Broken Code→

Fahad Nazer, a former political analyst at the Saudi Embassy in Washington, DC, says those waiting for a revolution in Saudi Arabia are in for disappointment. The country has managed to survive the wave of uprisings sweeping the Arab world due to Saudi exceptionalism, or what he likes to call: a “Saudi Code.” He writes:

Saudis believe that they are unlike their counterparts in the Middle East; not better, just different. That also means that they do things differently. Part of the reason behind this exceptionalism stems from the kingdom’s preeminence in the Muslim world and its global importance as the world’s top oil producer. The former has made Saudis ultra-cautious when advocating for reform. The latter has led some to develop a sense of entitlement that made them reliant on government largess. For others, this healthy sense of self-worth has made them demand a bigger role in the political decision making process.

This privileged existence, however, is tempered by an arcane Saudi code that sets the parameters of how Saudis interact with each other, as well as with the state. Much like the rules that govern relations between members of a large family, it is understood through experiential learning.

Saudis do not see the regime as their enemy, nor do they consider their monarch to be a tyrant. They also do not view their state as inherently unjust. Recent polls conducted in the region show that Saudis are optimistic about their economic well-being and are generally “happy.”

There is some truth to to that, but in the end the truth is that you can’t run a modern state like you run a family. Polls might show that Saudis are happy, but numbers also show that unemployment is high and the voices of frustration and dissent are becoming increasingly audible. Even street protests are no longer limited to the Shia in the east. Protests by Families of detainees in Riyadh and Qassim have become frequent. If Saudi exceptionalism is to continue, change must take place. The status quo is unsustainable.

Saudi Arabia vs Qatar→

James M. Dorsey:

At the core of the regional rivalry between Saudi Arabia and Qatar are fundamentally different strategies of self-preservation. While the royal families of both have sought to buffer themselves by lavish social spending, Saudi Arabia has opted for maintenance of the status quo where possible and limited engagement with the Muslim Brotherhood in Egypt and Syria, toward which it harbors deep-seated distrust.

In contrast Qatar seeks to be on the cutting edge of history and has exercised a sophisticated soft diplomacy with its winning bid to host the World Cup, positioning itself as global hub by developing a comprehensive sports sector, creation of world class museums and sponsorship of the arts. In effect, Qatari support for the Muslim Brotherhood and popular revolts in the region constitutes an integral part of its foreign and defense policy, designed to embed itself in the international community so as to enhance the chances that other nations will come to its aid in time of need

It seems that the Saudi-Qatari honeymoon that lasted for the past few years, clearly seen in Al Jazeera’s softening their coverage of Saudi Arabia, is probably coming to an end over differences on how to handle the Arab uprisings. Saudi Arabia’s newest newspaper al-Sharq has been running many pieces critical of Qatar in recent weeks.

AP Miseported Saudi Official Statement About Gulf Security→

Ten days after Saudi Arabia described the reports on statements by its deputy foreign minister about Gulf security as “fabrication,” the Associated Press issued a correction today saying they have “reported erroneously that Saudi Arabia’s Deputy Foreign Minister Prince Abdulaziz bin Abdullah said in a speech that Gulf states should quash any Arab Spring-inspired unrest.”

Saudi Government Says Statements About Gulf Security ‘Fabricated’

Saudi Arabia said the statements attributed to its deputy foreign minister that his country cannot tolerate instability in the Gulf are “fabricated,” the state news agency reported Wednesday.

“These are fabricated statements that he did not give to any media outlet in any form,” an unnamed official at the Foreign Ministry told the Saudi Press Agency.

The Associated Press reported Saturday that Prince Abdulaziz bin Abdullah said during an international security summit held in Bahrain that Gulf Arab states must quash any Arab Spring-inspired unrest. The Saudi Foreign Ministry source said that speech given by Prince Abdulaziz in Manama, which was published by the official Saudi Press Agency, “did not include the fabricated statements attributed to him.”

It is not clear from the AP report if Prince Abdulaziz alleged statements now being denied by the Saudi government were part of his prepared remarks. The text of the remarks he delivered is published on the website of the International Institute for Strategic Studies. In that text, Prince Abdulaziz stated that “tampering with the security and stability of any Arab Gulf state is considered as tampering with the security and stability of all other Gulf Arab states.”

“The security and destiny of the GCC states are one and may not be divided,” he said.

Saudi Arabia’s Very Long Arab Spring→

Prince Turki al-Faisal, former intelligence chief and ambassador to the UK and the US, was on the Charlie Rose show Wednesday. When asked what would prevent a change like the one that took place in Tunisia or Egypt from reaching his country, Turki said Saudi Arabia has been going through the Arab Spring for the past eighty years. Eighty. Eight-zero. EIGHT-ZEEERO.