Saudi Arabia after the death of its King
The worlds biggest oil exporter lost its’ monarch overnight, but surprisingly the world oil market suffered no great shocks today. In custom with the ruling Islamic Wahabi sect, Saudi Arabia will have no mourning period for King Fahd who died last night, after a decade of illness. King Fahds’ death came as no surprise, after a debilitating stroke in 1995, left him unable to rule in any practical sense. His successor and half brother Crown Prince Abdullah has been the effective ruler since then. As tributes flowed in from the Arab League and White House, some commentators have been dismayed at the portrayal of what they see as a corrupt and tyrannical ruler. As’ad Abukahlil is a professor of Politics at California State University and the author of “The Battle for Saudi Arabia” Alma Mistry spoke to As’ad Abukhalil who says that King Fahds’ reign was marked by hypocrisy and corruption through the siphoning of export Oil income.