It has been several months since Saudi Arabia was the lead story or headline, or it feels like it. Winds of War readers will have noted a steady drip-drip of reports of Saudi security forces killing ‘militants’ and ‘gunmen’, culminating in the recent killing of Saleh al Awfi, Majid Hamed al Haseri and Mohammed Abdullah Owaida – all wanted men. According to Asharq Al Awsat, since May 2003, Saudi forces have killed over 100 terrorists.
However, all is not well in the kingdom. After attending a debate on whether or not the House of Saud is a friend of the West (accounts here: one, two, three), I read John R. Bradley’s new book, Saudi Arabia Exposed. Bradley worked for the Arab News as a news editor in the aftermath of 9/11, living amongst Saudis rather than in a Western compound, and travelling the country extensively.
Having read the book, I’ve come to the conclusion that the situation in Saudi Arabia is both better and worse than I’d previously believed. To take one example, homosexuality is de facto accepted by the religious police as preferable to the ‘honour’ of Saudi women being tarnished. On the other hand, it is official Saudi policy to encourage terrorists to carry out attacks in Iraq – which may well explain why there hasn’t been a major attack in Saudi Arabia for months.
John accepted my request that he answer a few questions for me, and below is the sum total.