Neocons Defend Saudi Arabia

by Jim Lobe Much of the West is focused on the latest sectarian provocations by Saudi Arabia, such as the execution of Shiite leader Sheik Nimr Baqr al-Nimr followed by the formal breaking of diplomatic relations with Iran in uber-retaliation… Continue Reading

Saudi Executions: A Trap for Washington?

by Jean-Francois Seznec Observers of the Middle East woke up on the normally peaceful day after the New Year to the unsettling news that Saudi Arabia had executed 47 terrorists. Among the executed were three foreign nationals, 40 Saudi Sunnis… Continue Reading

The Real Reason Why Saudi Arabia Executed Sheikh Nimr

by Shireen Hunter Saudi Arabia finally executed the elderly Shia cleric, Sheikh Nimr Baqir al-Nimr, even though many Muslim and other religious leaders as well as the United Nations and a number of political leaders had urged—at least privately—Saudi Arabia… Continue Reading

The Saudi Executions: Fury in Iran But Not Here

by Thomas W. Lippman The Obama administration’s reaction to the mass executions in Saudi Arabia on New Year’s Day came in the form of a mildly worded statement issued over the holiday weekend by State Department spokesman John Kirby.

New Saudi Budget: The Good, the Bad, and the Potentially Ugly

by Thomas W. Lippman It hardly came as a surprise that the Saudi Arabian government budget for the upcoming fiscal year, approved by the cabinet the weekend after Christmas, projects a yawning deficit. Economic analysts knew it was coming; the… Continue Reading