Originally published on Home – Stephen Lendman.
On Wednesday, head of the Saudi family dictatorship king Salman replaced prince Mohammed bin Yayef as heir apparent in favor of prince Mohammed bin Salman, his son.
He’s currently chief of the Saudi royal court and council for economic and development affairs head, responsible for running the country’s economy, including its long term plan to be less oil-dependent. According to some observers, he’s already the power behind the thrown.
In some respects, Saudi Arabia is like America. Ordinary citizens of both countries have no say over how their countries are run – for and by their privileged class exclusively, no others, for their war OF terror, not on it, for homeland repression against nonbelievers.
The younger Salman’s elevation was no surprise (MS below), just the timing, sooner than expected. In Saudi Arabia, like other family dictatorships, regionally or elsewhere, rule is all in the family, others excluded.
King Salman, aged-81, reportedly is in poor health, what likely prompted his move at this time. If he dies in the coming months, his son will become the youngest king in the country’s history.
A power struggle has been ongoing to succeed him since he assumed the throne in January 2015 – because of his reported failing health.
Defrocked crown prince Mohammed bin Nayef is his nephew, stripped of his position as interior minister as well.
As defense minister, MS is responsible for supporting ISIS, al-Nusra and other regional terrorist groups, along with waging naked aggression on Yemen – creating a biblical level catastrophe, worsening as conflict continues endlessly.
MS may be behind Riyadh’s hostility toward Qatar. As newly appointed crown prince, he’ll remain Saudi defense minister and assume a new position as deputy prime minister.
On Wednesday, the Saudi Press Agency said 31 out of 34 members of the kingdom’s succession committee chose him as new crown prince.
It’s rumored that king Salman may abdicate the thrown in favor of his son, passing the baton while still alive, maybe with not much time left to do it.
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