Saudi Arabia 'in the midst of implosion'

[webfact]

Saudi Arabia 'in the midst of implosion'



"Money is fleeing Saudi Arabia"

DUBAI: -- The regional religious and ethnic clashes in and around the Arabian peninsula risk tearing it apart.

The Saudi execution of dissident Shia cleric Nimr Baqr al-Nimr drew a warning from senior Iranian cleric Ahmad Khatami that Saudi ultraconservative Wahhabi rule is doomed.

Analyst Theodore Karasik told our correspondent Rita del Prete in Dubai this could lead to the end of an era.

Karasik, the Director of Research and Development at the Institute for Near East and Gulf Military Analysis (INEGMA), said: “There are warnings and indicators that Saudi Arabia is in the midst of an implosion, not only politically, with infighting among senior princes, but also in the economic field. We are seeing in the Saudi economy the inability for the state to provide for everyone. Money is fleeing Saudi Arabia because of the unstable situation there.”

Russia, a tactical ally of Iran, has offered to mediate in the conflict between Riyadh and Tehran. Both Russia and Iran are supporting President Bashar al-Assad in Syria, while the Saudis support anti-Assad forces.

Karasik said: “The big winner in the Saudi action against Iran is Russia and President Putin. Why? Because Russia will be able to maintain its example as a negotiator as well as a power that projects itself in a positive way unlike Europe and the United States. This type of Russian power, this “machismo”, echoes very well with some Arab states.”

According to Karasik, opponents of Saudi power as well as Moscow would welcome a carving up of the territory similar to what came out of the collapse of the Soviet Union—if not an outright breakup.

The munificent kingdom has long resisted reforms.

Karasik said: “The reforms that Saudi Arabia has announced in the last few weeks are almost word for word what Mikhail Gorbachev tried to do in the end days of the Soviet Union. Gorbachev tried to reform the Soviet Union without changing the very basis of the society which was the role of the Communist Party of the Soviet Union (CPSU). In Saudi Arabia today they are talking about how to reform the Saudi system without changing the foundations of the Saudi state, which is based on Wahhabism."


-- (c) Copyright Euronews 2016-01-06

[craigt3365]

Separation of church and state is a good thing. Let's hope they get this sorted out or we are all going to feel the pain.

[simple1]

Separation of church and state is a good thing. Let's hope they get this sorted out or we are all going to feel the pain.

Considering Islam views religion and State as inseparable, underpinned by Sharia Law and rigorously re-enforced by Wahhabi theology in KSA, does anyone believe it going to be 'sorted out' in our lifetimes?

Edited January 6, 2016 by simple1

[baboon]

Separation of church and state is a good thing. Let's hope they get this sorted out or we are all going to feel the pain.

Considering Islam views religion and State as inseparable, underpinned by Sharia Law and rigorously re-enforced by Wahhabi theology in KSA, does anyone believe it going to be 'sorted out' in our lifetimes?

I just hope our lifetimes are not going to be considerably shortened because of all these religious nutcases...

[NickJ]

I would miss those young Saudi princes racing through residential neighborhoods at high speeds in there Ferrari's. Treating the U.S. as there personel toilet.

[canuckamuck]

'Saudi Arabia 'in the midst of implosion'

Burn Baby burn.

[Sydebolle]

As long as they bash each other - good riddance!

[lineofentry]

Sounds like rulers of the US have backed the wrong horse, again.

[Naam]

Dr. Karasik is currently a Senior Advisor to Risk Insurance Management in Dubai, UAE as well as Senior Advisor to the Russian Business Council, Dubai, UAE.

[trogers]

The recent drug haul has already indicated the dire state of their financial health.

[Mudlover]

Munificent Kingdom?

[Naam]

Sounds like rulers of the US have backed the wrong horse, again.

history shows clearly that the U.S. rulers can and will drop the Saudi rulers within the blink of an eye if they consider it opportune.

[Naam]

The recent drug haul has already indicated the dire state of their financial health.

true! ~630 billion Dollars (ranking 3rd) reserves are only pocket money

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_countries_by_foreign-exchange_reserves

[does]

Sure, look at Iraq and Afghanistan and Ukraine.

Sounds like rulers of the US have backed the wrong horse, again.

history shows clearly that the U.S. rulers can and will drop the Saudi rulers within the blink of an eye if they consider it opportune.

[retarius]

It would be a really great New Year's gift to see this corrupt regime in KSA cast aside in chaos….you reap what you sow…and KSA has financed and exported terror for the past 15 years, it would be nice to see reaping what they have sown.

[retarius]

Separation of church and state is a good thing. Let's hope they get this sorted out or we are all going to feel the pain.

Considering Islam views religion and State as inseparable, underpinned by Sharia Law and rigorously re-enforced by Wahhabi theology in KSA, does anyone believe it going to be 'sorted out' in our lifetimes?

Correct…this is what so few seem to understand about Islam…the Koran prescribes all aspects of life including government and worship. There is no such thing as a 'democracy' in fundamental Islam, nor a 'secular' Islamic state.

[craigt3365]

Sounds like rulers of the US have backed the wrong horse, again.

What has that got to do with this topic? And it's a very complicated relationship. Just like it is with the other major countries around the world.

[NeverSure]

They are barbarians with oil. Without oil they would be eating sand because they don't have a real economy. Event the prospect of continuing low oil prices can doom them. Based on what they've done to the rest of the world I hope to see their bones bleaching in the sand.

Cheers.

Edited January 6, 2016 by NeverSure

[bark]

As long as they bash each other - good riddance!

Agreed. Back to the Desert Tents. If the price of oil remains under $ 50 USD/ barrel, this country will be bankrupted in 2-3 years. No Saudis work !

They get paid to sit at home and do nothing. The cost of the social programs; they need oil to be at $85/barrel.

Can you say Next Arab Spring !!

[Scott]

The difficulty with wishing ill on any of these countries is that very, very seldom do the problems stay confined to one country. They have a tendency to spill over into other countries and in that part of the world, none of the neighboring countries can equipped to keep peace within their own borders.

It's probably safer to live on a major earthquake fault line than to be in the Middle East right now.

[baboon]

The difficulty with wishing ill on any of these countries is that very, very seldom do the problems stay confined to one country. They have a tendency to spill over into other countries and in that part of the world, none of the neighboring countries can equipped to keep peace within their own borders.

It's probably safer to live on a major earthquake fault line than to be in the Middle East right now.

Cheers, mate. I'm flying Emirates on the 13th...

[neverdie]

Sounds like rulers of the US have backed the wrong horse, again.

What has that got to do with this topic? And it's a very complicated relationship. Just like it is with the other major countries around the world.

Ohhhh what a tangled web one weaves when one first plots to deceive !

Complicated is probably just a tad of a understatement.

You couldn't write the script into an espionage movie.

[neverdie]

They are barbarians with oil. Without oil they would be eating sand because they don't have a real economy.

Cheers.

Sounds like two peas in a pod. America/Saudi, Barbarians - check, Oil - check, no economy - check. Edited January 6, 2016 by neverdie

[craigt3365]

Sounds like rulers of the US have backed the wrong horse, again.

What has that got to do with this topic? And it's a very complicated relationship. Just like it is with the other major countries around the world.

Ohhhh what a tangled web one weaves when one first plots to deceive !

Complicated is probably just a tad of a understatement.

You couldn't write the script into an espionage movie.

I said "very complicated"!!!!

It would make a great movie, eh?

[alex8912]

The difficulty with wishing ill on any of these countries is that very, very seldom do the problems stay confined to one country. They have a tendency to spill over into other countries and in that part of the world, none of the neighboring countries can equipped to keep peace within their own borders.

It's probably safer to live on a major earthquake fault line than to be in the Middle East right now.

Cheers, mate. I'm flying Emirates on the 13th...

Don't worry I think Dubai will be just fine for your 90 minute layover next week.

But on a serious note I think when the ( little) princes start to fight big time things can go bad pretty fast.

[Naam]

They are barbarians with oil. Without oil they would be eating sand because they don't have a real economy. Event the prospect of continuing low oil prices can doom them. Based on what they've done to the rest of the world I hope to see their bones bleaching in the sand.

Cheers.

yada... yada... yakety-yak...

[Just1Voice]

Arabic people fighting and killing other Arabic people? Sounds like a win-win situation to me. But then, I'm something of a cynic, so what the hell.

[billd766]

The recent drug haul has already indicated the dire state of their financial health.

true! ~630 billion Dollars (ranking 3rd) reserves are only pocket money

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_countries_by_foreign-exchange_reserves

Definitely a pocket worth picking and hopefully the hand might not get chopped off whilst doing it.

[wabothai]

I would miss those young Saudi princes racing through residential neighborhoods at high speeds in there Ferrari's. Treating the U.S. as there personel toilet.

Renting complete floors in super hotels in Europe for a weekend, so to politely say, water their flowers.

[thaibeachlovers]

Sounds like rulers of the US have backed the wrong horse, again.

There are no good horses to back in the M E. They simply picked the one with the most oil.

Those reports of money leaving the kingdom- that will be the many, many princes moving money out so they can escape when it all turns to poo.

I don't know that the royals are Wahhabis, but they are scared to death of the religious leaders that are. The royals for the most part live such extravagant lives that I doubt they are religious at all- just lip service.