Hussein Shobokshi piles compliments onto the Saudi security services for their success in countering terrorist activity in the country. He points out though, that while this branch of the Saudi government is meeting its goals, another part—the one charged with diminishing the ideological base for terrorism—doesn’t seem to be meeting its goals. He’s right.
Unless and until the Saudi government succeeds in weeding out those that prey on young minds, until it succeeds in ridding Saudi society of the extremism that feeds on anger, distress, and despair, it will continue to ‘grow’ terrorism. The weeding out will be difficult as it touches on many aspects of Saudi life, starting with the narrow interpretations of Islam that prevail in some quarters.
Another Achievement for Saudi Security
Hussein ShobokshiAnother round with terrorism! This was the expression on the lips of the Saudi Arabian citizens when they received the news that a group of dangerous suspects who were planning and financing acts of terrorism in different parts of the country had been arrested. The announcement of the arrest of this terrorist cell came only a few days before the beginning of the holy month of Ramadan.
The Interior Ministry statement contained important and significant information.
44 suspects were arrested; 43 of whom were Saudi nationals, whilst the remaining suspect was an unnamed foreign national. The number of Saudi nationals involved in such operations has increased, and previous such operations were primarily conducted by foreign nationals. Many of those arrested possess higher education degrees, and among the items seized by the security apparatus were, 67 machine guns, 22,000 bullets, 376 electronic remote detonators, and 20 boxes of ammunition. This arsenal was buried in different locations throughout Saudi Arabia in a professional manner.
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Asharq Alawsat runs an interesting article from Agence France Presse highlighting the fine line that distributors of information must tread when going for an international audience. The focus here is on women’s magazines like Elle and Marie-Claire, whose European editions offer pictures of nude women and stories about sex, both of which are forbidden in the Kingdom and restricted in other parts of the world. Reconciling local culture with international standards isn’t easy, as the piece reports. Even within Saudi Arabia, what might be acceptable in Jeddah can be banned in Riyadh.
The issue comes back to one which has been argued here in the past: While individuals have the right and ability to not read or view something, should they entail the power of the state to ensure that no one else does either? If within that state there are strong differences on what is acceptable, whose judgment should be supported by law? Who decides? Who decides who decides?
It is my contention that the individual and those for whom s/he is responsible have the right and power to make those decisions.
Writing for Arab World No Piece of Cake: Magazine
PARIS, (AP) — France-based women’s mags Elle and Marie-Claire, are continuing a push into the Arab market but say having to adapt content to local sensitivities without contradicting their own ideals is no piece of cake.
Marie-Claire has editions in Kuwait and the United Arab Emirates and last week launched a monthly in Saudi Arabia, where competitor Elle magazine is already present, as well as in Dubai and Lebanon.
But the just-released 35,000 copies of the Saudi edition of Marie-Claire ran into immediate, if minor problems.
A story on Saudi women’s football, in which players are clad in trousers, long sleeves and headscarves, was allowed in full in Jeddah but not Riyadh.
“Our problem is reconciling local culture with the Marie-Claire concept, which is no piece of cake,” said Laurence Hembert Wermus, who heads international development for the magazine, a touch less glam than rival Elle.
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I apologize for the inadvertently long pause in posting. I found myself in several locations where internet access was either unavailable (yes, such places still exist, even in the US!) or derailed by computer network outages.
I’m back at home now, as Ramadan begins, and will be here until late September when I head off to Saudi Arabia. I’ll be attending the opening of King Abdullah University of Science & Technology as a guest of the university on Sept. 23. I plan to spend two or three days in Jeddah afterwards, touching base with various people. Any of you who’d like to get in touch, please let me know through the ‘Contact’ tab at the top of the page.
In the meantime, I’ll be writing about what I find interesting going on in the Kingdom. I’ve missed about a week of events and will try to catch up on them. If you see that I’ve missed something you think I should address, you can leave a comment on this post and I’ll get right to it!
Arab News reports on the arrest of 44 individuals—all but one of them Saudi—over the past month. None are on the Saudi ‘most wanted’ list, but several are alleged to have had contact with terrorists involved in the 2003-2005 attacks within the Kingdom. None are identified by name.
The government is placing blame on the takfiri philosophy which takes upon itself the power to declare Muslims to be ‘not good enough Muslims’ and thus legitimate their murders.
44 Terror suspects arrested
Samir Al-Saadi | Arab NewsJEDDAH: The Kingdom announced on Wednesday the arrest of 44 suspected militants linked to an Al-Qaeda cell. The deviants sought to recruit youths and used to finance their activities through charitable donations.
“The suspects were arrested over a period of one year. The operation began on July 20, 2008, and ended on Aug. 2 this year,” said Interior Ministry spokesman Maj. Gen. Mansour Al-Turki.
“Forty-three of those arrested are Saudi nationals,” said Al-Turki. He said that some of them had received training in the Kingdom and abroad on the use of light and heavy weapons. Some had received training on mixing and detonating explosive materials. Others received training in counterfeiting documents and identity cards. Their ages ranged between 20 and 60.
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Saudi Gazette also takes up the story on its front page. This article points to arrests within Riyadh and the religiously conservative region of Qassim, north of the capital. The individuals’ relationship with Al-Qaeda, both within the country and without is highlighted.
As articles in the Saudi media pointed out yesterday, swine flu concerns and limitations will affect the many businesses that depend on Umrah and Haj for their incomes. Saudi Gazette is reporting today that hotels in Mecca and Madinah are looking at 70%-90% loses over the months culminating at Haj in November. Even with prices for services being reduced by half, many hotels are facing bankruptcy; the country is looking at loses in the billions of riyals.
Madina hotels hit hard by flu fears
Abdul Kareem Al-Murabba’ and Sami Al-MaghamsiMAKKAH/MADINA – An emergency meeting of 60 Makkah Umrah companies was held Wednesday to address the bankruptcy they say faces “90 percent of hotel and Umrah firms in Makkah and Madina” while Madina hotel operators project losses of 70 percent for the Ramadan Umrah season.
Attendees at the Makkah meeting who made up around 90 percent of Umrah firms called upon the authorities to urgently tackle swine flu and visas issues they say are behind huge fall in the number of visitors. Some companies in the two cities, they said, faced losses of over SR1 billion due to the pilgrim quota system and failure to extend Umrah visas until mid-Ramadan.
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Here’s an interesting opinion piece from Financial Times which argues—as does the Saudi government—that ‘incrementalism’ as a process to find peace in the Middle East just isn’t going to work. Given the past opportunities when it might have worked, but which all failed, there’s no reason to expect that suddenly, this time, it will magically result in a solution.
Definitely worth reading.
The grand bargain that is the Mideast’s best hope
Shai Feldman and Gilead SherSaudi Arabia recently rejected America’s request that it reciprocate an Israeli freeze on settlement construction by beginning to normalise relations with the Jewish state. “Incrementalism and a step-by-step approach, has not and, we believe, will not lead to peace. Temporary security and confidence-building measures will also not bring peace,” Prince Saud al-Faisal, the Saudi foreign minister, said in Washington on July 31.
Yet more than seven years ago it was Saudi Arabia that first proposed rewarding Israel if it would meet the requirements of resolving the Arab-Israeli conflict. In mid-2002, Saudi Arabia’s crown prince, now King Abdullah, offered a simple grand bargain: in exchange for Israel’s withdrawal to the 1967 lines the Arab states would be prepared to integrate it into the region. By the time the so-called Arab Peace Initiative was adopted by the Arab League summit in Beirut six weeks later, the simple Saudi formula had become a longer multi-item text.
The API was a breakthrough. The same League that in August 1967 concluded a summit in Khartoum with “the three Nos” – no peace, no negotiations and no recognition of Israel – now suggested normalising the Arab-Israeli relationship. Yet this turnround was disregarded, interpreted as a post-9/11 Saudi public relations move. Since then, it has continued to be ignored by consecutive Israeli governments, which has insulted the Arab leaders who proposed it. In turn, Arab leaders have adopted a “take it or leave it” approach – an attitude that could hardly assure Israel.
The Obama administration should persuade the Arab states formally to reaffirm and revive the API.
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The spread of the A/H1N1 virus (swine flu) in Saudi Arabia is exacting a psychological and physical toll, but will also have economic consequences, according to various Saudi media reports.
Arab News reports that Egypt is creating an age window for would-be pilgrims, prohibiting those under 25 from taking part in Umrah this year. The piece points out that the pilgrimage industry—and it is an industry—is suffering from the changes and uncertain about its immediate future. The article focuses on Egyptian tour operators, but the many Saudis who provide pilgrimage support, like hotels and transportation, will also be affected.
New Umrah age limit disappoints Egyptians
Galal Fakkar | Arab NewsJEDDAH: Over 110,000 potential pilgrims from Egypt are unable to come to the Kingdom for Umrah due to new age restrictions placed by the Egyptian authorities.
Naser Turk, deputy chairman of the Egyptian Tourism Chamber, said a recent decision to limit people below the age of 25 years from coming to Umrah has deprived more than 110,000 applicants from securing Umrah visas.
Turk said the applicants had completed their forms and that their applications were approved prior to the decision being made. They were, however, denied visas because of the subsequent decision.
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Saudi Gazette reports that there is still a great deal of ignorance among the public about the flu and the way it is transmitted and treated. Bad information and misinformation are cluttering people’s minds, leading to confusion. It notes in its interviews with Saudis that the death toll in the Kingdom is not really known by the public, with estimates ranging from 1 to 49.
People largely ignorant about swine flu and its precautions
Jassim Alghamdi and Mohammad Al-FoqaniJEDDAH – As the number of swine flu cases and deaths increase in the Kingdom, Ministry of Health officials continue to provide the public with information about the cause of the disease and what can be done to prevent it. Despite this awareness campaign, Saudi Gazette has found in interviews with members of the public that there exists a wide variety of opinions much of it without any factual basis and some of it very far from the truth.
Mohammed Al-Khirish, a Saudi private school teacher, knows little about swine flu except that King Abdullah, Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques, has promised to pay for the treatment of the disease.
“I think that there have been 49 deaths because of this dangerous virus,” said Al-Khirish, “but luckily King Abdullah is going to provide the vaccines soon,” he added.
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I’ve not had a chance to read this paper from The Washington Institute yet, but I’m passing along the link because it looks interesting. After I’ve had a chance to read it, I’ll comment.
The link goes to the 56-page PDF document which you can read online, download for later reading, or print out.
[Link is fixed. Thanks to M for pointing it out.]
After King Abdullah
Succession in Saudi ArabiaSimon Henderson
Contents
About the Author
Note on Royal Saudi Names
Preface
Executive Summary
1. The History of Succession
2. Factors Affecting Succession
3. Future Succession: The Role of the Allegiance Council
4. Succession Within the Current Generation
5. Succession to the Next Generation
6. Succession and the U.S.-Saudi Relationship
Appendix 1. Saudi Arabia: Borders and Administrative Boundaries
Appendix 2. Maternal Linkages among the Sons of King Abdulaziz
Appendix 3. The al-Saud: Main Line of Succession and Cadet Branches
Appendix 4. Chronology of Saudi History
Appendix 5. Excerpts from the Basic Law of Governance
Appendix 6. Allegiance Institution Law
Appendix 7. Members of the Allegiance Council, December 2007
Appendix 8. Prominent Princes
Appendix 9. Council of Senior Scholars—The Ulama
Appendix 10. Ambassadors
UPDATE: I’ve had a chance to go through the report and have some opinions on it.
First, this is a projection, necessarily speculative. I think the writer’s understanding of the dynamics is on target. He identifies certain frictions that are well known and draws rational conclusions from them. The problem–and it is a problem–is that the inner workings of the Al-Saud remain largely opaque. This is not a group of ‘Chatty Cathies’, willing to dish on the latest rumors. I think the report’s conclusions are likely correct, but there can be unaccounted for factors, particular actors whose influence is misestimated, that can make it all for naught.
I think the report offers information that has been unknown or under-appreciated in the West, even by Saudi-observers. It’s definitely worth reading and thinking about.
I came across this post at the Volokh Conspiracy law blog (‘Blawg’). It’s a discussion of a case of some ten years ago in a Massachusetts court in which the court had to determine whether American law—specifically, the laws of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts—would apply in trying a case or whether the Shariah law of Saudi Arabia would prevail. Although the case involved a) a British citizen, involved in an accident in b) Saudi Arabia, the court determined first that it had jurisdiction—because Sheraton Hotels do business in Massachusetts—and that Massachusetts law would provide more equitable relief to the plaintiff.
The Volokh Conspiracy blog, and particularly Eugene Volokh, grandfather of the eponymous site, often takes on stories where American law does or does not accept foreign law or religious law. Eugene is a constitutional scholar, particularly focused on the First and Second Amendments. The First is the one that guarantees rights to freedom of speech as well as freedom to practice (or not) the religion of one’s choice. It’s one of my daily must-read blogs.
Now, I recognize that law is not everyone’s cup of tea. Court decisions can be tedious to read, filled with profession-specific jargon, and sometimes convoluted in both reading and comprehensibility. As laws are what govern behavior in most countries, though, I think it’s a good idea to understand them as best one can.
Particularly now, when Saudi Arabia is undergoing a major reform of its own legal system, I think it singularly important to see how fairness and respect for foreign law, even when it is not the law being applied, is useful, if not critical.
Rejection of Saudi Arabia as an Alternate Forum for Resolving a Dispute
I’ve blogged before about (1) American courts’ occasional willingness to enforce Sharia law when they enforce foreign law (such as Saudi law) — just as they enforce the law of other countries — and about (2) the general propriety of courts’ enforcing the judgments of Sharia arbitration panels, when the parties had contractually agreed to have a dispute settled through such arbitration.
But I thought it would also be helpful, as a counterpoint, to quote this case I just ran across, which deals with (3) when American courts should decline to hear a case because the proper forum is a foreign country that applies Sharia law. The case, Rhodes v. ITT Sheraton Corp., 9 Mass. L. Rptr. 355 (Mass. Super. Ct. 1999), is from 10 years ago, but I’ve seen very few references to it, so I expect it will be new to most readers:
Plaintiff is a British citizen and resident of Great Britain. While on summer break from her university in 1994, she visited her parents at their home in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia. On August 23, 1994, she and her sister met two of their friends at the Red Sea Beach Resort, which is part of the Sheraton Jeddah Hotel and Villas (Jeddah Sheraton) [operated and managed by a wholly owned subsidiary of ITT Sheraton]. The resort complex on that date encompassed a beach, a large concrete wharf, a wooden platform or jetty and a lagoon. Coral stretched out from under the jetty and around the edge of the lagoon. Plaintiff struck her head on this coral when she dove into the lagoon from the jetty. She lay in the water, face down and unable to move, until she was pulled out and taken to a nearby hospital.
Plaintiff sustained a high level spinal injury as a result of her dive…. Today, plaintiff … cannot move her left arm or either of her legs and is limited to minimal movement of her right arm…. Plaintiff’s expert estimates that her medical expenses resulting from the accident will exceed ten million dollars.
Under Mass. Gen. Laws. c. 223A, § 5, I may dismiss or stay an action upon finding “that in the interest of substantial justice the action should be heard in another forum.” Massachusetts courts have incorporated into the state forum non conveniens analysis standards and principles enunciated in federal cases discussing the federal common law doctrine…. First, I must consider whether an adequate alternative forum is available. If an adequate alternative forum does exist, I then must determine whether private and public interests strongly favor litigating the claim in that forum….
If you read the comments to the original post, you’ll find that there are many who think the Massachusetts court over-reached itself, that it was improper for it to even claim jurisdiction. The arguments are interesting, or at least entertaining, with minimal Saudi- or Muslim-bashing.
This weekend and next week, I’ll be giving a few lectures and taking part in panels further north, including at State Dept. for soon-to-be retirees. To prepare for them and to do the actual travel, I won’t be posting on Saturday or Sunday. I’ll be back to posting, though on an irregular schedule, Monday. As I return to Florida the following week, there’ll be a bit of a blackout again.
In the hiatus, may I suggest you take a look through the Crossroads Arabia archives? The search box to the left of the page works moderately well—it doesn’t handle complex Boolean terms at all, so don’t bother! I hope you’ll excuse, too, the earliest of the posts, written when I was still figuring out how I wanted it to work.
There will be another break in September, as I travel to Saudi Arabia to attend the opening of King Abdullah University of Science & Technology (KAUST). I’ll be writing from there once I arrive, but travel days both to and from will likely be blackouts on Crossroads Arabia.
The Congressional Research Service (CRS) is an element of the US Library of Congress which serves as a think-tank for the American Congress. It generates reports on its own initiative as well as in response to requests from Congress. Among the reports are those intended to inform Congress of bilateral issues between the US and other countries. Recently, CRS issued a report on Saudi Arabia and its relations with the United States. The report, a 48-page PDF document linked below, covers the gamut of issues that tie the two countries together as well as those that separate them.
The report is definitely worth reading. The only downside to it is that this report is likely to be the sum total of what many congressmen know of Saudi Arabia.
Saudi Arabia: Background and U.S. Relations
Christopher M. Blanchard
Analyst in Middle Eastern AffairsSummary
The kingdom of Saudi Arabia, ruled by the Al Saud family since its founding in 1932, wields significant political and economic influence as the birthplace of the Islamic faith and by virtue of its large energy reserves. Since 2005, King Abdullah bin Abd al Aziz Al Saud has sought to strengthen Saudi relations with European and Asian counterparts and has worked to build and lead an Arab consensus on regional security issues such as Lebanon and the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. Domestic reforms under King Abdullah have codified royal succession rules, begun restructuring the justice system, and updated some educational curricula and practices. An Al Qaeda-inspired terrorist campaign inside the kingdom appears to have ebbed as security improvements and anti-extremism campaigns have been implemented. However, the threat of domestic terrorism remains: In February 2009, Saudi authorities identified several dozen individuals suspected of continuing involvement in Al Qaeda activities, including some former prisoners of the U.S. facility at Guantanamo Bay. Robust energy export revenues in recent years strengthened the kingdom’s regional and global economic position and are now providing Saudi leaders with resources to meet fiscal challenges posed by the global economic downturn.
A close Cold War-era relationship between the United States government and the ruling Al Saud family was built on shared interests in securing Saudi oil production and in combating global Communism. Since the end of the Cold War, the emergence of the Al Qaeda terrorist threat and volatile regional security conditions in the Middle East have tested U.S.-Saudi relations. The direct participation of 15 Saudi nationals in the terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001, and the identification of several Saudi nationals and entities as alleged supporters of terrorism have called into question Saudi Arabia’s reliability as an ally for some U.S. observers. Increased official counterterrorism cooperation and shared concerns about Iranian foreign policy have provided a new strategic logic for U.S.-Saudi security relations since 2003. Longstanding defense ties remain intact, and U.S. arms sales have continued, with over $16.7 billion in potential Foreign Military Sales to Saudi Arabia approved by the executive branch and Congress from 2005 to 2009.
While security cooperation has improved since 2003, the United States and Saudi Arabia continue to face a core challenge identified by the 9/11 Commission in its final report: defining a broader bilateral relationship that “leaders on both sides are prepared to publicly defend.” The Bush Administration attempted to meet this challenge by continuing high-level consultations with key decision makers in the Saudi royal family on issues of mutual concern, including energy policy, finance, Israeli-Arab peace, human rights, and political and economic reform. In conjunction with a May 2008 visit by President Bush to Saudi Arabia, the Administration announced new agreements relating to nuclear cooperation, infrastructure security, and visas.
The 111th Congress and the Obama Administration may consider further agreements and initiatives to implement or enhance these arrangements. Congress did not include a prohibition on the provision of U.S. foreign assistance to Saudi Arabia in the Omnibus Appropriations Act, 2009 (P.L. 111-8). Prohibitions had been included in foreign operations appropriations acts adopted since FY2005. The Obama Administration has requested $400,000 in border security assistance and $65,000 in International Military Education and Training (IMET) funding for Saudi Arabia in FY2010. This report provides background information about Saudi Arabia and analyzes current issues in U.S.-Saudi relations. See also CRS Report RL32499 [2007], Saudi Arabia: Terrorist Financing Issues, and CRS Report RS21695 [2008], The Islamic Traditions of Wahhabism and Salafiyya.
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Arab News presents the latest annual crime statistics for Saudi Arabia. According to the report, assaults rose in Jeddah by an astounding 61% while Riyadh suffered a 16.4% climb. Jizan, however, saw assaults drop by 20.2%.
The article gives no hint about the causes behind these rising rates. The dominance of expats in alcohol-production is noted.
Crime in Kingdom up by 14 percent
Muhammad Humaidan I Arab NewsJEDDAH: There were 78,737 crimes recorded in Saudi Arabia last year with an increase of 8,335 crimes over the previous year, the Investigation and Prosecution Commission (IPC) said in a report released recently.
“The crimes, including aggressions against people and drug abuse, have increased by 14 percent over the same period in the year 2007,” the report said, adding that there were 21,395 drug and alcohol-related crimes.
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