Al-Waleed bin Talal arrested

[tangaroa]

What did Trump have to promise the Saudis to get this done? This guy owns $25+ billion in Kingdom Holdings. He's one of the biggest big shots in the world.

Comments

[siliconshaman]

I have this theory. the Crown Prince has been on something of a moral crusade, trying to get the country to get their act together and adopt some 21st century ethics.

Ordinarily this puts him at odds with teh rest of the sprawling royal family...but lately he has been using a argument that's rather hard for the rest of them to ignore.

You see, the Saudi royal family relies upon money and control over the oil supply for their influence. [oh, they'd be rich without the oil, but not 'get away with anything' rich.]

Which is fine for them...for now.

But that oil is going away soon, certainly within the Crown Prince's life time, and so far, they're not finding alternative means to have the same level of power. So, the Crown Prince has pointed out, they'd better get their act together and stop making enemies and start making actual friends, rather than bought lackeys. [paraphrasing rather, but that's the gist of it.] before it all goes away.

Al-Waleed was the main voice in the 'business as usual' faction. Who are currently, in the minority..because the Saudi Royal family are mostly pragmatists, and have rather reluctantly acknowledged their Crown Prince has a point. Even if the oil doesn't exactly run out..people are moving away from it now. And it's better to be on friendly terms with people when you're no longer the be-all.

So, what it boils down to...there's a bit of a sea change in the internal politics, and Waleed lost. So he's been thrown to the wolves in the hopes the wolves will leave the rest of them alone.