‘Harsh power struggle underway in Saudi’

‘Harsh power struggle underway in Saudi’
Fri Aug 9, 2013 16:38:50

A Damascus-based political analyst says Saudi monarchy is right now facing growing domestic challenges over power struggle which could pave the ground for the extinction of monarchy.

In an interview with Al-Alam, Bassam Abu-Abdallah, head of a political research center in Damascus, said these power struggles for the throne in the kingdom are going to get worse following the unspecified medical treatment of King Abdullah.

He said following such crisis, Saudi intelligence chief Prince Bandar bin Sultan is seeking to get some advantages before his removal. The political analyst said bin Sultan is looking after completing those scenarios unfulfilled by Qatari and Turkish government in Syria.

He said the Saudi prince is seeking to attract an overall support of extremist groups in Syria to fulfill his jobs.

He said Riyadh believes that the cessation of crisis in Syria will have very dangerous outcomes within internal situation of Saudi Arabia.

“Saudi government has totally become ignorant over its key role in the region and lonely seeking to fulfill its own designed scenario in Syria, Iraq and Lebanon,” Bassam Abu-Abdallah noted.

The Syrian case is very strategic one for Saudi as it is in direct connection with Jordan, Iraq and Lebanon and can bring some results to create a new power equation in the region and make some changes over Saudi relations with Russia, the analyst added.

The head of a political research center in Damascus also concluded that the recent power transmission in Qatar was decided by CIA officials following the failure of Qatari Emir to fulfill his jobs over Syria.

Recently there is a fierce, intense contest between the various princes within the royal family over power takeover. The problem is that all of them are aging and ailing and actually preventing the transfer of power to the second generation, that is the grandson of Abdel Aziz.

They are still holding onto power and they are actually getting more desperate as they are getting older.

NJF/NJF

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