Saudi Kings

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Saudi Kings

• House of Saud

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The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA)

• Founded in 1932
• Abdul Aziz ibn Saud (aka Ibn Saud)
• Government
• Absolute Monarchy
• 7,000 Princes
• 200 Princes with the most power in the form on
  government offices, such as ministries
• The Ulema
• Religious Leaders Jurists
• Share some powers in government

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King Abdullah bin Abdul al-Saud

• Current King of the KSA
• 6th King of the country
• Came to power in 2005 when older brother died.

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Sultan bin Abdul Aziz Al Saud

• Was the Former Crown Prince
• Died, October, 2011
• New Crown Prince is HRH Prince Nayef
• Line of Succession very different from most
  countries
• Makes it difficult in future.

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Sons of Abdul Aziz ibn Sa'ud

• Bandar bin Abdul Aziz (1923-)
• Musa'id bin Abdul Aziz (1923-)
• Mishaal bin Abdul Aziz (1926-)
• Crown Prince Sultan bin Abdul-Aziz (1926-)
• Abd al-Rahman bin Abdul Aziz (1931-)
• Mutaib bin Abdul Aziz (1931-)
• Talal bin Abdul Aziz (1931-)
• Badr bin Abdul Aziz (1933-
• Nawwaf bin Abdul Aziz (1933-)
• Turki bin Abdul Aziz (1934-) .
• Abdulilah bin Abdul Aziz (1935-)
• Salman bin Abdul Aziz (1936-)
• Ahmed bin Abdul Aziz (1940-)
• Mamdouh bin Abdul Aziz (1940-)
• Sattam bin Abdul Aziz (1943-)
• Muqran bin Abdul Aziz (1945-)

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Grandsons of Abdul Aziz ibn Sa'ud

• Muhammed bin Saud (1934-)
• Abdallah al-Khalid(1935-)
• Mohammed al Faisal (1937-)
• Khalid al Faisal (1941-)
• Saud al Faisal (1941-)
• Mutaib bin Abdullah (1943-)
• Faisal bin Bandar (1943-)
• Turki al Faisal (1945-)
• Saud bin Abdul Mohsin (1947-)
• Khalid bin Sultan (1949-)
• Mohammed bin Fahd (1950-)
• Bandar bin Sultan (1950-)
• Mohammed bin Nawwaf (1953-)
• Al-Walid ibn Talal (1955-)
• Saud bin Nayef (1956-)
• Sultan bin Salman (1956-)
• Mohammed bin Nayef (1959-
• Faisal bin Salman (1960-)
• Abdulaziz bin Fahd (1973-) 34

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Democracy in KSA?

• KSA has only had an absolute monarchy
• Most citizens although very educated have never
  voted
• Political Parties not legal until 2005
• Makes democracy very difficult

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Economics

• Young Population
• 46 under age 14
• Jobs are an increasing issue
• Large gap between rich and poor

• 25 of World Oil Reserves
• Largest Exporter of Petroleum
• 90 of KSA reserves exported
• Most businesses are government owned
• Trying to privatize
• Other industries
• Religious items, chemicals, polymers,
  fertilizers, construction

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Economics cont.
Riyadh Capital (Left) Jeddah (Above)
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Economics Cont.

• Design of King Abdullah Economic City
• Projected to create 1.5 million new jobs

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Economics cont.
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Human Rights

• Punishments
• Public Executions
• Beheadings
• Stoning
• Flogging
• Fire Squads
• 345 executions between 2007-2010

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Human Rights

• Women
• Read The Movement for Social Reform in Saudi
  Arabia
• Men first voted in 2005
• Only time anyone in KSA has voted
• Women to vote in 2015 elections for 1st time
• Municipal Elections
• Half of municipals (finance, health, education,
  agriculture) are princes, other half elected.

• Women Cannot Drive
• Many still do in rural areas
• Are allowed to fly planes
• Cannot Travel without male guardian
• Need written permission from male relative to
  travel outside the country

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Human Rights cont.

• Minorities
• Foreigners are allowed to travel, live and work
  in Saudi Arabia
• Not allowed to practice religion openly
• Holy sites are off limits to non-Muslims
• Not allowed to be buried inside Saudi soil

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Muttawa (Religious Police)

• Enforce religious rules in public places
• Approx 3,500 plus thousands of volunteers
• In many cases this means
• Order/remind women to keep heads covered
• Ban single men from entering malls on weekends to
  allow women to shop
• Force men to evacuate shops to go to the mosque
  and pray
• Inform non-Muslims to stop shopping until prayer
  times are over.
• HOWEVER, many conservative Saudis favor these
  laws as a way of preserving traditional values.

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Saudi Arabia USA

• Military
• Small population small military make
  difference up with big guns
• 25-40 Billion Annually, most purchased from USA
• Largest purchaser of U.S. weapons
• Also receives US weapons and defense training in
  KSA and abroad in exchange for military bases and
  unrestricted oil trade
• Military has been used to defend against Saddam
  Hussein, Israeli threats, and terrorism
• Congress agreed to sell 60 Billion in arms in
  2010 largest arms sale in US history

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Saudi Arabia USA

• Every president since FDR has recommitted US ties
  to Saudi Arabia
• Relations important
• Economically
• Politically
• Militarily

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Strong Connection to USA
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Reform in KSA?

• Will Women Vote?
• Claim is 2015
• 2005 King appointed first female ministers
• Opposition to Royal Family
• Political parties (liberal, Sunni Islamic, Shia
  Hejaz tribes)
• Protesting is strictly forbidden
• Spurred by Arab revolutions in other Arab
  countries