THE WALL STREET JOURNAL: DUBAI--King Abdullah of Saudi Arabia returned to his country Tuesday after a three-month absence for medical treatment, potentially signaling he will play a more active role as the country deliberates its response to the turmoil sweeping across the Arab world.Although the oil-rich kingdom has escaped the sort of unrest unleashed in Egypt, Libya or Tunisia, there have been signs of domestic discontent over high unemployment, as well as some nervousness that Saudi Arabia's Shiite Muslim minority could be inspired by the protests of their co-religionist neighbors in Bahrain.
During the king's prolonged absence from the kingdom, analysts had voiced worries that the country's other ageing leaders—notably the defense minister Prince Sultan and the interior minister Prince Nayef—could struggle to react with agility to the regional challenges and to any big protests at home.
Since King Abdullah left in November for two operations on a herniated disc, Saudi Arabia has lost a key regional ally with the toppling of Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak earlier this month.
Scholars and analysts have said the royal family will be particularly worried by the protests that have shaken Bahrain—the only member of the oil-rich Gulf Cooperation Council so far to have been affected by the regional unrest. The tiny island kingdom is linked to Saudi Arabia by a 16-mile causeway and has a majority Shiite population who are ruled by a Sunni royal family.
Although Saudi Arabia is mostly Sunni, its own Shia minority mainly live in the oil-rich east of the country adjacent to Bahrain and historically have shared some of their neighbors' anger over religious discrimination and lack of opportunities. Read on and comment >>> Angus McDowall | Tuesday, February 22, 2011
