Saudi Arabia General Discussion Thread: Purge Time with Finn and Jake

[🦀🎂🦀🎂]

Nah, still not getting your point. The Indonesian invasion and occupation of Timor was on nationalistic grounds, not religious fervour. (Nationalism of course, being a far more deadly religion in the wrong hands than any of the old faiths). It's basically like saying "Christianity is soo violent because Europe invaded Africa and the U.S. invaded Vietnam" (yes, I know some people do say that, but they are foolish).

I mean, if you really want to pick holes on the moderate Indonesia thing, you'd find better evidence at the other end of the archipelago in Aceh. But when people say "Indonesia practices a more moderate form of Islam" they aren't saying Indonesia is some sort of forever peaceful place, just that religiously they are less conservative than the Arab practice. You're falling into a common trap of assuming "more secular" or "less fundamentalist" means "more liberal" or "less violent".

[MASHED POTATOES. VOTE!]

It's long been Saudis' modus operandi to spread their Wahhabi brand of Islam. I can think of no better example than Afghanistan and Pakistan in 1980s: "well, we'll build you refugee centers and give other humanitarian aid... oh, it would be very nice if you visit the madrasa we set up as a side project ". It's the same mechanism.

[NewYorkExpress]

Why are we (Americans) allies with Saudi Arabia again?

[MASHED POTATOES. VOTE!]

Why are we (Americans) allies with Saudi Arabia again?

Oil?

[#TheShadowyAbyss]

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https://www.i24news.tv/en/news/international/middle-east/148097-170617-saudi-arabia-and-israel-holding-talks-to-establishing-diplomatic-ties

[○∙◄☻¥tπ[╪AV┼cVê└]

Israel definitely seems to prefer Wahhabi terrorists to Iran.

[MASHED POTATOES. VOTE!]

Israel definitely seems to prefer Wahhabi terrorists to Iran.

Geopolitical situation in the region effectively precludes Israel from prefeering Iran and vice versa, which is ironic since you can talk about a Jewish community in Iran, as opposed to KSA.

I believe there were quote close ties between Israel and Iran during the Pahlavi era.

[Santander]

Things have been building towards this for a while.

[Green Line]

That would be great news.

[Okay, maybe Mike Johnson is a competent parliamentarian.]

Interesting (and overall good news) if true.

[Stand With Israel. Crush Hamas]

Barack Obama's legacy in the world of peacemaking bears fruit!

[TheSaint250]

So the Saudis have finally grown up

[#TheShadowyAbyss]

So the Saudis have finally grown up

Trust me, it isn't because they want to have diplomatic ties with Israel, they and the Arab world really don't, it's 99.99% for an anti-Iranian alliance, once it's finished, the ties will be off and Saudi Arabia will be calling for sanctions again.

[dead0man]

This would have happened a long time ago if they could sell it to the natives, and that's why they are denying it publicly and will as long as they possibly can....if it even comes to anything.  Seems like we've heard this story before.

[Famous Mortimer]

Smart move. This will make the (even more) Islamist opposition go crazy. If the opposition goes crazier, it will force the Americans to back the current regime even more.

[DavidB.]

Would be excellent. Thanks, Obama!

[🦀🎂🦀🎂]

Smart move. This will make the (even more) Islamist opposition go crazy. If the opposition goes crazier, it will force the Americans to back the current regime even more.

Geostrategically though it might be a failure, considering they always want to be considered the leader of the Islamic world or whatever. I mean, everybody knows the Arab leaders give far less of a crap about the Palestinian people than the Israeli leaders (which is already a minimal amount of crap).

And let's face it - Americans have never been above using and allying with islamists.

[SATW]

Excellent news, if true

[Dr. MB]

Why are we (Americans) allies with Saudi Arabia again?

Oil?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xu7rap9jVqs

[The Mikado]

Prince Muhammad ibn Nayef ibn Abdulaziz, nephew of King Salman, is being replaced as heir to the throne of KSA by Muhammad ibn Salman ibd Abdulaziz, son of King Salman. This is a potential consolidation of power by Salman into his own line. Currently, any male direct descendant of Abdulaziz ibn Saud is eligible to the throne...Salman seems to be trying to elevate his own children over the rest of the thousands-strong extended family.

[Antonio the Sixth]

Any meaningful political difference between the two? I assume not.

[NewYorkExpress]

We need a Saudi Arabia megathread.

[The Mikado]

Any meaningful political difference between the two? I assume not.

Meaningful difference in terms of ideology? None seems readily apparent.

Only difference is if this really does turn into a sign that Salman is freezing his thousands and thousands of nephews out of real power in favor of his kids.

[Blue3]

He's hailed in some websites as a technocratic reformer, planning for a post-oil Saudi economy and Westernization... plus the Yemen mess.

Who wants to bet he will be the last king of Saudi Arabia?

[○∙◄☻¥tπ[╪AV┼cVê└]

He's hailed in some websites as a technocratic reformer, planning for a post-oil Saudi economy and Westernization... plus the Yemen mess.

Who wants to bet he will be the last king of Saudi Arabia?

That wouldn't be hard on account of being only 31.