Saudi Arabia is Ripe for Revolution

The War within Islam

Saudi Arabia is Ripe for Revolution

by Saad Al-Faqih

Arab world rea
Dr. Saad al-Faqih is the head of the Movement for

Saad Al-Faqih writes, “Staggeringly corrupt and repressed, Saudi Arabia is ripe for revolution. But reformers are hesitant. “Let us strangle the last king with the guts of the last priest,” the philosopher Denis Diderot said. The same phrase is now widely repeated across Arabia — or Saudi Arabia, as it is currently named under the dynastic autocracy. It is only a matter of time before the revolutions that have swept the Arab world reach the Saudi Kingdom.” “Even the heir to the throne, Prince Nayef, is regarded with so little reverence that there are calls from within the country to bring him to trial. One activist wrote an open letter to Nayef saying protests would erupt after the departure of the current king (who is 90). Meanwhile official religious scholars are being rejected in favour of independent ones because the religious establishment is seen as a partner in corruption.

The balance of factors in Arabia is clearly tipping in the direction of change. Change of such a scale is usually triggered either by an expected event — such as the death of the King — or an unexpected incident — as was the case with Bouazizi, whose self-immolation sparked Tunisia's revolt. Two weeks ago, a tribe in Taif, near Mecca, prevented the security forces enforcing a royal order confiscating their land.”