Saudi purge underway?

Reuters
Saudi king sacks top ministers, gives more power to crown prince
Reem Shamseddine, Katie Paul

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Saudi prince, relieved from National Guard, once seen as throne contender

Katie Paul

The Saudi government arrested dozens of high-ranking figures including princes and current and former ministers in a massive purge under the direction of the crown prince Mohammed bin Salman (MBS):…

These arrests are being presented as part of an “anti-corruption” campaign, but they are also unmistakably part of MBS’ ongoing consolidation of power before he ascends to the throne. They follow the crackdown on internal dissidents two months ago. All of this suggests that the crown prince does not feel all that secure in his position, and has been resorting to heavy-handed tactics to ensure that his succession proceeds without incident. Framing the arrests as an “anti-corruption” measure also helps to sell the crown prince as the “reformer” that his Western boosters want to pretend that he is.…

These purges are the work of an ailing king and an insecure and reckless crown prince, and they bode ill for the future stability of Saudi Arabia. That is one more reason why the U.S. should start disentangling itself from the noxious Saudi relationship as soon as possible.

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The American Conservative

The Saudi purges

Daniel Larison

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Econospeak
Saudi Crown Prince Consolidates Power With Anti-Corruption Arrests
J. Barkley Rosser | Professor of Economics and Business Administration James Madison University