like Muhammad ibn Naif.
But members of the family of King Salman always competed with Muhammad ibn Nayef. In 2011-2012 The crown prince of Saudi Arabia was Muhammad's father, Prince Nayef. It was he who was supposed to take the royal throne after the departure of his older brother King Abdullah. However, Naif, a man far from young, had a number of diseases. On June 16, 2012, he died. Therefore, Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud was proclaimed crown prince under King Abdullah. After Abdullah's death in 2015, Salman became the king of Saudi Arabia. In the West, they expected a balanced policy from him, but under Salman in KSA, measures to suppress the opposition only became more stringent. For example, the famous Shia preacher Nimr al-Nimr was executed, which led to the final breakdown of Iranian-Saudi relations. Salman was to be succeeded by Prince Muqrin ibn Abdul-Aziz Al Saud (born 1945), the youngest of the children of King Abdul-Aziz, who served in his youth in the Royal Air Force. However, on April 29, 2015, Salman changed the order of succession to the throne and relieved Muqrin of his duties as crown prince. So Muhammad ibn Naif became the heir.
Apparently, not all “titans” of Saudi politics liked the activity of Muhammad ibn Nayef. Four attempts were made on the prince's life. Various radical groups associated with Al-Qaeda (banned in the Russian Federation) claimed responsibility for them, but it is possible that internal forces interested in eliminating a dangerous competitor could also be behind them. Muhammad ibn Nayef became too serious a political figure, gaining not only influence on Saudi politics, but also worldwide fame.
Prince Muhammad bin Salman
On January 23, 2015, when Prince Salman became the king of Saudi Arabia, the post of KSA Minister of Defense passed to his son, 29-year-old (at that time) Muhammad bin Salman Al-Saud. Thus, Prince Muhammad bin Salman became the world's youngest defense minister. The very appointment of the young prince to such a responsible post indicated that Muhammad bin Salman would play an important role in Saudi politics in the very near future. Having headed the military department of Saudi Arabia, Muhammad bin Salman was involved in Operation Storm of Determination, which was strategically important for the kingdom in Yemen. The overall leadership of this operation was carried out by Prince Muhammad ibn Nayef, with whom ibn Salman, of course, entered into a competitive relationship. Apparently, at first, Muhammad ibn Nayef, an experienced almost sixty-year-old politician, did not consider the thirty-year-old Muhammad ibn Salman as a serious opponent.
However, behind the latter there were very influential forces - both his father, King Salman, and the royal entourage, who hoped to push aside the growing power of Muhammad ibn Nayef. In April 2015, Muhammad bin Salman was appointed deputy to Saudi Arabia's Crown Prince Muhammad bin Nayef. With this appointment, King Salman showed that the younger generation of the Saudi dynasty would soon come to power.
In addition to the post of minister of defense of the kingdom, Prince bin Salman concentrated several other key positions in his hands, including heading the economic council under the government, which gave him the opportunity to control the economic and financial policies of Saudi Arabia. Thus, in the hands of the young and promising prince, two most important levers appeared at once - power (Ministry of Defense) and financial and economic (Economic Council). Soon in the West, the young prince was even nicknamed “Mr. Everything,” hinting that Ibn Salman controls almost all the most important areas of Saudi policy.
Muhammad Ibn Nayef and Barack Obama
Muhammad ibn Naif, who actively participated in the foreign policy of Saudi Arabia, for a long time had not only business, but also friendly relations with the Emir of Qatar, Tamim bin Hamad al Thani. Saudi Arabia interacted with Qatar during the Arab Spring of 2011, in Yemen, in Syria. However, the rivals of Muhammad ibn Nayef, who sought to remove him from the post of crown prince and prevent a quick transition to the throne (after all, King Salman is already 82 years old), decided to act precisely in the foreign policy field in order to influence the position of the king and achieve a replacement of the heir. Qatar was chosen as a target, and a convenient time was the coming to power of the new President Donald Trump in the United States. Considering that Muhammad ibn Nayef was on good terms with former US President Barack Obama, his competitors from the Salman clan decided that it would be more convenient to act under Trump. If the country is in a situation of serious conflict with neighboring Qatar, then how can the crown prince be a friend of the Qatari emir? After all, this directly threatens the interests of Saudi Arabia. But the deterioration of relations with the neighboring emirate made it possible to achieve the removal of Muhammad ibn Nayef from the post of crown prince.
An unprecedented campaign against Qatar has begun. For the first time in decades, Saudi Arabia opposed not Shiite Iran or secular Arab regimes like Syria, but the equally Sunni monarchy of the Persian Gulf, its longtime ally. A diplomatic blockade of Qatar was launched, to which KSA forced Bahrain, the UAE, Egypt and a number of African states dependent on Saudi financial assistance to join. Qatar was declared the main sponsor of terrorist groups in the Middle East - apparently in the expectation that Washington would make its contribution to neutralizing the Qatari emir. But Donald Trump and his administration generally remained fairly indifferent to the Qatari-Saudi conflict. But several regional powers of the Middle East “fit in” with Qatar at once - Turkey, Pakistan and even Iran, which Saudi Arabia is simply not able to resist on its own or with the support of its small allies. Therefore, the Qatari crisis itself began to decline. Riyadh became convinced that the United States was not interested in a blockade of Qatar, soberly assessed its strengths and saw that the Islamic world did not at all agree with the position of the Saudis. However, the main internal political goal of the Qatari crisis was achieved. On June 21, 2017, King Salman decided to strip Muhammad bin Nayef of his status as Crown Prince of Saudi Arabia.
Salman appointed his son, 32-year-old Prince Muhammad bin Salman, as the new crown prince. The young and active Ibn Salman, of course, has less influence and less fame than his cousin Ibn Nayef, but he is full of strength and ideas. In particular, Ibn Salman, while still deputy crown prince, announced the need to overcome the oil-based nature of the Saudi economy. He voiced his own plan for the economic and social development of Saudi Arabia, which implies a gradual overcoming of the country's economic focus on oil exports.
The main income of the Saudi kingdom, according to Prince bin Salman, should not be natural resources, but investments - and the prince expects to develop this program in the near future. Muhammad bin Salman's desire to reform the Saudi economy is understandable. The fall in oil revenues has led to serious financial consequences for the kingdom. The government even had to cut the kingdom's budget by 25% and reduce subsidies for gasoline, electricity and water, which had previously been very generous. The emergence of new taxes is also expected, including “luxury” taxes and drinks with high sugar content, which are very popular in Saudi Arabia.
Naturally, reducing the political influence of Muhammad ibn Nayef became strategic task number one for the young prince and his entourage, since in the event of Salman’s death and the transfer of the throne to Muhammad ibn Nayef, the prince’s ambitious plans might never be realized. But now the fears have disappeared - Salman has changed the crown prince and this means that in the foreseeable future Saudi Arabia may get a very young monarch.
Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman is quickly becoming the most important figure in his country and one of the most powerful people in the world.
The 32-year-old ruler is changing Saudi Arabia's military and foreign policy, its economy and even daily religious and cultural life.
In addition, it is known that it is he who is behind the recent anti-corruption purge that took place in the kingdom - the heir to the throne is strengthening his power in an unprecedented way for the country.
So, let's get to know this powerful prince, who holds much of the fate of the Middle East in his hands.
Little is known about Mohammed's early years. He is the eldest son of King Salman's third wife and has reportedly spent most of his life in his father's shadow.
A 2015 New York Times article said his rise came as a surprise "because his three older brothers had their own merits and were considered frontrunners for top government positions."
The Crown Prince received a Bachelor of Laws from King Saud University in Riyadh and assisted his father in various endeavors as an adviser.
According to the New York Times, Mohammed enjoys water sports, including water skiing, as well as the iPhone and other Apple products. The article also notes that his favorite country is Japan, and that he spent his honeymoon there.
Despite some lack of experience, he reportedly always planned for a government career. A person familiar with the royal family told the New York Times that Prince Mohammed never smoked, drank alcohol or was seen on nights out.
However, this does not mean that he cannot give in to the impulse. It is known that while vacationing in France, the Crown Prince saw the Serene yacht and immediately bought it for about half a billion euros - the former owner, Russian vodka magnate Yuri Shefler, packed up the same day.
Mohammed first made the news in January 2015 when he took over as defense minister following the death of King Abdullah, a position previously held by his father, now ascended to the throne.
At this moment he was 29 years old, but now, at 32 years old, he is still the youngest Minister of Defense.
In this capacity, he supports the ongoing war Saudi Arabia is waging against the Hathi rebels in Yemen.
In addition, it was reported that it was he who encouraged the Gulf countries to unite the boycott of Qatar.
In addition, the prince appears to have played a large role in the resignation of Lebanese Prime Minister Saad al-Hariri this weekend while the latter was in Saudi Arabia.
Each of these steps can be seen as part of a campaign to increase pressure on Iran, which remains Saudi Arabia's main regional rival.
Along with his role as defense minister, Mohammed also gained control of the kingdom's state oil company, Saudi Aramco.
In 2016, he announced a long-term economic plan, Vision 2030, which aims to reduce the country's economic dependence on oil revenues.
Most recently, in October, he announced a $500 billion, 100% renewable energy-powered city called Neom.
Recently, the crown prince also tried to influence the religious side of his subjects' lives, calling on them to return to a "more moderate Islam."
In addition, he had a hand in the law passed earlier this year allowing women to drive.
Expanding his influence, Mohammed began to gradually push aside some of the country's major political figures.
Until June 2017, Prince Mohammed bin Nayef was Crown Prince and Minister of the Interior, but this post was taken over by Mohammed bin Salman.
In addition, one of the most prominent figures arrested during the recent anti-corruption campaign was Prince Mutaib bin Abdullah, head of the Saudi National Guard.
Now that those two have been eliminated, Crown Prince Mohammed controls three parts of Saudi Arabia's security apparatus - the Ministry of Defense, the Ministry of Interior and the National Guard - in an unprecedented concentration of power in the country.
