Terrorism in Saudi Arabia

Terrorism in Saudi Arabia


Published: November 11, 2003

[] Saudi Arabia has a growing terrorism problem. The latest example is Saturday's terrorist bombing in Riyadh, which tragically killed 17 people, among them 5 children, and wounded 122 others, laying waste to a neighborhood of modest homes. Saudi and American authorities now attribute the slaughter to Al Qaeda. Washington should not hesitate to offer its cooperation in helping to hunt down and prosecute a common terrorist foe.
But more effective police work alone will not be enough; Saudi Arabia has arrested some 600 terrorist suspects since May and attacks continue. Faster progress toward democracy, by itself, is not enough. Both are needed, along with greater willingness by Saudi officials to cooperate with foreign law enforcement agencies and an end to Saudi financing of radical Islamic groups that support violence.
Judging from the record so far, the sprawling, unaccountable Saudi royal family isn't likely to make these needed changes on its own. Crown Prince Abdullah and his successors will have to be prodded by others, including Washington, to take the drastic steps needed to keep the world's leading oil producer from descending into violent turmoil and to check the rising power of international terrorist groups like Al Qaeda.
America has a huge interest in the struggle for Saudi Arabia's future, and oil is only part of it. Although the latest terrorism appears directed mainly against the Saudi ruling elite, not Westerners, Al Qaeda is a sworn and deadly enemy of the United States. The idea of an Osama bin Laden in control of one-fourth of the world's known oil reserves would be a nightmare come true.
Saudis have strong reasons to demand radical changes in their governance. In recent years, the population has soared while real oil income has stagnated. Shrinking revenues have been further frittered away by misspending and corruption. Average incomes have plummeted, and opportunities for young people have evaporated. Female Saudis, whose legal, economic and political rights are minimal, have had it worst of all. No real dissent is tolerated, and the courts are cruel and capricious.
Meanwhile, the extended royal family, which numbers in the thousands, lives in opulence, flouting the puritanical precepts of Wahhabi Islam and draining funds that could be used to create a more modern, diversified economy. Wealthy Saudis send millions abroad to badly monitored religious charities whose schools indoctrinate poor children in other Muslim lands and sometimes recruit them to join armed bands of guerrillas and terrorists.
Democracy could be a potent remedy for some of these ills, but thus far no significant Saudi democracy movement has arisen. That could change over time if President Bush begins to give substance to the democracy promotion policies he called for in a well-received speech last week. As he rightly noted, Americans cannot be made safer by excusing misgovernment in countries like Saudi Arabia.

Can Saudi Arabia stem the tide of terrorism on their soil. If not what danger does it present to the Saudi monarchy? If there were danger to it's existence and the oil supply would or should the US step in militarily?