Saudi Arabia: oil-rich, devoutly Muslim, and a vital ally
To many in the West, Saudi Arabia is easy to criticize. It is the
birthplace of Osama bin Laden and fifteen of the nineteen 9/11
hijackers. Saudi women are not permitted to drive, work with men, or
travel without a man's permission. Prior to 9/11, the Saudis sent
millions of dollars abroad to schools that taught Muslim extremism and
to charities that turned out to be fronts for al-Qaeda.
In Prophets and Princes, a highly respected scholar who has lived in
Saudi Arabia contends that despite these serious shortcomings, the
kingdom is still America's most important ally in the Middle East, a
voice for moderation toward Israel, and a nation with a surprising
ability to make many of the economic and cultural changes necessary to
adjust to modern realities.
Author Mark Weston offers an objective and balanced history of the only
nation on earth named after its ruling family. Drawing on interviews
with many Saudi men and women, Weston portrays a complex society in
which sixty percent of Saudi Arabia's university students are women, and
citizens who seek a constitutional monarchy can petition the king
without fear of reprisal.
Filled with new and underreported information about the most
controversial aspects of life in Saudi Arabia, Prophets and Princes is a
must-read for anyone interested in the Middle East, oil, Islam, or the
war on terror..