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| Arabia |
| SAUDI KING ABDULLAH IS DEAD |
| 2015-01-22 |
| Saudi Arabia's King Abdullah has died, Saudi state television announced early on Friday local time. Abdullah's designated successor is Crown Prince Salman bin Abdulaziz, his 79-year-old half-brother. Abdullah had been in poor health in recent months. Reuters reports that the king had been admitted to a Riyadh hospital in December for medical tests. The royal court announced in January that Abdullah was suffering from pneumonia. |
| Posted by:anon1 |
| #3 As Nayif is dead, this WAPO article has a good analysis of the potential successors here. Let the Games begin! |
| Posted by: anon1 2015-01-22 20:46 |
| #2 Imagine a Saudi Arabia where a revolutionary army of women staged a coup. Women with AK47s took over and instituted martial law. Education in schools instantly ceased to teach the Koran by rote. Boys were sent to the back of the room. Men were prevented from driving cars or from leaving the house without a close female relative to accompany them. Men had to wear burqas while women could wear what they like. If the men resist, women would shoot them or lock them in prison and they would appear before a court where it would take the word of three men to equal that of one woman. Money would instantly cease being funnelled to terror cells around the world – the cash flow would dry up. Instead it would be spent on health care and education. Science, maths and foreign languages would be taught. Religion banned. Mecca shut, medina shut. No hajj, no pilgrimages allowed for 30 years. Comparative religion would be taught as a subject of inquiry and analysis. Elections would be held but only women could stand as candidates. Men would not be allowed to vote. Imagine that Saudi Arabia in place for 30 years. Then it gradually transitions to a democracy, with men’s rights gradually reinstated until they get equal status. I think that would fix the problem. |
| Posted by: anon1 2015-01-22 20:12 |
| #1 King Abdullah was more reform minded than others in the royal family especially prince nayif. This cable here has plenty of good information about the jostling to be the next in line and who is who. But having said that, it was on his watch that Sharia was exported to the world and IS was funded - though perhaps his health was so bad at that point he didn't know. Not sure. What i do know is any comments pointing out that the king has ultimate responsibility for this, and for the fact that people are killed in the Kingdom for being atheists, "adulterers" or gays are being instantly wiped from news feeds everywhere from twitter to reddit - censorship is well in force right now. |
| Posted by: anon1 2015-01-22 20:03 |