The de facto Saudi ruler, Muhammad bin Salman (|MbS) finds himself in a bind. The external challenge from Ansar-Allah in Yemen and an internal challenge from the ruling family have put MbS in a blind alley. He is the architect of his own misfortune. His time may be up.
Amid the US-Israel generated hype about normalization of relations with Saudi Arabia, the plan does not seem to be heading for fruition any time soon. Whether the Saudis will be able hold out on their demands, however, is a caveat. Only time will tell whether it succeeds.
While all rulers have to look after the interests of their own country that may necessitate periodic political somersaults, there are two rulers who are brazenly opportunistic: Saudi Arabia’s de facto ruler MbS, and Turkish president Recep Tayyip Erdogan.
