(Telegraph-UK) John R. Bradley - The founder of modern Saudi Arabia, King Abdul Aziz, had at least 40 sons. The passing of the second generation, of whom Prince Sultan and the interior minister Prince Naif are the last, is not far off, and is likely to lead to competition that could be profoundly destabilizing. All the more dangerous is the fact that the various armed forces are commanded by competing princes. Jealous of their privileges and faced with new challenges to their status, they may have to fight to maintain their authority.
2005-08-02 00:00:00Full ArticleBACK Visit the Daily Alert Archive