Saudi Arabia Mohammed bin Salman Al Saud. Mohammed bin Salman is the architect of the kingdom's modern politics and the leader of regional coalitions. Should we be afraid of the new leader of Saudi Arabia

Prince Mohammed, the son of the current King of Saudi Arabia, Salman, removed the monarch's nephew from his post as heir to the throne. Thus, by transferring power to his son, the current king sets an important precedent in the country's system of succession to the throne, in which the royal title is traditionally passed through the line of brothers.

On the other hand, the young prince was always close to his father both personally and politically, and even before Salman took the throne, he had a very good relationship with him. A special Council of Allegiance, created specifically to resolve issues of succession, did not have to be persuaded for a long time: at the age of 30, Prince Mohammed managed to distinguish himself as Deputy Prime Minister, State Councilor and Minister of Defense.

31 members of the Council out of 34 voted for the young monarch. Against the backdrop of an ambitious and adventurous prince, who miraculously occupied dozens of posts, the previous heir to the throne simply faded. But no matter what palace intrigues would be behind the rise of Muhammad, one must think that no one will replace him in this place, which means that very soon (the current king is already 81 years old), a completely new future awaits Saudi Arabia.

The popularity of Mohammed bin Salman among the population of the country is huge, and it is due to his emphatically modern views on life and on the development of his kingdom. So it is possible that soon Saudi Arabia will become completely different from what we know it to be.

Less conservatism

Prince Mohammed himself, unlike many representatives of the royal family, is a media person: he does not miss the opportunity to give an interview, appear on the next billboard or attend some kind of TV show. All this allows the monarch not only to increase his ratings, but also to create around himself the image of a “new person”, indispensable for such a conservative state as Saudi Arabia. The plans of the future king are to bring the foundations of democracy to Saudi society: for example, give women the right to drive a car and increase the range of street entertainment for the population. And although the prince in no way encroaches on fundamental Islamic values, he is nevertheless determined to significantly limit the powers of the religious police. The prince himself, even by his own example, demonstrates a departure from Saudi conservatism: Prince Mohammed is married to only one woman ─ Princess Sarah bint Mashkhur ibn Abdalaziz Al Saud (polygamy is common in Saudi Arabia).

His official Instagram account @special_royal has nearly 40,000 followers, not bad for conservative Saudi Arabia.

Getting rid of oil "dependence"

Today, Saudi Arabia is the second largest oil supplier in the world, thanks to which the country has maintained a good standard of living for decades. Meanwhile, the future king is determined to get off the "oil needle" by 2020 and has already presented his own economic reform program Vision-2030, which includes economic diversification and privatization of state property. And although today many experts believe that Mohammed's program is too ambitious, the prince's clear understanding that one will not last long on oil alone is commendable.

More unpredictability

Mohammed bin Salman is already being called the "Saudi Trump" for quick (and, let's be honest, not entirely thoughtful) decisions, for a constant show of strength, emotionality and lack of any diplomatic approach. Unlike the previous heir to the throne, Mohammed bin Nayef and the entire Saudi elite as a whole, the future king is not known for his desire to peacefully communicate with his neighbors.

As for relations with the real Trump, the new monarch actively advocates the American idea of ​​​​creating a “Middle East NATO” and demonstrates a good attitude towards the United States. So, most likely, the traditional allied relations between the two countries will become even stronger (which, of course, does not bode well for Moscow).

How can a Saudi prince be connected with the US and what kind of business can he have with the son-in-law of the American president.

Journalist Jamal Khashoggi disappeared in Istanbul in early October. The last time he was seen at the Consulate General of Saudi Arabia, where Khashoggi came to complete the paperwork. Later the authorities that the columnist is dead.

Former British intelligence chief John Sawyers all points to the assassination of an opposition journalist commissioned by Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman Al Saud.

In total, two versions are being circulated in the world press regarding the death of Saudi journalist Jamal Khashoggi. According to one, the murder was committed on the orders of the second person of the state, Mohammed bin Salman, whom the journalist regularly criticized. According to another, "the death of the correspondent occurred as a result of his conflict with people who were also on the territory of the Saudi consulate in Istanbul."

One of many

Not so long ago, just three and a half years ago, Mohammed bin Salman was just one of the Saudi princes in the legendaryly vast royal family. He, like many of his uncles and cousins, amused himself by playing business and betting on the stock market, and sometimes succumbed to the temptation to act as a philanthropist.

That all changed when, in January 2015, his father, Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud, succeeded to the royal throne. Mohammed stepped out of the shadows and began to actively expand his power, taking advantage of the position of the beloved son of the current king. Crushing all other relatives-competitors who claim to power, and isolating from the world those who did not want to capitulate before him.

The sonorous reformatory speeches of the prince, who did not skimp on criticizing the order in the country, painted Saudi Arabia the prospect of turning into a peninsula of real democracy in just a few months. Mohammed's reformist words were bought not only by some segments of the country's population, but also by Western leaders.

Road to a father's heart

Mohammed bin Salman Al Saud was born in 1985, becoming the first child of the third and last wife of Salman Sr. - Fahda. The path to the throne for him was blocked by brothers who were born earlier. But the road to the heart of the pope was free, and Mohammed managed to pass it faster than others. However, there was not without oncoming traffic: among other equals, Salman, for one well-known reason, chose Muhammad.

He was 12 years old when his father, then the head of the capital province, began to take him with him to meetings with businessmen and politicians. According to the official biography of Muhammad, at school he stood out for his intellect and entered the top ten graduates of the kingdom in the year of graduation.

Unlike many princes who traveled abroad for higher education, Mohammed chose to stay in Riyadh with his father. He graduated from the Faculty of Law of King Saud University with the second result in his course. It is said that he never smoked, did not drink alcohol and did not like parties. He took his first steps in business in real estate and the stock exchange. After that, he showed philanthropic inclinations, allocating subsidies from his own fund MiSK to support young entrepreneurs. This did not go unnoticed by the regional publication Forbes, which honored the prince with its award in 2013.

And to the pinnacle of power

Having ascended the throne on January 23, 2015, Salman appointed his beloved son as Secretary General of the State Court and Minister of Defense - at the age of 29, he became the youngest head of the Defense Ministry in the history of the country. On January 29, Mohammed bin Salman also became the head of the State Council for Economic Affairs and Development. The Council, it must be said, was created by Muhammad himself. On the same day. Instead of the Supreme Economic Council abolished by him.

Mohammed, whom the entourage in communication with each other began to call abbreviated as MBS, actively undertook to demonstrate his ambitions. True, the results of the military campaign he launched in Yemen against the Houthis turned out to be disastrous, but not so much that the new Saudi authority became despondent. This was followed by a boycott of Qatar, the announcement of an economic transformation "to reduce the country's dependence on oil in the future" and the proclamation of Saudi Arabia's course to abandon radical Islam.

Foreign investors and young Saudis were delighted with the fresh air of change pouring into the country.

Sources say that Mohammed's ebullient activity very soon caused discontent and ferment within the family: King Salman's nephew, 57-year-old Mohammed ibn Naif, who was appointed crown prince in 2015, circulated a letter criticizing MBS for his arrogance and warning of what he was preparing palace coup. Despite the fact that Naif had intelligence and the Ministry of the Interior at his disposal, the young rival managed to “shoot” first, depriving an older competitor of all portfolios in June 2017 and taking the post of crown prince.

On November 4, 2017, MBS became the head of a specially created Anti-Corruption Committee. Another episode that the West liked, where the fight against corruption, although it does not bring the desired results, is in trend. On the same day, 11 princes were arrested (four of them were former ministers) and several dozen of the richest people in the kingdom. On suspicion of involvement in corruption.

monster made in USA and smart paranoid

Ben Salman is a monster created by the USA. The Trump administration's support, especially his dealings with the president's son-in-law Jared Kushner, was a critical factor in his move, said Adam Koogle, an observer at Human Rights Watch. - Prior to this, Mohammed ibn Naif, respected by the US security services and military for his actions against terrorism, was considered the man of Washington. Now these same services saw with apprehension the growth of the young and thoughtless prince. The news that Ibn Naif was placed under house arrest shocked many in Washington and is regarded as an insult.

David Ottaway of the Wilson American Think Tank also noted that the Khashoggi scandal had shattered Mohammed bin Salman's painstakingly portrayal of a reformer.

The Khashoggi scandal has shattered Mohammed bin Salman's image of a reformer, previously held in high esteem by Western governments. His decisions to limit the power of the religious police, to open cinemas and concert halls, to allow women to drive, suddenly turned out to be child's play, designed to slightly retouch the sinister image of a tyrant who considers himself so above the law that he can order the murder of a journalist who criticized him right in the consulate, writes David Ottaway of the Wilson American Think Tank.

Western politicians are very cautious in assessing the murder of an Arab journalist. On the one hand, "highly like" is clear who the customer is. But on the other hand, there is Trump, who, under pressure from the public and the facts, although he admits that "there are a lot of misunderstandings in the case," he does not want to directly condemn MBS.

The French Foreign Minister says in a vague way that "many questions remain unanswered" and "this matter must be carefully and comprehensively examined." And in a joint statement by the German Chancellor and the Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Republic, with restrained indignation, it is reported about the "insufficiency of information provided by Riyadh" and "the possibility of suspending the supply of weapons to Saudi Arabia while the investigation into the death of the journalist is underway." Europe and US allies in NATO will hardly act against Trump.

What future is the young heir preparing for the Arabian kingdom

Mohammed bin Salman was declared the heir to the throne (and, therefore, the future king) of Saudi Arabia only five months ago. And during this time, the 31-year-old son of the ruling king Salman bin Abdulaziz has already managed to loudly declare himself - both inside the kingdom and beyond. His father will turn 82 on December 31, and therefore experts do not exclude that Mohammed bin Salman will take the throne in the very near future. What is fraught with planned - and partially already carried out by him - transformations? How can US relations with Saudi Arabia, a traditional ally of the Americans in the Middle East, change? An orientalist, author of the book “Saudi Arabia. XXI century in the homeland of Islam” Konstantin DUDAREV.

The fight against corruption or - for power?

Mohammed bin Salman is called a "dark horse" by some, but he has enough political experience. Eight years ago, he took the post of special adviser to the king - his father, and already in 2012 he became deputy defense minister. Since January 2015, he has headed the Royal Court and the Ministry of Defense of Saudi Arabia.

It is generally accepted that it was Mohammed bin Salman (or, as he is sometimes called in the press, MBS) who was behind the active intervention of the kingdom in the affairs of other states. So, under him, Saudi Arabia began the fight against the Houthi rebels in Yemen, who, according to Riyadh, are supported by the old enemy of the Saudis - Iran.

And several lawsuits have already been filed. They are still silent about them, but this is a time bomb. Even after the decision of the Congress in 2016, the Saudis declared their readiness to withdraw from the United States their assets in excess of $750 billion if claims were opened. Riyadh also threatened to demand the return of the debt - more than one hundred billion dollars. These are very serious threats, and they can disrupt all the agreements reached. Although, of course, Saudi Arabia is extremely interested in American investments in the form of the latest technologies - to implement the planned economic reforms.

This weekend in Saudi Arabia, there were mass detentions of members of the royal family and people associated with it. Among those suspected of corruption was Prince Al-Waleed, who tried to establish ties with Russia

Al Waleed (Photo: Philippe Wojazer/Reuters)

“Putting personal interests above the public”

On the evening of November 4, King Salman bin Abdul-Aziz Al Saud of Saudi Arabia issued a decree to combat corruption and announced that he intended to completely put an end to abuses in the country's power structures. As the monarch explained, in the highest government circles there were people “who put their personal interests above public ones” in order to enrich themselves illegally.

Shortly thereafter, the Al Arabiya TV channel reported mass arrests: 11 members of the Saudi royal family, four current and "dozens" of former ministers were suspected of corruption. Among them are Prince Al-Waleed bin Talal bin Abdulaziz Al Saud and the former head of the Ministry of the National Guard, Prince Mitab bin Abdullah bin Abdulaziz Al Saud. What exactly the representatives of the Saudi dynasty did is not explained. However, Bloomberg reported that Al-Waleed, in particular, was detained at his desert camp.

On Monday, November 6, a senior Saudi official told,. Billionaire Al-Walid is suspected of money laundering, bribery and extortion from officials. Prince Mitab bin Abdullah is accused of embezzlement, hiring dead souls, transferring government contracts to his own companies, among which is a $ 10 billion deal for the supply of walkie-talkies and bulletproof vests. Former Finance Minister Ibrahim al-Assaf is accused of embezzlement in the expansion of the Great Mosque of Mecca. In addition, he is suspected of using his official position and confidential information in transactions with land. The ex-governor of Riyadh, Prince Turki ibn Abdullah, according to the authorities, also provided contracts to his own companies, and also committed abuses during the construction of the subway.

prince vs prince

Against the background of fragmentary data from Saudi Arabia, there were different versions of what goal the 81-year-old monarch pursued. According to Bloomberg, the detentions only fueled rumors that King Salman is clearing the way to the throne for his 32-year-old son, Mohammed bin Salman Al Saud. It was his supporter Khaled Ayyaf who replaced Mitab as head of the National Guard Ministry. The interlocutors of the agency pointed to the fact that in recent months it was people from the Crown Prince’s entourage who occupied responsible posts, and Mitab hardly held his positions.

Mohammed bin Salman Al Saud (Photo: Yuri Kochetkov / EPA)

Middle East expert Hani Sabra told Bloomberg that the strengthening of the crown prince's position has previously caused discontent among many influential Saudis. Now, with Khaled Ayyaf in charge of what was considered the stronghold of the former King Abdullah's clan, it is almost impossible to predict the reaction within the royal family.

Experts took great surprise at the detention of Al-Walid, who repeatedly expressed his loyalty to both King Salman and his son. For example, in September, a huge portrait of the monarch was displayed on the skyscraper Alwaleed Kingdom Tower in honor of the national holiday. However, Market Watch indicates that the prince may have been reminded of his relatives. If Al-Walid himself did not claim a leading role in government, then his father Talal bin Abdul Aziz actively opposed the promotion of Prince Mohammed. The sources of the publication associate a quick purge within the ruling dynasty with Salman's alleged decision to retire at the end of this or early next year.

Facing Iran and back to Trump

The detention of Al-Waleed caused surprise among his business associates. According to The New York Times, it was no coincidence that he was called the Middle Eastern Warren Buffett. Forbes estimates the fortune of Prince Al-Waleed at $18 billion, which allows him to occupy the 45th place in the ranking of the richest people in the world. He owns a 95% stake in Kingdom Holding and is the largest shareholder of one of the international financial conglomerates Citigroup (more than 6% of the shares). He also owns shares in companies such as Four Seasons (together with Bill Gates they own 95% of the shares), Twitter, 21st Century Fox, Disney. He also owns the George V hotels in Paris and the Plaza in New York.

According to The New York Times, the arrest of the prince was made against the backdrop of a strengthening friendship between Prince Mohammed and US President Donald Trump. Al-Walid, despite the difficult relationship between Riyadh and Tehran, was going to invest in the Iranian economy a few years ago and abandoned this idea because of the tough position of King Salman. Mohammed, in his views on Tehran, does not contradict Trump in any way.

Mohammed bin Salman Al Saud and Donald Trump (Photo: Mandel Mgan/EPA)

At the same time, it should be noted that Trump did not have a relationship with Al-Waleed. Even during the election campaign in the United States, businessmen exchanged barbs. Prince named Republican candidate "

When Mohammed bin Salman was only 12, he was already sitting in government meetings chaired by his father, Salman. At that time, Salman served as governor of Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. 17 years later, Mohammed bin Salman was appointed the country's defense minister, the youngest in the world. He has already plunged his country into a brutal war in Yemen with no end in sight. Such actions turn this politician into one of the most dangerous people on Earth, and here's why.

Prince Mohammed began to create himself in his youth. The first steps were trading in shares on Western exchanges - and in weapons, within the country.

In 2011, Mohammed bin Salman's father became Deputy Crown Prince and gained access to the Ministry of Defense, with its vast financial resources. Muhammad became a private consultant in the same industry.

Salman ascended the throne of Saudi Arabia last January. At the age of 79, Salman suffers from dementia and is only able to concentrate for a few hours a day. As the closest confidant of his father, Muhammad received the real power in the kingdom.

Prince Mohammed was appointed Minister of Defense and given full power over Aramco, the national energy company. Dissatisfied with the existing bureaucratic system, the crown prince turned it on its head.

Young guys look at the affairs of the prince with delight - he is generally very popular among young people. According to statistics, more than 70% of the country's residents under the age of 35 are ready to support almost any undertaking of the prince. Including the war.

The same zeal with which Muhammad is pursuing economic reforms has also brought Saudi Arabia into a dirty war with Yemen. The uprising was supported by Iran, which made the "adventure" even more attractive.

The Saudi military has bristled with new weapons that have cost billions of dollars. The crown prince needed to prove his courage not only to potential rivals, but also to supporters.

The plan called for a quick victory. This would allow Muhammad to confirm his status as a military leader, placing him in the same league as his grandfather, Ibn Saud, the great warrior king and founder of modern Saudi Arabia.

As a result, Operation Storm of Determination dragged on for almost a year and required the intervention of foreign mercenaries. But the warlike prince went even further. In mid-December, Muhammad announced the creation of a council of 34 Muslim nations to fight terrorism. He obviously had in mind Iran, naturally, not very pleased with this turn of events. Now the kingdom of Saudi Arabia is in tense relations with Iran.

If Mohammed bin Salman, this brilliant, daring young man, really sees himself as a Sunni warrior, heir to his grandfather's business, then the world will not expect anything good. An armed confrontation between Sunni Saudi Arabia and Shiite Iran will lead to another escalation of the conflict in the region, already burning with the flames of sectarian war.

Such a turn of events may well be the last stage before the World War, since all states conducting anti-terrorist operations in the region will be drawn into it. So, at the moment, this educated, cultured and courageous young guy is indeed the most dangerous person on the planet.