Al-Saud Soldiers On
Saudi Arabia’s King Fahd died yesterday and was succeeded by his half-brother, Abdullah, ending a handover of power that began a decade ago. Fahd was 82 and had been in decline since a 1995 stroke. Abdullah is 81.
The formal succession will bring no quick changes to the country that holds a quarter of the world’s known oil, but it will let Abdullah accelerate his campaign for gradual reforms that are critical to the country’s long-term stability, analysts said. During his 10 years as the effective regent to Fahd, Abdullah has faced resistance in the royal family to his efforts to reduce corruption, cut government spending, streamline the economy and open policymaking to greater public debate, Saudi watchers have said.
King Fahd will be buried in an unmarked grave according to the dictates of the Wahabi sect of Islam.
Source: National Business Review, Newsday, MSNBC, BBC.
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