Article

2005-08-03 Arabia

WSJ: Why King Abdullah and his brothers are lying about their ages

Archived material is restricted to Rantburg regulars and members. If you need access email fred.pruitt=at=gmail.com with your nick to be added to the members list. There is no charge to join Rantburg as a member.

Posted by trailing wife 2005-08-03 00:18|| || Front Page|| [7 views since 2007-05-07] Top

#1 beware of azouzi--fahd's favorite son--and an sob islamist supremacist if there ever was one

Posted by SON OF TOLUI 2005-08-03 02:41|| 2005-08-03 02:41|| Front Page Top

#2 ...This really shouldn't BE a surprise, Ibn Saud was at best a bit fuzzy on where and when his boyz were fathered; my understanding was Faisal was the only one whose birthdate could be ascertained with any certainty at all.
And perhaps .com can chime in on this - had heard when I was there that at least a couple of the boyz weren't fathered by Ibn Saud at all.

Mike

Posted by Mike Kozlowski 2005-08-03 07:39|| 2005-08-03 07:39|| Front Page Top

#3 The problem with reform is that a public entrenched in Islam could decide that the rulers are infidels trying to convert them to the impure ways of the infidel West. For a time, it was far safer to move towards Islam, where unquestioning obedience towards earthly rulers was held to be a virtue, as long as they were Muslim. Until al Qaeda came along and held themselves to be superior alternative Muslim rulers to the existing bunch. That was when Islamization went too far, and it is why the Saudi rulers will continue with reform - to defuse the idea that the ideal state is one with Islam left, right and center. The Saudi royal family is not personally devout enough to fulfill that requirement - they are too wedded to their alcohol, their bling bling and their bouts with European escorts on the Riviera.

Posted by Zhang Fei">Zhang Fei 2005-08-03 08:13|| http://timurileng.blogspot.com]">[http://timurileng.blogspot.com] 2005-08-03 08:13|| Front Page Top

#4 Heard similar rumors, MK. Hey, he prolly lied about chopping down that date palm, too...

I did see some of the original pics and footage in the Royal archives since I was in on a software thingy to preserve it all. You oughta see the vaults they keep the stuff in, heh. There's an 8MM loop of him opening the valve to the first tanker... it's like crossing the Delaware in a snowstorm, in a Saudi sort of way. No pix of him staining dresses, perjuring himself on video, or playing hide the sausage, however. The legend (marrying 26 wives to unite the tribes, blahÂ³) prolly doesn't match the family tree, but they believe what they want to believe, just as here.

Posted by .com 2005-08-03 08:15|| 2005-08-03 08:15|| Front Page Top

#5 It would be so much simpler if King Abdullah would abdicate and the Kingdom become democratic, with equal status for all the warring sibs but noooo, they will battle one another to the death. This could get really bloody. Maybe we should covertly arm their wives and let the women rule. Most of their wives really are young and would be around long enough to provide stability!

Posted by Danielle 2005-08-03 11:52|| 2005-08-03 11:52|| Front Page Top

#6 I'm only 29.

Posted by 2b 2005-08-03 12:36|| 2005-08-03 12:36|| Front Page Top

Ibn Saud & FDR

Posted by BigEd 2005-08-03 13:03|| 2005-08-03 13:03|| Front Page Top

#8 OK : From Various Sources - Let's have some fun!
Image hosted by Photobucket.com

Posted by BigEd 2005-08-03 16:20|| 2005-08-03 16:20|| Front Page Top

#9 BigEd, that is amazing -- but surely not quite healthy? ;-)

Posted by trailing wife 2005-08-03 21:49|| 2005-08-03 21:49|| Front Page Top

#10 Danielle: It would be so much simpler if King Abdullah would abdicate and the Kingdom become democratic, with equal status for all the warring sibs but noooo, they will battle one another to the death.

Elections could bring to power al Qaeda. I think the sad fact is that in Saudi Arabia, it's the population that we need to worry about, not the rulers.

Posted by Zhang Fei">Zhang Fei 2005-08-03 23:32|| http://timurileng.blogspot.com]">[http://timurileng.blogspot.com] 2005-08-03 23:32|| Front Page Top

23:58 bigjim-ky
23:49 bigjim-ky
23:48 Sock Puppet 0â Doom
23:40 Jealet Jise3212
23:40 Jackal
23:39 Zhang Fei
23:36 Phil Fraering
23:33 Jackal
23:32 Zhang Fei
23:26 Jan
23:18 Jealet Jise3212
23:09 Silentbrick
23:04 Zhang Fei
22:57 2b
22:48 2b
22:42 Jan
22:40 rjschwarz
22:39 rjschwarz
22:37 Pappy
22:33 Cyber Sarge
22:31 49 pan
22:25 trailing wife
22:24 2b
22:23 Atomic Conspiracy