===== Saudi King Abdullah bin Abdul aziz has died,==== ------- إِنَّا لِلّهِ وَإِنَّـا إِلَيْهِ رَاجِعونَ------- Royal officials have announced, weeks after he was admitted to hospital. King Abdullah, who was said to be aged about 90, had been suffering from a lung infection. A statement early on Friday said his 79-year-old half brother, Salman, had become king. Abdullah came to the throne in 2005 but had suffered frequent bouts of ill health in recent years. His Highness Salman bin Abdulaziz al-Saud and all members of the family and the nation mourn the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Abdullah bin Abdulaziz, who passed away at exactly 01:00 this morning, the statement said. US President Barack Obama expressed his personal sympathies and those of the American people, on the death of King Abdullah. As a leader, he was always candid and had the courage of his convictions. One of those convictions was his steadfast and passionate belief in the importance of the US-Saudi relationship as a force for stability and security in the Middle East and beyond, he said. Vice-President Joe Biden tweeted that he would lead a delegation to Riyadh to pay respects. “As our countries worked together to confront many challenges, I always valued King Abdullah’s perspective and appreciated our genuine and warm friendship,” Mr. Obama said in a statement. “As a leader, he was always candid and had the courage of his convictions.” He added, “One of those convictions was his steadfast and passionate belief in the importance of the U.S.-Saudi relationship as a force for stability and security in the Middle East and beyond. The closeness and strength of the partnership between our two countries is part of King Abdullah’s legacy.” “King Abdullah’s life spanned from before the birth of modern Saudi Arabia through its emergence as a critical force within the global economy and a leader among Arab and Islamic nations,” Mr. Obama said. “He took bold steps in advancing the Arab Peace Initiative, an endeavor that will outlive him as an enduring contribution to the search for peace in the region.” The president said the king demonstrated a vision at home “dedicated to the education of his people and to greater engagement with the world.” Mr. Obama’s statement concluded, “May God grant him peace.” Former President George H.W. Bush released a statement on the Saudi king’s death on Thursday, saying “I am deeply saddened to learn of the passing of my dear friend and partner King Abdullah. As President, I always found His Majesty to always be a wise and reliable ally, helping our relations build on a strategic relationship and enduring friendship dating back to World War II.” Mr. Bush also said that he would “never forget” the support of Saudi Arabia during the war to reverse the invasion of Kuwait by Saddam Hussein’s Iraq. “Barbara and the entire Bush family joins me in sending our most sincere condolences to all our friends in Saudi Arabia,” Mr. Bush’s statement added. Read more: washingtontimes/news/2015/jan/22/saudi-king-abdullah-bin-abdulaziz-has-died-91/#ixzz3PcvjNGx7 Follow us: @washtimes on Twitter A cautious reformer King Abdullah became king of the oil-rich nation, a key U.S. ally in the Middle East, in August 2005. But he had been running Saudi Arabia since 1996, after his half-brother King Fahds stroke. In the context of the kingdoms conservative circles, Abdullah was seen as reformer and often came up against the more hard-line clerics. EXPAND GALLERY Since ascending to the throne, Abdullah took steps toward broader freedoms and invested some of the countrys vast oil wealth in large-scale education and infrastructure projects. He was really quite (an) extraordinary figure. He was probably the most progressive and liberal minded king of Saudi Arabia since King Faisal, which is a long time ago, in the early 1970s, CNNs Fareed Zakaria said about Abdullah, who he described as much loved. I had the opportunity to meet with him once and what you got a sense of was somebody who really was determined to move his country forward, Zakaria said. Its a conservative country and a conservative society -- and he kept emphasizing that to me -- but he was very clear in the direction he wanted to go. However, resistance from conservative factions hindered some of his efforts, leaving many women in particular disappointed by a lack of progress toward greater independence. Whats next? Under Abdullahs leadership, the country slowly squashed al Qaeda, capturing or killing its leaders in the kingdom, forcing the remnants underground and sidelining radical preachers. It also took a more prominent role in international affairs. Last year, it became the lead Arab nation in a U.S.-led coalition to eradicate the ultraradical ISIS group in Iraq and Syria. EXPAND GALLERY Analysts are predicting a smooth political transition despite the many challenges facing Saudi Arabia, including Iran, the rise of ISIS, the crisis in Yemen, and the drop in oil prices. Saudi Arabia has 16% of the worlds known oil reserves, according to the U.S. Energy Information Administration. The country is widely seen as the leader of OPEC and has a large influence on energy prices and political stability in the Middle East. Remember, the last time the price of oil fell like this, the Soviet Union collapsed, said Zakaria. That said, the successor is a very competent man. He added: I dont expect any major shift, but it marks a big change, and well have to see what the new king is like. UK Prime Minister David Cameron said Abdullah would be remembered for his commitment to peace and for strengthening understanding between faiths.
Posted on: Fri, 23 Jan 2015 07:26:32 +0000
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