Succession In Saudi Arabia

281 Pages·2001·1.37 MB·English

by  Joseph A. Kechichian (auth.)

Q
Succession in Saudi Arabia
This page intentionally left blank
Q
Succession in Saudi Arabia
Joseph A. Kechichian
ISBN 978-1-349-99954-5 ISBN 978-0-312-29962-0 (eBook)
DOI 10.1007/978-0-312-29962-0
SUCCESSIONINSAUDIARABIA
Softcover reprint of the hardcover 1st edition 2001 978-0-312-23880-3
© Joseph A. Kechichian, 2001
All rights reserved. No part of this book may be used or reproduced in any manner what-
soever without written permission except in the case of brief quotations embodied in criti-
cal articles or reviews.
First published 2001 by
PALGRAVE
175 Fifth Avenue, New York, N.Y.10010 and
Houndmills, Basingstoke, Hampshire RG21 6XS.
Companies and representatives throughout the world
PALGRAVE is the new global publishing imprint of St. Martin’s Press LLC
Scholarly and Reference Division and Palgrave Publishers Ltd (formerly
Macmillan Press Ltd).
ISBN978-0-312-23880-3 hardback
Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data
Kechichian, Joseph A.
Succession in Saudi Arabia / Joseph A. Kechichian
p. cm.
Includes bibliographical references and index.
ISBN 978-1-312-23880-3 (cloth)
1. Saudi Arabia—Politics and government—20th century. 2. Saudi Arabia—Kings and
rulers—Succession. I. Title.
DS244.52.K44 2000
953.8—dc21
00–062607
A catalogue record for this book is available
from the British Library.
Design by Letra Libre, Inc.
First edition: June 2001
10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1
For Angelica,
who gives meaning to it all

Contents
Acknowledgments xi
A Note on Transliteration xiii
Introduction 1
The Kingdom in the Twentieth Century
Decision-Makers
Succession and Heir Apparent Abdallah
Prince Sultan and the Sudayri Seven
King Fahd’s Outlook
King Fahd’s Offspring
Pressures on Succession
The Influences of Religion and Tribal Behavior on Succession
The Legacy of Islamic Succession
The Legacy of the Ottoman Empire
The Legacy of the Rashid Dynasty
Lessons Learned
Methodological Approach
Chapter 1 The Current Generation 23
The Al Saud Family: Size and Structure
The Legacy of King Abdul Aziz
Seniority
Maternal Lineage
Full Brothers
Grandsons of Abdul Aziz
Characteristics
Descendants of Abdul Aziz’s Brothers
Cadet Branches
Aristocratic Families
The Succession Issue Before King Fahd
King Saud bin Abdul Aziz
Assessment
viii
King Faysal bin Abdul Aziz
Assessment
King Khalid bin Abdul Aziz
Assessment
King Fahd bin Abdul Aziz
Succession and Heir Apparent Abdallah
Prince Sultan and the Sudayri Seven
King Fahd’s Outlook
The Succession Dilemma
Chapter 2 The Next Generation 71
The 1992 Edict
Salman bin Abdul Aziz
New Leaders
Biographical Details
Muhammad bin Fahd
Abdul Aziz bin Fahd
Mit‘ab bin Abdallah
Khaled bin Sultan
Bandar bin Sultan
Abdul Aziz bin Salman
Sultan bin Salman
Saud bin Faysal
Turki bin Faysal
Fahad bin Abdallah bin Muhammad
Secularism, Religiousity, and Political Participation
Regional Rivalries
Western Encroachment
Oil Policy
Potential Alliances
Cadet Branches of the Al Saud
Chapter 3 Perceptions of Security Concerns 91
The Alliance with the Religious Establishment
King Abdul Aziz and the Ikhwan
Crises Under Saud bin Abdul Aziz (1958–1964)
The 1970s Challenge to Prince Abdallah
Uprisings in the Eastern Province (1950–1990)
The 1979 Makkah Mosque Takeover and the Neo-Ikhwan
Sunni Extremism
ix
Stability and Factionalism in the Armed Forces
Uprisings in the 1950s
Royal Saudi Air Force Defections (1962)
Coup Plots (1969–1977)
The Armed Forces in the War for Kuwait
Security Perceptions
The Religious Opposition
The Al Saud Response
The Worldly Opposition
The CDLR’s Influence
The Al Saud Response
The Iraqi Threat
The Iranian Threat
Elite Views Toward Iran
Evolving Elite Views Toward Iran
An Assessment of the Iraqi and Iranian Threats
Chapter 4 Direction of Family 129
A Family Corrective Move
The Challenge
The Response
Military Opposition
The Challenge
The Response
Revolution and Disintegration
The Challenge
The Response
An Assessment of the Three Responses
Chapter 5 An Assessment of the New Alliances 141
Ruling Family Politics
An Assessment of the New Alliances
Conclusion
Appendices
1. Interviews 155
2. Chronology 161
3. Mainline of Succession and Cadet Branches 169
4. Twentieth-Century Al Saud Leaders 171