Jeddah, Wednesday June 21, 2017
King Salman’s dismissal of Crown Prince Mohammed bin Nayef and elevation of his own son Mohammed bin Salman to the post while widely expected still came as a surprise.
The June 21 announcement from the royal court said Bin Nayef had also been dismissed as Interior Minister.
The 31-year-old Bin Salman is already head of the royal court and de facto ruler since his father suffers from dementia and is unable to remain awake for any length of time. As defence minister and head of the Economic Council Bin Salman also overseas the kingdom’s wealth.
To make sure the message was understood, the royal decree said everyone must pledge allegiance to the new Crown Prince in Makkah tonight. It was announced that the ex-Crown Prince Mohammed bin Nayef had already pledged allegiance to the new Crown Prince.
The latest change once again confirms that power, like disease is sexually transmitted as far as the Bani Saud are concerned.
There is speculation that King Salman will abdicate in favor of his son to ensure there is no challenge to the assumption of power by the brash and inexperienced Bin Salman.
While Bin Salman may assume power in the presence of his father there is no guarantee that other members of the ruthlessly ambitious Bani Saud clan would take this lying down. After all, despite all the archaic and barbaric practices that characterize the medieval kingdom, age still matters.
Bin Salman is not only young and inexperienced but his policies have been an unmitigated disaster. The war on Syria is getting nowhere.
Despite inflicting massive suffering on the Yemeni people, the Bani Saud have not achieved any of their military or political objectives.
And now two new fronts have been opened: one against Qatar and the other against Islamic Iran. If Bin Salman thinks he can bomb his way out of these crises, he will have a rude awakening.
The curved daggers are probably being sharpened as the ruling family waits for Salman to be lowered into the grave. He already has one foot there; it is simply a matter of a few months, if not sooner, before his decomposing body is completely dead.
When the clan warfare breaks out, it is safe assume that it would be a messy affair. Bedouin custom makes no allowance for taking prisoners, unless they are women.
After the bloodletting and throat slitting is over, there may not be a Bani Saud ruled kingdom left. What will replace the barbaric Bani Saud is difficult to predict although it cannot be ruled out that the Americans have already got someone in mind—perhaps a military strongman—an oxymoron in the desert kingdom—to replace the family.
Saudi Arabia is heading for a real desert storm!