Saudi

Battle of the Barrels

2021-07-19

The public disagreement between the United Arab Emirates (UAE) and Saudi Arabia this week in the OPEC+ group has shaken international markets given the high stakes involved for a deal supporting...

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Saudi-Pakistan Rift Develops Over India

2020-08-29

On August 17, Pakistani army chief Gen. Qamar Javed Bajwa visited Saudi Arabia to meet with Deputy Defense Minister Khalid bin Salman, younger brother to the

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Is China Helping Saudi Arabia to Build a Nuclear Bomb?

2020-08-08

Until Journal reporters asked the Saudis for comment, Riyadh had not acknowledged the existence of the plant. In terms of international protocols, that’s sort of OK but it suggests a lack of openness inconsistent with peaceful intent.

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It is time to reform the management of the hajj

2020-07-29

This year, however, the hajj has become another casualty of COVID-19. Last month, Saudi Arabia banned the hajj for international visitors, drastically reducing the number of people able to perform the sacred ritual.

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Shifting Sands in the House of Saud with a King’s Declining Health

2020-07-23

King Salman may not be on his deathbed, but his son is renowned for not wanting to waste an opportunity.

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The Lure of Blood Money

2020-06-22

Arms sales to countries in the Yemen conflict continue, despite violations of human rights and conditions of transfer.

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Saudi Arabia Isn’t Just Raising Taxes

2020-06-13

For autocratic regimes, increasing taxes could put their survival at risk.

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Will the OPEC Agreement Work and, If So, How Long Will It Last?

2020-04-16

The market appears to doubt that the deal will suffice, and royal family dynamics could push the oil crisis into further rounds.

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How Will the Coronavirus Crisis Affect Your Middle Eastern Focus Area in the Coming Months?

2020-04-07

A regular survey of experts on matters relating to Middle Eastern and North African politics and security.

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How Would You Explain the Recent Spate of Arrests in Saudi Arabia?

2020-03-28

A regular survey of experts on matters relating to Middle Eastern and North African politics and security.

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Implications of the Saudi Corruption Arrests

2020-03-20

The latest crackdown appears to have targeted senior defense and interior officials, spurring speculation that they are linked to previously detained princes rumored to be plotting a coup.

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Russia and Saudis in a Knife Fight Over Oil—But We May Be the Victims

2020-03-14

A train wreck is about to occur in the oil market, and there will be casualties. Russia and Saudi Arabia, which previously had cooperated in making the world market well-supplied, no longer can agree on how to share the benefits.

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Making Sense of the Saudi Rumors: A Guide to Royal Family Politics

2020-03-12

Reports of royal arrests, a possible coup plot, and a brewing oil price war suggest that the kingdom is facing another period of considerable political tension.

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Mohammed bin Salman's latest arrests expose weakness at heart of power

2020-03-11

The arrest of such high-ranking princes reveals the shaky ground on which the young princes future rests

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Toward a Red Sea forum: The Gulf, the Horn of Africa, and architecture for a new regional order

2019-11-07

The Red Sea has fast become the subject of new geopolitical intrigue, as unprecedented engagement between Gulf states and the Horn of Africa reframes politics, economics, and security astride one of the world’s most heavily trafficked waterways

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Putin in the Gulf: Working with the Saudis on arms, oil and Syria

2019-10-16

Moscow and Riyadh agreed to disagree but it does not exclude their cooperation in areas of mutual interest

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The Real Reason Trump Won’t Attack Iran

2019-09-19

Starting a war to protect oil markets will only backfire.

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Trump Team Debates Response to Strikes on Saudi Oil

2019-09-18

Pentagon is cautious as Riyadh requests additional U.S. forces.

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Is Salafism making comeback in Egypt?

2019-09-01

Egypts Ministry of Religious Endowments granted controversial Sheikh Yasser Borhami, vice president of the Salafist Call, a preaching permit for Friday sermons in Alexandria in August

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Muslim Causes Versus National Interest: Muslim Nations Make Risky Bets

2019-08-19

Saudi attitudes towards the plight of thousands of illegal Rohingya in the kingdom fleeing persecution in Myanmar and squalid Bangladeshi refugee camps help explain Saudi support

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Quieting the Home Front

2019-08-03

Saudi Arabia has used a variety of means to neutralize domestic opposition to the war in Yemen.

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U.S. Senate Targets Saudi Nuclear Technology

2019-08-01

The bipartisan bill follows the revelation that a longtime Trump advisor was pushing for lucrative nuclear deals with Riyadh.

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The Worrisome Mystery of a Saudi Journalist’s Whereabouts

2018-10-06

If Riyadh did in fact order Khashoggi’s detention, it may be miscalculating the likely negative impact on U.S. diplomacy and Western investment.

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