5 ms·
In last 10-15 years, I have seen countless such articles about Saudi Arabia's troubled horizon. The Country has very deep connection with rest of Muslim World -
by m23khan 8y ago
In last 10-15 years, I have seen countless such articles about Saudi Arabia's troubled horizon. The Country has very deep connection with rest of Muslim World - they can hold 'brotherly' Muslim countries such as Pakistan and Egypt hooked on to Oil and Petroleum and can rely on these 'brotherly' countries to get access to their agricultural lands and can create massive 'alliances' with rest of Muslim World at their whim (case in point: Saudi-created and Saudi-led grand military alliance with Muslim Countries).
While I support Humanity's move away from fossil fuels, let's not kid ourselves -- Muslim World (which represents 2+ billion people) as well as China and India are in no rush to give up Fossil fuels. What we see now (drop in oil prices, oversupply) may get corrected over time as the poorer Muslim Nations like Pakistan and Central Africa region stabilizes and industrializes thus softening the blow from any dip in business with West.
As for social development across Saudi Arabia -- this is nothing new. Back in 1960s/1970s, Saudi Government had a modernizing phase where they bought Television and media to the masses. Universities were opened and Education was encouraged. Ever since then, Saudi men AND women have been sent to West and other places for their studies. This modernizing phase is just part 2.
You have to understand something about Saudis, Emiratis, Kuwaitis, Qataris, etc. Average citizen in these Countries may have good amounts of wealth and may get exposed to secular culture, however, at heart, their population is very much conservative and strong supports their Royal Family. Case in Point UAE: Flush with Wealth and relatively liberal -- but local population still appears conservative and prefers to live in their own social circles.
This (GCC) region is part of World where up until the Grand/great-Grand parents of current generation lived in desperate poverty since beginning of time and the society still remembers those harsh times very, very clearly -- given those circumstances and where they are now (almost First world type of living standards), any population of Human beings would be, very, very satisfied by their leadership.