Saudi Arabia: seeking security (catch all)

[Bob's World]

Absolutely this is complex business. Clearly the Status Quo is a policy that became obsolete with the end of the Cold War that gave birth to it. We need a new, post Cold War policy that helps the populaces of the middle east and their governments evolve. The baggage of our Cold War engagement, and European engagement prior to that; along with the incredible complexity of a Muslim religion that due to Globalization is facing the same type of reformist pressures that threw Christianity and Europe into 250 years of violence and upheaval (1450-1700), it is a mine field.

We need to extricate ourselves from being overly engaged directly, and get into more of a mediator role to help guide what could be an incredibly explosive transition. It will call for brand new policies, new thinking, and a major suppressant of our urge to CONTROL the process, and instead simply guide it so that our own national interests to not get trampled in the chaos.

[120mm]

Absolutely this is complex business. Clearly the Status Quo is a policy that became obsolete with the end of the Cold War that gave birth to it. We need a new, post Cold War policy that helps the populaces of the middle east and their governments evolve. The baggage of our Cold War engagement, and European engagement prior to that; along with the incredible complexity of a Muslim religion that due to Globalization is facing the same type of reformist pressures that threw Christianity and Europe into 250 years of violence and upheaval (1450-1700), it is a mine field.

We need to extricate ourselves from being overly engaged directly, and get into more of a mediator role to help guide what could be an incredibly explosive transition. It will call for brand new policies, new thinking, and a major suppressant of our urge to CONTROL the process, and instead simply guide it so that our own national interests to not get trampled in the chaos.

The key issue is control. I sincerely doubt it is possible for our polity, or military decision-makers to NOT dominate and attempt to control anything within their purview.

So, the question is, schto delyat? What do we do, going forward, in the imperfect nature of our system?

[davidbfpo]

Hat tip to LWOT:

Saudi Arabia on January 8 began the trial of 16 suspected members of al-Qaeda accused of killing a policeman, plotting to attack government officials and military weapons facilities, smuggling weapons and training militants to fight in Iraq and Afghanistan (Reuters). The suspects are just a few of several thousand arrested in the Kingdom's clampdown on militancy between 2003 and 2006, of whom most have already faced trial according to the Saudi government, though human rights groups disagree and have said the government continues to hold thousands of political prisoners under the pretense of militancy.

Link to Reuters report:http://www.reuters.com/article/2012/...80708W20120108

Link to LWOT briefing, KSA is just one item:http://www.foreignpolicy.com/article...nse_in_florida

[davidbfpo]

Today I have renamed this thread, it was 'Failed Attack in Saudi Arabia' and after that attack had moved along to other internal issues of terrorism.

There is a parallel thread 'US policy with an ally like the Saudis...', it appears not to cover acts of terrorism and the Saudi response. It is at:http://council.smallwarsjournal.com/...ead.php?t=2119

[davidbfpo]

Recent disorder in the Eastern Province received some coverage here and then faded away:http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-middle-east-16543013

This link is to a background comment, although the author is Washington-based let's say his viewpoint is slanted:http://www.opendemocracy.net/joshua-...n-saudi-arabia

I know disorder in this reportedly mainly Shia minority dominated province has long been feared by outsiders, being adjacent to the oilfields.

[davidbfpo]

An odd IMO BBC World Service interview with a Saudi Princess in exile in Acton, West London:

... there are many changes she would like to see in Saudi Arabia - but that now is not the time for women to be allowed to drive.

Link:http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/magazine-17446831

If you Google Princess Basma Bint Saud Bin Abdulaziz there are similar intervews.

[BenR]

In my research in the topic of radicalism in Saudi Arabia I believe I have identified one of the primary underlying issues that drive this matter. This concerns the inability for the regime to create a reconciliation between modernity and the foundational elements of the Saudi state.

By this I refer to Abdul Aziz's utilization of the ultraconservative branch of Sunni Islam to unifying the tribes in place of what we in the west would view as nationalism. The very nature of Ibn Tamiyah's critique of progress that is latent within the doctrinal facets of Wahhabism leads to an underlying tension between material security (economy, military etc) and metaphysical security (narrative, norms, culture) within the modern Saudi state.

The overflow effect of this, of course, is a predilection towards violent offensive Jihad within a minority of the population who seem to find their underlying ontological outlook compromised by such a pervasive paradox.

[AdamG]

PARIS: Saudi Arabia has threatened military action against Qatar if it goes ahead and acquires Russia's top of the range S-400 air defence missile system, Le Monde daily reported. Citing information it had obtained, Le Monde said Friday that Riyadh had written to French President Emmanuel Macron asking him to intervene to prevent the deal going ahead and to help preserve regional stability.

https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/...w/64427860.cms

[AdamG]

A year-long political conflict between the tiny, wealthy state of Qatar and its larger neighbours - including Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates - has been fought with a new arsenal of weapons: bots, fake news and hacking.

In the early hours of 24 May 2017, a news story appeared on the website of Qatar's official news agency, QNA, reporting that the country's emir, Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad al-Thani, had made an astonishing speech.

The quotes then appeared on the QNA's social media accounts and on the news ticker running along the bottom of the screen on videos uploaded to the agency's YouTube channel.

The emir was quoted praising Islamist groups Hamas, Hezbollah and the Muslim Brotherhood. And perhaps most controversially of all, Iran, Saudi Arabia's arch-rival.

https://www.bbc.com/news/blogs-trending-44294826

[davidbfpo]

Noticed this film is on release in the UK & USA and their website describes the film as:

PATH OF BLOOD depicts Islamist terrorism, as it has never been seen before. Drawn from a hoard of jihadi home-movie footage that was captured by Saudi security services, this is the story of Muslim terrorists targeting Muslim civilians and brought to justice by Muslim security agents. It is a stark reminder that all who are touched by terrorism are victimized by it. A powerful and sometimes shocking cinematic experience, PATH OF BLOOD reveals how brainwashed youths, fuelled by idealism and the misguided pursuit of adventure, can descend into madness and carnage. The raw, unvarnished footage, to which the filmmakers negotiated exclusive access, captures young thrill-seekers at a jihadi “boot camp” deep in the Saudi desert, having signed on to overthrow the Saudi government. They plot to detonate car bombs in downtown Riyadh, become embroiled in a game of cat and-mouse with government forces and, as their plans unravel, resort to ever more brutal tactics. Adopting a strictly objective approach, the film doesn’t editorialize and contains no interviews or “talking heads” commentary. The home video footage was shot by the terrorists themselves, allowing viewers to see them in all their complexity, while compelling audiences to draw their own conclusions.

Their website refers to a book:

It is co-authored by PATH OF BLOOD co-producer Thomas Small and director/producer Jonathan Hacker. Building upon the two years of research, the book draws on interviews conducted with members of the Saudi security forces, Western diplomatic and security officials, on- and off-the-record briefings from the Ministry of Interior and captured Al Qaeda terrorists. This access allows the authors to tell in detail the full story of a single Al Qaeda campaign and its defeat by the country’s internal security services. The Literary Review described the book as “A genuine page turner that offers some real insights…a fascinating piece of work... a grimly fascinating read...highly recommended.”

Link:http://www.pathofbloodfilm.com/

I have not seen the film, but is was shown this week in London.