Regime Stability In Saudi Arabia

Author : Stig Stenslie
Publisher : Routledge
ISBN 13 : 0415693349
Total Pages : 183 pages
Book Rating : 4.49/5 ( download)

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Download or read book Regime Stability in Saudi Arabia written by Stig Stenslie and published by Routledge. This book was released on 2012 with total page 183 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: This book examines the structure of political power amongst elites inside Saudi Arabia and how they might cope with the very serious challenge posed by succession. Presenting a new and refreshing theoretical approach that links elite integration with regime stability, the author shows that the kingdom's royal elite is far more integrated than it has generally been given credit for. Based on extensive field work inside Saudi Arabia, the book offers a detailed, up-to-date survey and assessment of all the key sectors of the elites in the country. The author examines how the succession process has been used in highly different circumstances - including deposition, assassination, and death by old age - and demonstrates how regime stability in Saudi Arabia rests on the royal family's ability to unite and to solve the challenge of succession. He offers a strong analysis of intra-ruling family mechanisms and dynamics in this notoriously private royal family, and addresses the question of whether, as the number of royals rapidly grows, the elite is able to remain integrated. Providing a rare insight into the issues facing the royal family and ruling elite in Saudi Arabia, this book will be of great interest to scholars and students of Middle Eastern politics, and Saudi Arabia in particular.

Author : F Gregory Gause, III
Publisher : Council on Foreign Relations
ISBN 13 : 0876095171
Total Pages : 64 pages
Book Rating : 4.71/5 ( download)

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Download or read book Saudi Arabia in the New Middle East written by F Gregory Gause, III and published by Council on Foreign Relations. This book was released on 2014-05-14 with total page 64 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: The United States'' relationship with Saudi Arabia has been one of the cornerstones of U.S. policy in the Middle East for decades. Despite their substantial differences in history, culture, and governance, the two countries have generally agreed on important political and economic issues and have often relied on each other to secure mutual aims. The 1990-91 Gulf War is perhaps the most obvious example, but their ongoing cooperation on maintaining regional stability, moderating the global oil market, and pursuing terrorists should not be downplayed. Yet for all the relationship''s importance, it is increasingly imperiled by mistrust and misunderstanding. One major question is Saudi Arabia''s stability. In this Council Special Report, sponsored by the Center for Preventive Action, F. Gregory Gause III first explores the foundations of Riyadh''s present stability and potential sources of future unrest. It is difficult not to notice that Saudi Arabia avoided significant upheaval during the political uprisings that swept the Middle East in 2011, despite sharing many of the social and economic problems of Egypt, Yemen, and Libya. But unlike their counterparts in Cairo, Sanaa, and Tripoli, Riyadh''s leadership was able to maintain order in large part by increasing public spending on housing and salaries, relying on loyal and well-equipped security forces, and utilizing its extensive patronage networks. The divisions within the political opposition also helped the government''s cause. This is not to say that Gause believes that the stability of the House of Saud is assured. He points out that the top heirs to the throne are elderly and the potential for disorderly squabbling may increase as a new generation enters the line of succession. Moreover, the population is growing quickly, and there is little reason to believe that oil will forever be able to buy social tranquility. Perhaps most important, Gause argues, the leadership''s response to the 2011 uprisings did little to forestall future crises; an opportunity for manageable political reform was mostly lost. Turning to the regional situation, Gause finds it no less complex. Saudi Arabia has wielded considerable influence with its neighbors through its vast oil reserves, its quiet financial and political support for allies, and the ideological influence of salafism, the austere interpretation of Islam that is perhaps Riyadh''s most controversial export. For all its wealth and religious influence, however, Saudi Arabia''s recent record has been less than successful. It was unable to counter Iranian influence in post-Saddam Iraq, it could not prevent Hezbollah taking power in Lebanon, and its ongoing efforts to reconcile Hamas and the Palestinian Authority have come to naught. The U.S.-Saudi relationship has, unsurprisingly, been affected by these and other challenges, including Saudi unhappiness with Washington''s decision to distance itself from Egyptian president Hosni Mubarak, the lack of progress on the Israeli-Palestinian peace process, and Iran. For its part, the United States is unhappy with the Saudi intervention in Bahrain and Saudi support for radical Islamists around the region and the world. The two traditional anchors of the U.S.-Saudi relationship-the Cold War and U.S. operation of Riyadh''s oil fields-are, Gause notes, no longer factors. It is no wonder, he contends, that the relationship is strained when problems are myriad and the old foundations of the informal alliance are gone. It would be far better, Gause argues, to acknowledge that the two countries can no longer expect to act in close concert under such conditions. He recommends that the United States reimagine the relationship as simply transactional, based on cooperation when interests-rather than habit-dictate. Prioritizing those interests will therefore be critical. Rather than pressuring Riyadh for domestic political reform, or asking it to reduce global oil prices, Gause recommends that the United States spend its political capital where it really matters: on maintaining regional security, dismantling terrorist networks, and preventing the proliferation of nuclear weapons. There have been few relationships more important to the United States than that with Saudi Arabia, and it is vital that, as it enters a new phase, the expectations and priorities of both countries are clear. In Saudi Arabia in the New Middle East, Gause effectively assesses the challenges and opportunities facing Saudi Arabia and makes a compelling argument for a more modest, businesslike relationship between Washington and Riyadh that better reflects modern realities. As the United States begins reassessing its commitments in the Greater Middle East, this report offers a clear vision for a more limited-but perhaps more appropriate and sustainable-future partnership.

Author : Amos Yadlin
Publisher :
ISBN 13 : 9789657425558
Total Pages : 72 pages
Book Rating : 4.57/5 ( download)

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Download or read book Regime Stability in the Middle East written by Amos Yadlin and published by . This book was released on 2013 with total page 72 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: The wave of uprisings that swept through Arab states in recent years has transformed the Middle East. Against this background, there is a need for a comprehensive analytical model to help assess both the likelihood of regime stability and the probability of regime change. This study proposes a model to identify the key elements that encourage or inhibit regime change. Assigning numerical weight to each of these elements, it analyzes the dynamics between them. Looking at case studies of four states through the prism of the proposed model, the authors examine the elements that led to the instability in Egypt of January 2011, explain why the Saudi Arabian and Iranian regimes are stable, and provide a better understanding of the struggle in Syria, pointing out factors that will be critical to the fate of the civil war.

Author : John A. Shaw
Publisher : Greenwood Publishing Group
ISBN 13 :
Total Pages : 140 pages
Book Rating : 4.49/5 ( download)

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Download or read book Saudi Arabian Modernization written by John A. Shaw and published by Greenwood Publishing Group. This book was released on 1982 with total page 140 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt:

Author : Mark Heller
Publisher :
ISBN 13 :
Total Pages : 56 pages
Book Rating : 4.55/5 ( download)

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Download or read book The New Middle Class and Regime Stability in Saudi Arabia written by Mark Heller and published by . This book was released on 1985 with total page 56 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: From the John Holmes Library collection.

Author : Madawi Al-Rasheed
Publisher : Oxford University Press
ISBN 13 : 0190050152
Total Pages : 367 pages
Book Rating : 4.53/5 ( download)

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Download or read book Salman's Legacy written by Madawi Al-Rasheed and published by Oxford University Press. This book was released on 2018-06-01 with total page 367 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: King Salman of Saudi Arabia began his rule in 2015 confronted with a series of unprecedented challenges. The dilemmas he has faced are new and significant, from leadership shuffles and falling oil prices to regional and international upheaval. Salman's Legacy interrogates this era and assesses its multiple social, political, regional and international challenges. Whether Salman's policies have saved the kingdom from serious upheaval is yet to be seen, but no doubt a new kingdom is emerging. This book offers historical and contemporary insights into the various problems that persist in haunting the Saudi state. Madawi Al-Rasheed brings together well-established historians and social scientists with deep knowledge of Saudi Arabia--its history, culture and contemporary politics--to reflect on Salman's kingdom. They trace both policy continuities and recent ruptures that have perplexed observers of Saudi Arabia. This lucid and nuanced analysis invites serious reflection on the Saudi leadership's capacity to withstand the recent challenges, especially those that came with the Arab uprisings. At stake is the future of a country that remains vital to regional stability, international security, and the global economy.

Author : Daniel Heradstveit
Publisher : Taylor & Francis
ISBN 13 : 1351914065
Total Pages : 190 pages
Book Rating : 4.62/5 ( download)

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Download or read book Oil in the Gulf written by Daniel Heradstveit and published by Taylor & Francis. This book was released on 2017-07-05 with total page 190 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: The US-led war against Iraq in 2003 represented the most dramatic shake-up of regional politics in the Gulf for more than a decade. This book contains an up-to-date analysis of central questions affecting the construction of a post-Ba'th regime in Iraq, and charts possible ways forward in other key states of the region such as Saudi Arabia and Iran. At the heart of the analysis lies the tension between the US-sponsored vision of a democratic, free market Gulf region and local resistance to this model. This resistance, appearing in the shape of alternative visions of democracy and the state, could potentially present a challenge to US policy through the spread of repressive policies or terrorism, especially if Washington chooses to sideline the social forces behind it. Conversely, if this resistance were taken seriously by the US, it could form a point of departure for more fruitful interaction between traditions of government from the West and local politics. Future developments on this important issue will be of immense significance for the management of some of the world's largest oil and gas reserves, with immediate implications for both regional political stability as well as for the world economy.

Author : Paul Rivlin
Publisher :
ISBN 13 :
Total Pages : 68 pages
Book Rating : 4.75/5 ( download)

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Download or read book Political Stability in Arab States written by Paul Rivlin and published by . This book was released on 2004 with total page 68 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt:

Author : David H. McAllister
Publisher :
ISBN 13 : 9781423565222
Total Pages : 122 pages
Book Rating : 4.23/5 ( download)

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Download or read book Informal Networks and Saudi Regime Stability written by David H. McAllister and published by . This book was released on 1997-09-01 with total page 122 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: The increasingly vocal Islamist opposition to the Saudi regime, which gathered strength following the Gulf War, lent new urgency to predictions of the regime's demise. The fact that the Saud family has retained control of the government throughout this period of gloomy forecasting prompts the question - how has the Saudi regime managed to confound popular expectations and maintain power in the face of increasing Islamist opposition? The central thesis of this study is that the Saudi government has prevented opposition groups from gaining significant popular following or developing power bases by eliminating or controlling informal networks within Saudi Arabia. This position differs from the most widely accepted explanations, which center around oil revenues resulting from the 1970's oil boom as the key factor in the longevity of the royal family. While undoubtedly an important tool used liberally by the Al Saud, this thesis argues oil revenues are secondary in importance and only part of a much larger and more significant effort in the regime's struggle against its opposition. This study assesses whether Islamist opposition can seriously challenge the Saudi government by analyzing three case studies (concerning Pakistan and Egypt as well as Saudi Arabia) which consider how Islamist groups organize, what types of organizations are successfull in challenging central authority, and how regimes respond to such challenges. Placing this information in context with the dominant roles tribe, class, and religion play in Saudi society provides a better foundation for assessing the future stability of the Saudi regime than traditional rentier theory.

Author : John S. Habib
Publisher : Universal Pub
ISBN 13 : 9781581125740
Total Pages : 336 pages
Book Rating : 4.47/5 ( download)

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Download or read book Saudi Arabia and the American National Interest written by John S. Habib and published by Universal Pub. This book was released on 2003 with total page 336 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: This work documents the 60-year-old alliance between Saudi Arabia and the United States, with emphasis on the ideological values that both countries share in addition to shared national interests. It challenges old premises and offers new perspectives on the relationship. It discusses the Kingdom's viability and stability. It outlines the negative impact that radical political change there could have on American national security interests and on those of the International Community. It cautions that efforts of senior American Government officials and their supporters to seek regime change in the Kingdom, together with a hostile American Congress and an unfriendly media, may have already damaged the Special Relationship irrevocably. The failure to achieve a just settlement to the Palestine Conflict, the study concludes, may be the catalyst that destroys the relationship altogether.