King Salman who took power in Saudi Arabia in 2015 selected MBS (Mohammad bin Salman) his seventh son, as the Crown Prince in 2017 opting aside other strong figures in the royal family will be in light of some good wishes.  

It is very important to understand, that the summary of US President Joseph Biden’s speech last week had shown MBS, as he knew, that he got a better connection with experienced global statesmen and Biden travelled to Saudi Arabia seeking support in balancing energy prices and regional security and affinity when he had promised to punish and isolate MBS, before one and half year.

They greeted each other and made a big decision on their own States’ surplus initiatives. But MBS was Biden’s primary host; he took the wheels of the meeting and controlled it completely by taking full of honours for bolstering oil production and taking great positions alongside the US against Russia or China, normalising all connections with Israel.

This doesn’t come as a surprise to those who have watched MBS’s robust rise in his father’s court and his capability to triumph in the fight. The word of Former Ambassador Talmiz Ahmed, who spent nearly a decade in postings in Saudi Arabia, says about him as a “unique phenomenon” in the political history of Saudi Arabia.

His father, 86-year-old King Salman cherry-picked MBS leaving all other successors from among MBS’s uncles and experienced brothers and veterans like Muqrin bin Abdul Aziz and Mohammad bin Naif, who were expected to be the next owner of the kingdom. King Salman said when he chose MBS he was the only one of his sons “ruthless” enough to control a Kingdom with such hard power centres and such a  large royal family, that’s why MBS  is now the leading Ministry of Defence, head of the royal court and head of the noticeable political and development councils. It is very surprising because he doesn’t have any military training nor had he studied abroad when compared with his siblings who guided ministerial positions. “I would say his most powerful weapon is not ruthlessness, but ruthlessness with calculation,” said Mr Ahmed.

But all calculations have not come true, his first activity of continuing to fight with Yemen to surrender Houthi rebels, which he had hoped for, but did not get positive news and his decisions against Qatar flattened out without gaining the assurances that he had demanded.

Risky actions

The hundreds of royals and other elites at the Ritz Carlton had been taken to prison alleging corruption charges that led to negative words against him in his own family. His atmosphere of tolerance led to the giant killing and disqualification of journalist Jamal Khashoggi which ended with international opprobrium in Crown Prince. In addition to these the largest genocide earlier this year, with 81 people accused of the crimes of “terrorism and extremist ideologies”. That has come to the announcement That MBS has trampled human rights in the Kingdom and community-transmission fear of MBS who wielded absolute power as Crown Prince briskly at less than 40 years old is increasing then how much could he possibly do as King? These don’t break down his great control in his Kingdom, but his special concentrations in royals, businessmen and religious clergy were strengthened by the huge popularity of the Saudi Kingdom’s restless youth. For them he promised a new future goal, under the “Vision 2030” programme, that would change their full dependence on oil revenue to boost educational and job opportunities by overlooking big dreams of a new $500 billion high-tech city project in the desert of ‘Neom’.         

It is a universal truth that these new initiatives paved the road for the changes that had never been dreamed of by Saudi civils especially numerous rights and rules have taken away the possibility of attending cinemas, driving cars for women and others.

Western criticism

In an interview earlier this year he answered the questions of The Atlantic about 'Western criticism', and said “simply, I do not care about it”. His decisions and dealing with Israel after his friend and competitor UAE ruler Muhammad bin Zayed opened ties with them. His activities with religious clergy and subjects in Palestine must be addressed, mainly his battle with Iran.

After the worse comment of Nupur Sharma against the Prophet in India, the stand of different Islamic countries on this subject was very significant. Without creating any rebellion Saudi Arabia took the way of a close embrace with PM Narendra Modi and offers of $100 billion investment to India. The words of French politician and thinker Alexis de Tocqueville say “Experience teaches that the most dangerous time for a bad government is usually when it begins to reform” is comes true these days and MBS is heading numerous challenges in the years ahead.