But seriously, I find it amusing, as a younger millenial, that someone how that's a relevant quality to this particular Saudi royal. Like between myself and MBS in terms of growing up, wealth, power and a bunch of other things is so absolutely different, but it's good to know the generation he belongs to I guess.
I agree that generation isn't especially relevant here, but I do think the flip side is an interesting concern that we rarely talk about.
Biden and about 1/4 of the senate are of "the silent generation", before the boomers. Almost half of senators are over 70, which is a mandatory retirement age for various kinds of judges in several states. Around 2/3 are older than 65, the age at which the Foreign Service has its staff retire. Yes, a volatile monarch is concerning. But isn't a senator battling senility also dangerous?
Oh, extremely. < 17% of the country is 65 years and older, and yet their interests represent a supermajority in Congress. It's one reason why climate change isn't being addressed; control is held by people who will be dead by then. For anyone younger it has to be a bit more nuanced, but at that age it's literally "I will barely experience the downsides".
He isn't a volatile monarch. The western media likes to exaggerate everything that comes out of the GCC Arab Regions. Tiny past issues are irrelevant. The pandemic changed a lot of the mindset in the middle east. Saudi Arabia nowadays has good relations with 99% of all nations including Russia and China. There's currently peace talks happening with Iran mediated by Iraq. Qatar and Turkey are at peace with KSA too. Yemen's original government is at peace with KSA too. After the pandemic, Saudi Arabia is moving on focusing more on the future of its Saudi citizens and development of its country including signing good beneficial trade deals in manufacturing, science, tourism etc.
Joe Biden is irrelevant in the Middle East. Presidents come and go every 4 or 8 years. Kings stay for more than 50 years. None of the GCC countries really give a damn about Biden. There are so many Saturday Night Live sketches making fun of Biden's dementia and decision making. Joe Biden thought he could bully KSA around, but on the contrary he was disrespected so much when he came to KSA recently. The United States needs to focus on the welfare and future of its citizens. Millions living in poverty, while Biden is giving billions to Ukraine for war. Millions in the USA having to worry about student loans, housing, food etc, while Biden focuses on wasting it on useless matters. The United States is world's largest and richest economy, but many of its citizens live in poverty, despair worrying about healthcare, education, security etc.
The US isn't as oil rich as Saudia Arabia and has more than 10x the population, and far more diversity. So while I'm sure there are some good things the USA could learn from KSA I don't think money and monarchies would be as effective. (Though I'd like to see less spent on defense boondoggles and more on social safety nets.) Now certainly the KSA has much to learn about tolerating dissent, nepotism in government, and freedom of the press.
Millennial is irrelevant. Unlike his siblings, MBS did not study abroad. He was not exposed to Western influences as much. His generation is that of the Saudi baby boom, kids born when the oil wealth lifted the Malthusian trap and population doubled almost overnight, then again. If anything he has the Boomer-like sense of entitlement of his generation, and unlike his cohorts, his whims will actually be catered to.
> Hypothetically speaking, how hard would it be to kill someone like this?
I've always found it strange that what happened to Abe recently hasn't happened to just about every world leader, most of whom do public events on a daily basis. In most countries with 50% opposing you, you've got an average of about 20 million people. Take the top 0.01% craziest fanatical opposition and you've still got 2000 people. In the US for example, there are 400 million firearms and god knows how many political lunatics, yet only one president was assassinated in the last century.
Oh, interesting, that was reported in some news article that I read on the killing. Regardless, the weapon was not mass manufactured and whatever tools he used doesn't really matter, whether it was on a bunch of manual tooling or CNC gear the end result is the same: Abe is dead and making guns is unfortunately simple enough that a determined individual can do this without attracting attention.
Narcissists are tough to get close to. They are very selective about the company they keep, and have such high valuations of self that their security details are top-tier. The worst people in history have always been the best-protected.
That's before the extent of their influence has your friends/co-conspirators ratting you out for their own gain.
Murder/assassination is the obvious solution. These types expect it. Don't be obvious.
The main problems with that are that killing such a leader leads often first into chaos and then to a leader who is as bad or worse as well as generally poisoning relations and diplomacy in an open ended way.
I really don't understand why foreigners tend to interfere in our matters. 99% of Saudi citizens don't really care what's happening around the world nor do they interfere in their matters. Saudi Arabia doesn't give Saudi citizenships or permanent residencies to foreigners. All expat workers here are on temporary yearly work visas who come and go Regarding the crown price, he's the best leader suited for this generation of Saudi citizens who are on average in the age group of 25 to 35 years old. The crown prince has done tons of great things for the country in the past 5 years of so. Increased all women's rights, increased women's employment, given them driving licenses, autonomy on movements. Furthermore, the best thing the government has done during the Covid pandemic was fire all unnecessary foreigners and increase Saudi employment by many folds. All companies and sectors are forced to increase employment and training of Saudi citizens. Many sectors require the firing and removal of foreigners. Furthermore, Saudi Arabia is earning billions each day from oil and gas. All of this money is being used for the development of infrastructure, education, healthcare, and future of Saudi Citizens. All Saudi Citizens get free healthcare and education. Many even get university education for free. Unemployed or poorer Saudi Citizens get social security allowances every month and can be on waiting list for government free housing. Saudi Citizens don't have to pay any income taxes or anything. During the pandemic, the government paid for all Saudi citizens who were stranded in countries abroad. They paid for the accommodation, fees, food, and direct flight tickets to come back to Saudi Arabia. All Saudi wealth is only for the 23 million Saudi Citizens and their future.
Regarding the future, Saudi Arabia is preparing well. We're already onto renewable energy production such as Solar Energy and Green Hydrogen. We were one of top producers of fossil fuels and now will be one of the top producers of renewable energy in the future. There's already a giant pipeline in the initial stages of construction that will supply Saudi Green Hydrogen through Greece to Europe. We're also building one of the biggest Solar PV plants in the world. Eventually it would cover a majority of our energy needs and will supply to excess to abroad. In addition, Saudi Arabia has trillions of dollars of untapped rare earth minerals and other valuable things like Bauxite, Uranium, Gold, Lithium, etc. We've just started to increase the mining of these resources. Finally, Saudi Arabia is already in the Electric Car phase. Almost all new infrastructure requires the installation of electric car charging outlets. Saudi Arabia also has a majority share in Lucid Motors and is opening two electric vehicle manufacturing plants very soon.
Regarding life in Saudi Arabia, the government under him is more relaxed. The government allows all sects of the citizens to live here peacefully. The religious police is more restrained and can't interfere in political, scientific, security, healthcare etc. matters anymore. Saudi Arabia is also not indulging itself in religious issues of other countries. Also no more free money to neighboring countries or anymore. Just huge loans with late penalty fees. This is better because petty national of issues of other countries/regions (like Lebanon, Palestine, Africa, Pakistan, Srilanka etc) has dragged KSA and caused a lot of trouble in the past. Saudi Arabia also doesn't want to get dragged into matters with Ukraine/Russia/Europe/USA. We have good decent relations with all nations.
I think the brutal slaughter of Khashoggi is why people pay more attention to Saudi Arabia now than before. Until then the crown was viewed as a unique country prone to excessive wealth displays, but since has become something a bit more ominous.
I'm glad investments are being made in renewable energy sources. I hope they leverage the same comparative advantages as fossil fuels gave the country and allow for continued investment and growth.
The ongoing war in Yemen, as well as 9/11 have given the country a bad name for a long time. They both also directly counter the whole narrative of Saudi Arabia minding their business and not interfering in other countries' affairs.
Since Saudis are doing so well under MBS perhaps the US should also become more energy independent and leave Saudi Arabia to arm and defend itself. Then the US will be more free to criticize the imprisonment and dismemberment of Saudi activists and US residents.
But seriously, I find it amusing, as a younger millenial, that someone how that's a relevant quality to this particular Saudi royal. Like between myself and MBS in terms of growing up, wealth, power and a bunch of other things is so absolutely different, but it's good to know the generation he belongs to I guess.