AbuKhalil, As'ad. The Battle for Saudi Arabia: Royalty, Fundamentalism, and Global Power.

PositionBook Review

AbuKhalil, As'ad. The Battle for Saudi Arabia: Royalty, Fundamentalism, and Global Power. New York, NY: Seven Stories Press, 2004. Paper $9.95.

This is an excellent introductory book on Saudi Arabia. It is well researched and documented. Written in a lucid style, the book traces the history leading to the establishment of the Saudi State. Essential to the understanding of current Saudi political development is knowledge about the relationship between Wahhabiyyah and the House of Saud. This "marriage of convenience" between the two gave legitimacy and stability to the Saudi State. However, those came at a high price in the form of oppression of women and, more generally, of human rights abuses. This formula and the propagation of the faith on a global scale met no resistance from the U.S. government so long the Saudis were allied with them against communism and Arab nationalism.

AbuKhalil's discussion of the history of conflict within the House of Saud is very critical to appreciating recent policy developments and how they might play in the future both within the Saudi State and the Middle East region. This is especially important since the events of 11 September 2001. The author is of the opinion that the formula that has held the Saudi...

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