Well, life was so much easier then! The 'Rooskies' were bad, the Yanks (and little us) were good and everyone else had to choose sides. But that was then, and today is, well, to quote a favourite expression of this blog, "a bugger's muddle" and no-one is quite sure of anyone or anything. For example, take the Middle East in general, and Saudi Arabia in particular. Now, if ever a society seemed set in orthodox, religious and conservative concrete it was Saudi but, as we are just learning, that was then and now is, well, I'm not sure what it is! However, I am deeply grateful to Mr. John R. Bradley, a tremendous Saudi Arabian swot - poor chap! - who has written a fascinating article in this week's Spectator.
Apparently the iconoclast responsible for shifting the Arabian earth on its axis is Mohammad bin Salman (MbS), the 32-year old crown prince. Amongst his, er, accomplishments is allowing women to drive and permitting men and women to mix socially after sacking the entire religious police who were responsible for enforcing those restrictions. In addition, and more dangerously, he swooped on the Ritz-Carlton Hotel in Riyadh which, hitherto, had been the luxurious base for all the mega-zillionaires of Saudi Arabia in which they conducted their nefarious transactions. Apparently, MbS, had his security forces surround the place, turf out any foreign visitors but lock and seal all the entrance/exits so that now the Ritz-Carlton is the most luxurious prison in the world!
Perhaps most critical of all his actions has been his decision to ally himself, discreetly but effectively with Israel to form an anti-Iranian pact. Apparently he has been helped and/or encouraged in this by Jared Kushner, Donald Trump's son-in-law. Say what you like about 'The Donald' but he seems to have a clearer idea of Middle East possibilities than 'Obamarama'!
Who knows whether it is an accurate account? But if it is, it looks all good to me. An insane criminal regime has become more sane and less criminal. It has teamed up with a regional superpower that is a force for good, plus the world superpower which certainly has done more good than bad. This to oppose an even more insanely religious criminal regional superpower which is developing nuclear weapons and which goes in for inflammatory antisemitic rhetoric.
I can't see the downside, but I'm sure I will be eating my words before long...
Posted by: Whyaxye | Thursday, 09 November 2017 at 14:39
One downside which I can imagine is all those unemployed (and unemployable) ex-religious police turning to violence and vigilantism with beatings acid attacks and what have you.
Otherwise I would agree with Whyaxe - on the face of it a move for the good.
Hopefully a bit less funding of extremist mosques and terrorists in UK and EU.
A bit of Middle East bait and bleed (as our friend sod likes to put it) between Iran and Saudi will probably do no major harm now that shale oil and gas are established technologies.
Posted by: Cuffleyburgers | Thursday, 09 November 2017 at 17:03
The Cuff has the key. Abundant energy from the USA in all its forms will bring with it a bit of normality to the Western block. With the Saudis, Israel and possibly the Kurds being a rather formidable force in that region.Where do you think Jordan and Egypt will align? Yemen, Syria and Iran couldn't agree on a good-looking camel.
Posted by: Peter Whale | Thursday, 09 November 2017 at 20:36
I agree with all three comments, bloody hell, that's a first!
"One downside which I can imagine is all those unemployed (and unemployable) ex-religious police turning to violence and vigilantism with beatings acid attacks and what have you."
Hopefully crown prince whatever his name is will tool them up with all that kit the Don flogged them earlier this year and send 'em hell for leather straight into Vlad and the mad Mullahs, and don't spare the camels Mo.
SoD
Posted by: Loz | Thursday, 09 November 2017 at 23:49
"The Iranian president, Hassan Rouhani, accused Saudi officials of making a strategic mistake by considering the US and “the Zionist regime”, Iran’s terminology for Israel, as allies. He said the US and Israel were trying to dominate the region to “plunder its oil and wealth” and that Trump’s administration was “skilful in pickpocketing” Saudi Arabia."
https://www.theguardian.com/world/2017/nov/10/saudi-arabia-orders-citizens-to-leave-lebanon-as-tensions-rise
A grandmaster of the game of thrones, one who has chopped and sliced his way to the top of Iran's political class, calls Trump's administration "skilful".
Who'd a thunk it?
SoD
Posted by: Loz | Friday, 10 November 2017 at 08:23
https://www.bloomberg.com/view/articles/2017-11-09/saudi-prince-s-revolution-is-the-real-arab-spring
I disagree. Mo's gotta pick a fight, or better still, provoke a fight with Iran.
To make the changes he's aiming for the country needs the external distraction of an existential war.
He knows that Israel and the US can't afford for him to lose. He'll get everything he needs by way of kit and caboodle.
While his 5000 cousins and ex-religious police are being thinned out on the field of glory, he can consolidate his pro-West, reforming, liberalizing, moderate political cadre at home.
A thirty years war will take him to 62. That oughta do it.
Arab Cromwell?
SoD
Posted by: Loz | Friday, 10 November 2017 at 09:07
Christmas comes early I agree with everything SoD has Written. I will anoint him SoD of Arabia or should that be an "off"
Posted by: Peter Whale | Friday, 10 November 2017 at 09:15
I think Obama deserves some credit here. By sucking up to the Persians he has reminded the Arabs that they have always hated and feared them.
Posted by: backofanenvelope | Friday, 10 November 2017 at 10:49
There seems to be a melding of views on this thread anyway. I too am leaning with SoD on this one. What's next, potatoes and onions stored in the same box?
Posted by: Whitewall | Friday, 10 November 2017 at 12:08
"I think Obama deserves some credit here. By sucking up to the Persians he has reminded the Arabs that they have always hated and feared them."
Yes! Democracies can swing one way and the then the other on the drop of a ballot paper. That keeps enemies very much at a disadvantage because they can't have dynastically long partnership with a democracy.
A faux-democracy, like the Rooskies under Putin, for example, is utterly shafted now. Their entire state powerbase is now totally invested in Iran. They've been sucked in there and planted in the sand. If Putin tries to jump ship or leave the Mullahs to their fate then his own powerbase will hang him from the nearest lamppost in Red Square. The tyrannical country dies with its allegiances, whereas a properly functioning democracy turns on a sixpence.
"You turn if you want to" - well yes, in this case we will!
SoD
Posted by: Loz | Friday, 10 November 2017 at 13:51
""I think Obama deserves some credit here. By sucking up to the Persians he has reminded the Arabs that they have always hated and feared them."
But, not to be forgotten SoD, the Muslim Brotherhood too.
***
And David?
Hows come izzit you had to await the Spectator when I was tellin' you a mere five posts back?
Makes a feller plumb ... well sorta ... inconsolable. However you did acknowledge as I'd ended, "a wider regional conflict" so there is that.
Posted by: JK | Friday, 10 November 2017 at 19:09
JK,
A "wider regional conflict" is right. Lebanon has been drawn in as a proxy and Yemen is facing the largest famine anywhere in 50 years.
Posted by: Bob | Friday, 10 November 2017 at 22:27
Yes Bob. So it has.
"About" eight months ago it became apparent. In the Golan mostly. Far as Yemen goes, Buster was right on the money - its the moon. Why the Saudis chose, and that was precisely what they did, choose, to invade is beyond my comprehension. I'm glad I'm permanently assigned to Arkansas.
Posted by: JK | Saturday, 11 November 2017 at 02:29
https://audioboom.com/posts/6495547-the-golan-is-an-irgc-forward-base-ambdennisross-elalusa-report-w-malcolm-hoenlein-conf_of_pres
Above Bob, I mention "the Golan"? Me assigned to Arkansas (ergo I haven't recently visited)?
Somebody did.
Posted by: JK | Friday, 17 November 2017 at 22:31
JK,
Who woulda thought Saudis and Israelis would ever be chums? The enemy of my enemy and all that ...
Posted by: Bob | Saturday, 18 November 2017 at 00:24
Bob,
In honor of your "The enemy of my enemy and all that ..." I jetted email thus:
https://audioboom.com/posts/6498427-enemy-of-my-enemy-is-not-my-enemy-israel-and-the-kingdom-work-together-elalusa-report-w-malcolm-hoenlein-conf_of_pres
("Jetted" in honor of the artistic efforts of the USN.)
Posted by: JK | Saturday, 18 November 2017 at 16:44