Saudi Arabia arrests dozens in 'corruption purge', as future king consolidates power - Polidicks

[url]https://www.theguardian.com/world/2017/nov/05/royal-purge-shockwaves-saudi-arabia-elites-mohammed-bin-salman[/url] [quote]Saudi Arabia’s leadership has pulled off its boldest move yet to consolidate power around its young crown prince, Mohammed bin Salman, arresting 11 senior princes, one of the country’s richest men and scores of former ministers in what it billed as a corruption purge. The move sidelined at least 20 senior figures, among them outspoken billionaire, Prince al-Waleed bin Talal, sending shockwaves through the ranks of the kingdom’s elites, who had long viewed senior royals as immune. The scale and targets of Saturday’s purge – ordered by royal decree from King Salman – dwarfed anything seen in Riyadh in recent years, deliberately targeting figures deemed previously to be untouchables. Figures close to the crown prince said the move aimed to reshape public behaviour in a kingdom where patronage networks often determine business deals and prominent families secure substantial cuts from lucrative contracts. However, others in the Saudi capital described the move as a naked attempt to weed out dissent, and political rivals, as the ambitious heir to the throne continues to stamp his authority across most aspects of public life in Saudi Arabia. The move strengthens Prince Mohammed’s control of the kingdom’s security institutions, which had long been headed by separate powerful branches of the ruling family.[/quote]

Prince Talal is notice-ably anti-Trump and he's the one being referred to as the "dopey prince" in this Tweet by His Orangeness. [media]https://twitter.com/realdonaldtrump/status/675523728055410689[/media] The man also has a small holding in Twitter and a sizeable holding in Fox, IIRC. This is an important development and is likely to have ramifications on both KSA's internal stability as well as the nature of its diplomatic relations not just with the GCC, but with other international allies as well.

[QUOTE=snookypookums;52859303]Prince Talal is notice-ably anti-Trump and he's the one being referred to as the "dopey prince" in this Tweet by His Orangeness. [media]https://twitter.com/realdonaldtrump/status/675523728055410689[/media] The man also has a small holding in Twitter and a sizeable holding in Fox, IIRC. This is an important development and is likely to have ramifications on both KSA's internal stability as well as the nature of its diplomatic relations not just with the GCC, but with other international allies as well.[/QUOTE] Didn't Trump's dad give him a whole bunch of money too?

[QUOTE=Citrus705;52859314]Didn't Trump's dad give him a whole bunch of money too?[/QUOTE] Geez asshole, it was a small loan of 1 mill, that's not much.

Another prince along with several other officials have been killed in a helicopter crash, either a coincidence or some serious shit's going down [url]http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-middle-east-41881058[/url]

If the crown Prince is serious about moderate reforms this can only really be a good thing. I guess it's (sort of) unfortunate people have died, but that's probably necessary in an absolute monarchy.

[QUOTE=download;52860973]If the crown Prince is serious about moderate reforms this can only really be a good thing.[B] I guess it's (sort of) unfortunate people have died[/B], but that's probably necessary in an absolute monarchy.[/QUOTE] Is there any proof that the people in the helicopter died in suspicious circumstance or are you going off coincidence for suggesting he's killed people? Or am I reading your post completely wrong?

[QUOTE=BlackMageMari;52861381]Is there any proof that the people in the helicopter died in suspicious circumstance or are you going off coincidence for suggesting he's killed people? Or am I reading your post completely wrong?[/QUOTE] This is like third-hand anecdotal, so take this with a grain of salt (or, an entire salt shaker's worth of salt): One of my girlfriend's best friends is Saudi Arabian and she was telling my girlfriend how some of her relatives were driving past a Saudi prince's mansion earlier today and there were sounds of gunfire coming from within. This might be a purge in the most brutal sense.

Makes sense, he's making himself seem so much better by liberalizing policies, then people have less reason to go against the grain, so he eliminates opposition because nobody wants to care anymore. It's basic distraction and conquer. [editline]6th November 2017[/editline] I mean he is better by liberalizing policies, but it's bad to use it as a distraction.

I still fidn it amazing people forget this is the same guy bombing the shit outta shias in Yemen but everyone takes him as this moderate reforming nice guy. He's machiavellian as shit and nothing more. He's probably just trying to get his own guys in on top positions to not have to worry about opposition.

[QUOTE=Native Hunter;52861901]I still fidn it amazing people forget this is the same guy bombing the shit outta shias in Yemen but everyone takes him as this moderate reforming nice guy. He's machiavellian as shit and nothing more. He's probably just trying to get his own guys in on top positions to not have to worry about opposition.[/QUOTE] When it comes to the Middle East, its pretty much who sucks the less...

Its like having a window into the middle ages. This is pretty typical behavior of a soon-to-be absolute monarch.

[QUOTE=Uber22;52861975]When it comes to the Middle East, its pretty much who sucks the less...[/QUOTE] I'm going to [URL="http://www.bbc.com/news/world-middle-east-34011187"]leave[/URL] [URL="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Yemeni_Civil_War_(2015%E2%80%93present)"]this here[/URL] then if who sucks less is the main factor