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Saudi Arabia's new King Salman promises continuity
[BBC] Soddy Arabian
...a kingdom taking up the bulk of the Arabian peninsula. Its primary economic activity involves exporting oil and soaking Islamic rubes on the annual hajj pilgrimage. The country supports a large number of princes in whatcha might call princely splendor. When the oil runs out the rest of the world is going to kick sand in the Soddy national face...
 King Salman
...either the largest species of Pacific salmon or the current Sheikh of the Burnin' Sands, Cutodian of the Two Holy Mosquesand Lord of Most of the Arabians....
 has pledged continuity, hours after his accession to the throne following the death of his half-brother, King Abdullah.
So now the Saudis have their own King Solomon. It would be lovely were he as wise as the original, handing the disputed baby to the mother who would give it up rather than allow it to be split in half. The odds are not good, unfortunately.
The new king moved swiftly to appoint heirs and ministers, including one prince from the ruling dynasty's third generation.

King Abdullah died overnight, weeks after being admitted to hospital with a lung infection.

He was buried in an unmarked grave in Riyadh, following Friday prayers.

His burial was conducted in line with the traditions of Wahhabism - the ultra-conservative form of Sunni Islam followed by the kingdom - where funerals are austere and simple.

King Abdullah's body was wrapped in a shroud, and buried in a public cemetery after prayers attended by Gulf heads of state and some foreign leaders.

'Correct policies'
Within hours of acceding to the throne, King Salman, 78, vowed to maintain the same policies as his predecessors.

"We will continue adhering to the correct policies which Saudi Arabia has followed since its establishment," he said in a speech broadcast on state television
... and if you can't believe state television who can you believe?
The new king wrote on his official Twitter account: "I ask God to help me succeed in my service of the dear [Saudi] people."
Posted by: Fred 2015-01-24
http://www.rantburg.com/poparticle.php?ID=409111