HAARETZ: Group of Saudi intellectuals has already opened a petition on Facebook demanding to turn the kingdom into a constitutional monarchy and create division between the monarchy and the government.It is quiet in Saudi Arabia - for now. No public square is crowded with thousands of protesters and no youths are busy tearing down pictures of King Abdullah in shopping centers. The slogan "The people want regime change" has been replaced there by the weaker "The people want reform."
Following three months in New York tending to his ailing back, and the tremendous headache that Lebanon caused, does anyone remember at all that Abdullah still has some unresolved problem's at home?
The tumult across the Arab world means Abdullah has fewer friends in power, like Hosni Mubarak of Egypt and Tunisia's Zine El Abidine Ben Ali (who is still hospitalized in Saudi Arabia).
Abdullah wasn't going to wait for the same fate to befall him, and so sent some rays of hope to the youths of his country. No, he does not intend for the time being to allow women to drive cars, let alone be elected to local government; he does not intend to set up a parliament or to cut the royal house off from controlling the country.
Abdullah has done what he has always done best - write fat checks and distribute $36 billion to young Saudis who want to build homes or set up a business. He even tossed a small bone in the direction of the women - they will be allowed to vote in local elections this year, but they still can't run.
The royal checks may not suffice this time, though. A group of Saudi intellectuals has already opened a petition on Facebook in which one of the main demands is to turn the kingdom into a constitutional monarchy and to create a division between the monarchy and the government. >>> Zvi Bar'el | Wednesday, March 09, 2011
