‘He Was Not a Benevolent Dictator, He Was a Dictator’
Dead at age 90, King Abdullah of Saudi Arabia (at right) was praised by President Obama "as a force for stability and security in the Middle East and beyond." But analysts accuse him of turning the Syrian uprising into a proxy war with Iran, and U.S. diplomatic cables identified the country as the world's largest funder of militant Islamist groups.Dead at age 90, King Abdullah of Saudi Arabia was praised by President Obama “as a force for stability and security in the Middle East and beyond.” But analysts accuse him of turning the Syrian uprising into a proxy war with Iran, and U.S. diplomatic cables identified the country as the world’s largest funder of militant Islamist groups.
“Democracy Now!” discusses Abdullah with Toby Jones, director of Middle Eastern studies at Rutgers University and the author of “Desert Kingdom: How Oil and Water Forged Modern Saudi Arabia.”
— Posted by Alexander Reed Kelly.
WAIT BEFORE YOU GO...This year, the ground feels uncertain — facts are buried and those in power are working to keep them hidden. Now more than ever, independent journalism must go beneath the surface.
At Truthdig, we don’t just report what's happening — we investigate how and why. We follow the threads others leave behind and uncover the forces shaping our future.
Your tax-deductible donation fuels journalism that asks harder questions and digs where others won’t.
Don’t settle for surface-level coverage.
Unearth what matters. Help dig deeper.
Donate now.
TD Column
In a healthy party, losers get jettisoned and new leaders are given the reins.
Editorial Cartoons
Health & Wellness
The betrayal of trust by the institutions meant to protect Flint’s residents has made them cautious as they look to the future.
TD Original
Reflecting on the systems that maintain racism and separatism in America.
Wounds of War
According to Pentagon policy on “responding to civilian harm”, Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin owes Somalian drone victims an overdue apology.
Editorial Cartoons
You need to be a supporter to comment.
There are currently no responses to this article.
Be the first to respond.