Node Of Evil - Fair And Balanced Reporting

Monday, May 05, 2003

 
The Atlantic Monthly this month as a zinger of an article on Saudi Arabia, written by a former CIA officer. The article, unfortunately, isn't online so I can't link to it. So, I'll instead strongly encourage anyone reading this to go buy the May 2003 Atlantic Monthly at the newsstand. The basic gist of the article is that the Saudi royal family can't last forever, and their fall is likely to be a major world event with possibly disastrous consequences. Among other things, Saudi Arabia controls approximately one third of the world's oil supply, has the greatest capability to bring reserve production online to help out in times of crisis, and keeps about a trillion dollars in cash invested in the U.S. stock market. Its oil infrastructure is weakly defended; the right attack could take Saudi Arabia offline for a few months to two years. The royal family has about 30,000 members, all of whom rely on oil income for their livelihood. That livelihood is a bit more extravagant than what the average person enjoys -- one Saudi royal has his own four-billion-dollar theme park and estate. So far they've avoided terrorist attacks by giving those so inclined wads of cash and hoping that their anger will be directed elsewhere. This house of cards rests on the health of a few top officials, most over the age of 70, and on the system of entitlement that family members have come to enjoy. One day the Saudi monarchy will come face-to-face with twenty-first century politics, and the results are not likely to be pleasing.

Andrew 2:22 AM : |

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