The Grandson
Day 217. Saudi Arabia is 94 years old and named after a family. Its founder, Abdulaziz ibn Saud, took Riyadh in 1902 with 40 men. For years his lands were a British protectorate, and he drew a British stipend of £5,000 a month. Later the protector was American. (Treaty of Darin; British subsidy; Bitter Lake)
He had at least 22 wives and 45 sons. He took a wife from each tribe he conquered. I’m sure he was a great son-in-law. One wife, Fahda, was the widow of a rival dynasty’s emir. Her son grew up to be King Abdullah. (PBS; Abdullah’s family history)
Every Saudi king since 1953 has been one of the founder’s sons. The first grandson to run the place is Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman (“MBS”). Here’s his record.
Eight years ago today, a 15-man Saudi team killed the journalist Jamal Khashoggi inside the kingdom’s Istanbul consulate and cut up his body. His remains were never found. US intelligence concluded MBS “approved an operation in Istanbul, Turkey to capture or kill” him. He denies ordering it. (US intelligence assessment; RSF)
“We assess that Saudi Arabia’s Crown Prince Muhammad bin Salman approved an operation in Istanbul, Turkey to capture or kill Saudi journalist Jamal Khashoggi.”
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In 2017 MBS replaced his cousin as crown prince. Five months later, hundreds of princes and businessmen were locked in the Riyadh Ritz-Carlton. The New York Times reported that at least 17 detainees needed hospital treatment for physical abuse. One general died in custody; a witness described his neck as twisted. In 2020 the detainees included that same cousin and MBS’s own uncle, the king’s brother. (Human Rights Watch; Al Jazeera)
As defense minister in 2015 he took the kingdom into Yemen’s war. UNDP estimated the war’s toll would reach 377,000 by the end of 2021, most from hunger, disease and other indirect causes. (UNDP)
Ansarallah governs about 70% of Yemen’s people. This July, after four years of relative calm between it and Riyadh, a Saudi-led strike disabled the runway at Sanaa airport to stop an Iranian plane from landing. People have lived in Sanaa for more than 2,500 years. An Ansarallah official said Riyadh had “dug its own grave.” (AP; World Bank; UNESCO; Ynet)
Since then, Ansarallah has hit Saudi oil facilities and seized Mokha and islands at the entrance to the Red Sea. The kingdom is preparing another offensive. MBS asked Washington for airstrikes. Washington said no, for now. (AP; Reuters)
In July MBS’s half-brother, the energy minister, signed a nuclear agreement with the United States. It doesn’t bar Saudi Arabia from enriching uranium. The administration says it has the safeguards the law requires. MBS told Fox News that if Iran gets a bomb, “we have to get one.” (Department of Energy; Reuters; Al-Monitor)
Iran’s history of statehood reaches back some 2,500 years. Saudi Arabia turned 94 last week. (Britannica)
A Senate vote is expected before Dec 13. Senators: which line of that résumé says trust him with enrichment?
Watch: The Crown Prince of Saudi Arabia
FRONTLINE · Oct 1, 2019 · 1 hr 54 min · Correspondent Martin Smith