Tuesday, March 20, 2018

What Impression Is Saudi Crown Prince Making Globally? - Inside Story


The Saudi Crown Prince is promoting himself as a social and an economic reformer - reinventing his Kingdom for the modern era. But since his rise to power last year, Mohammed bin Salman has been a controversial figure. He has put together a range of reforms at home, including easing restrictions on women's rights, and a more open policy on entertainment and public performances. And he is behind a major anti-corruption drive targeting the Saudi elite, which critics say also removes domestic rivals.

The United Nations says the Saudi bombing campaign in Yemen has contributed to one of the world's worst humanitarian crises. And the Crown Prince has hit out at Iran, comparing the country's Supreme leader to Adolf Hitler. And now reports have emerged of a plan to reshape the political map of the Middle East and fracture the Gulf Cooperation Council.

Presenter: Laura Kyle | Guests: Joe Macaron - Policy analyst at the Arab Center Washington DC; Rami Khouri, a Senior Public Policy Fellow and adjunct professor of journalism at the American University of Beirut; Sami Hamdi, Editor-in-Chief of International Interest