Customer Reviews (1)

A scholarly, detailed assessment ideal for historians
Written by Haggai Erlich (professor emeritus of Middle East and African history, Tel Aviv University), Saudi Arabia & Ethiopia: Islam, Christianity & Politics Entwined is an informative scrutiny of the history of Saudi-Ethiopian relations from 1930s to the present day. Chapters examine the conundrums that both Christian and Muslim Ethiopians face, the modern tensions between Ethiopia's apolitical Islam and Wahhabi fundamentalism, the global implications of an evolving Saudi-Ethiopian relationship, and much more. A scholarly, detailed assessment ideal for historians and anyone in search of a solid understanding of how Saudi-Ethiopian politics came to be where they are today, recommended for world history and international studies shelves. ... Read more

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Originally published in French by Albin Michel Publishers in October 2003, Princes of Darkness is a highly critical account of Saudi Arabia and, more specifically, its royal family, the Al-Sauds, and its deceitful approach to international affairs and the governance of its own people. The author demonstrates that the regime practices a multi-faceted apartheid toward inferior races and species: foreigners, Shiites, Christians, Jews, and women. It is a country that you can find yourself in jail for an ill-timed ‘yes’ or ‘no.’ Torture is widely practiced: whipping, stoning, amputation, decapitation. There are fifty thousand mosques—one for every hundred male adults—and fifty thousand imams who direct prayers, schoolbooks, the press, radio and television, all official organizations controlled down to the slightest detail by the regime. The preacher’s sermons are full of hatred, incitation to loathe the West, calls for murder. All this in the name of Islam. The religion they profess, Wahhabism, is a strange mix of paganism, provincial narrow-mindedness and rhetoric borrowed from Islam. And oil finances the family’s ambitions. The Al-Sauds have used the enormous power and wealth that came from oil to buy consciences, political parties, celebrities, mercenaries, and countries—including the United States.

Murawiec proves that the "reward" to the United States, who’s loyalties and blind faith have been purchased by the royal family, is not just oil but terrorism.Americans can no longer ignore the countless links between the Saudi elite and international terror—that so many analysts and observers had established before and after September 11th—should have been perceived, revealed, attacked, and unraveled by all available means.

Princes of Darkness answers the critical questions: What has to be done about Saudi Arabia? Should we take the ‘Saudi’ out of Arabia? And if so, how? And how do we hold America’s political elite accountable for its decades-old alliance with these terrorizing princes of darkness. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (11)

Excellent.
A clear exposition of who is financing many of the jihadis all around the world: the Saudis.

more Israeli generated lies
The author is a known Israeli propagandist so what do u expect from him and others like him who work on Israels bahaf and create lies like the reasons for the war in iraq.this guy and others like the neocons are a threat to america and peace.Saudi arabia has been a better friend to America than Israel has ever been.

The Masters of War
An ugly polemic. M. Murawiec does not do "nuance." Saudi Arabia is bad, very bad, the kernel of evil, and all the Saudis wear the proverbial "black gutra." In the entire 268 pages there is never the slightest hint that there is anything slightly positive about the Kingdom. M. Murawiec writes with all the simplicity of the early black and white westerns - there is only absolute good and evil - nothing in-between to cause the reader to actually think.

Much is revealed on page 1 in which he states that "today's Arabia is the joint offspring of..." and proceeds to list five external factors, such as "a pro-Nazi Englishman converted to Islam..." and minimizes the dominant internal factors that actually created the Kingdom. He exerts much effort in trying to equate the Saudis, and Islam, with either Nazism or Communism, so that the Western reader will realize this is one more (perpetual?) struggle that must be undertaken. For example, he has a penchant for inventing such phrases as the "Saudi Islamintern" which he compares with the Soviet Comintern (p.33). He even has an entire chapter entitled "Islamists of All Countries, Unite" (p.95). He alternates the communist threat analogies with the Nazi ones: "He (Ibn Saud) found himself in a situation comparable to that of Adolf Hitler in 1934...." (p.170), or, if you missed that point, he entitles an entire chapter: "1939: Hitler and Ibn Saud" (p.173). M. Murawiec's purple prose permeates the book: "this crowd of debtors, courtiers, and profiteers, this demimonde of middlemen and shady entrepreneurs, swindlers, procurers, moneychangers, and flatterers, forms the concentric circles surrounding the kernel of the royal family" (p. 32).... No comparisons with Washington DC are considered.

Has M. Murawiec ever visited Saudi Arabia?Has he even talked with one Saudi?It is unclear from the book, but the answer is probably NO.His real, quite limited knowledge of the Kingdom is revealed when he calls the eastern province not Al Hasa but "Hara", not once which could be a typo, but twice (p239) and (p241).

In his "Conclusions" section, among other demands he believes it appropriate for "the West" to demand of the Kingdom, he states that "Oil is Saudi by accident. The use that has been made of this black gold mine is so contrary to the public good that the international community owes it to itself to take it away from this abusive owner."Wow!And bring them civilization at the same time?The old imperialist drumbeat.We know what is best for these "natives" and ourselves.

The best insight into M. Murawiec's mindset can be obtained in the Epilogue. For all these pages he indicates how absolutely evil Saudi Arabia is, yet when he is invited to a conference there, he is quite ready to put on the "feedbag" and go.

It is an appalling commentary on the current policies of the United States that this author was actually requested, by Richard Pearle, to address the Defense Policy Board in 2002, where he gave an infamous presentation in which he advocated taking the "Saudi" our of "Saudi Arabia."For an understanding of the dynamics of Saudi Arabia, the book is utterly worthless, for those seeking an insight of those who advocate endless war, the book yields rich dividends. To quote from an old Bob Dylan song, M. Murawiec is indeed a Master of War.

Author Isn't an Expert in the Field
As Patrick Claswon observed, Murawiec gave a 2002 briefing to the Defense Science Board that carried the provocative title "Taking Saudi out of Arabia," in which he advocated extremely tough pressure on the Saudi government concerning the involvement of Saudis in terrorism. When it leaked to the press, the uproar was so loud that President George W. Bush personally called Saudi crown prince Abdullah to emphasize that he rejected the content of the briefing--a remarkable reaction to a think-tank study. Secretary of State Colin Powell and Secretary of Defense Donald Rumsfeld also weighed in with denunciations. Murawiec was promptly fired by Rand.

With credentials like that, one would hope for much from Murawiec, and he does make some telling points. He nicely captures the Saudi ambition to dominate world Islam, including the depth of the rivalry between the Saudi Wahhabi clerics and Egypt's venerable Al-Azhar University.

But, alas, he is no expert on Saudi Arabia. For example, while many complaints can be made about the Saudi government's encouragement of radical Islam, it is hardly the case that Saudi charitable organizations are under the same degree of government control that the Soviet Union exercised over its pet peace movements, as the author contends. There are many extremely rich Saudis who feel a religious obligation to fund Islamic causes and, while they certainly listen to government guidance, they are acting independently and out of conviction--which was hardly the way that Soviet peace groups worked.

Another problem: Murawiec gets carried away in places, undermining the credibility of his account. It is quite a stretch to say that Saudi Arabia "has modernized nothing." Besides the vast improvement in material living standards, the kingdom has extended education to women and has built a media empire, ignoring objections by obscurantists. And Princes of Darkness suffers from peculiar organization. After 145 pages about contemporary Saudi support for terror groups, we are suddenly transported back 200 years for a history lesson lasting eighty pages. Both the earlier part on support for terror and the later part on history also contain within them abrupt jumps from one topic to another.

After the publicity coup from his Rand firing, Murawiec would have been the logical person to write a definitive book about Saudi connections to terrorism. Sadly, this is not that book.

A Possible Scenario from the Author's 2002 Premise
Mr. Murawiec's defense-department briefing on Saudi Arabia in 2002 helped inform the premise of a newly released novel set in this influentional, Middle Eastern Kingdom: "Saudi Match Point". The book examines in one of its plotlines what might happen if the U.S. were to seize Saudi oil fields.

The novel is available at www.blacksmithbooks.com for ten dollars, which includes the cost of international shipping. It's a quick and enjoyable read. ... Read more

Product Description

Saudi Arabia provides a clear, concise yet analytical account of the development of the Saudi state. It details the country’s historical and religious background, its oil rentier economy and its international role, showing how they interact to create the dynamics of the contemporary Saudi state.

The development of the state is traced through three stages: the formative period prior to 1962; the centralization of the state and the initiation of intensive economic development between 1962 and 1979; and the re-shaping of the state over the years since 1979. Emphasis is placed on the recent period, with chapters devoted to:

• the economic and foreign policy problems which now confront the state
• the linkages between Saudi Arabia and Islamic radicalism, with the relationship/conflicts involving Al Qaeda traced through from events in Afghanistan in the 1980s
• the impact of 9/11 and the 2003 Gulf War
• the identification of major problems facing the contemporary state and their solutions.

Saudi Arabia provides a unique and comprehensive understanding of this state during a crucial time. This book is essential reading for those with interests in Saudi Arabia and its role in Middle Eastern politics and on the international stage.

Product Description
Great Britain’s decision in 1968 to withdraw its forces from the Gulf by 1971 was a turning point in the modern history of the Middle East. The lengthy British imperial presence had guaranteed a prolonged stability for the Gulf unmatched elsewhere in the region. This book examines how, in the context of interplay between its ambitions and the regional and international environment, Iran influenced efforts to reorder the Gulf’s political landscape. Its central argument is that a better understanding of the new Gulf order can be achieved by emphasizing local concerns and the degree to which regional powers influenced the policy of external powers in those formative years
... Read more

Customer Reviews (3)

The CIA Subsidized Book That Sparked the Church Committee
If you want to know the truth about what is happening in Arabia under the Sa'uds, don't buy this book; it is CIA propaganda.

That said, this book is a rare find - a known piece of CIA clandestine publishing verified to be propaganda by the House Judiciary Subcommittee on Civil and Constitutional Rights of the United States Congress. In that regard, it is a valuable example of government clandestine publishing.

CIA, under the Directorship of William Casey, had secretly paid Nadar Safran $107, 430 to underwrite this book - Saudi Arabia: The Ceaseless Quest for Security".Congressman Don Edwards (D-CA) complained in 1986 "The CIA also underwrote with $45,700 a symposium on Islamic fundamentalism organized by Safran, without telling either Harvard or the participants of the CIA involvement."

The target of this CIA information warfare is the American public.The government does not want us voters knowing what is really happening in oil-rich countries ruled by CIA-installed and maintained dictators, kings, and other despots.

Congressman Edwards asked "How many books, magazines and newspapers are there in theUS that are in reality CIA propaganda? How many professors and clergymen are on its payroll? . . . The question will always be: Is it honest or is it CIA?" .

A rare look at Saudi's security questions
This book is one of a kind.Many political histories have been written about Saudi(The coming fall fo the house of Saud by Aburish) and many critiques of Sadui have been written(Crude Politics) and their are few if any books examining the Saudi military.The Saudis joined in all the wars against Israel and used the Oil weapon after the 1973 war.

The Saudis have also come into conflict with many of their neighboors.For instance in the 1950s-60s the Saudis supported the Yemeni royalty in their struggle against the Egyptian supported Nationalists.Suadi saw Nasserism as a threat to its security.The Saudis also imposd their will on the UAE, Bahrain and Oman.The other walksyou through Saudis dispuits with each of tis small gulf neighboors and the border issues with Yemen and Oman.

The Saudis greatest threat has come from Iran and Iraq.The Shi'ite revolution of 1979 saw the Saudis worried about tensions in their own police state against the Shiite minority.This amazing book explores this problem in detail.THis book also deals with the problems of Saddam Hussein and a strong Iraq.

A very neccesary read to understand the police state of Saudi and why it has been able to exist so long without a threat to its fuedal royal family.

Political and military analysis of Saudi Arabia
This book analyzes the development of Saudi security policies and their impact on Saudi domestic and foreign policy. Anyone interested in understanding Saudi-American defense relationships should start with this book. The author does an excellent job of bringing together a wide range of sources in an area of history with very few good sources. The book pre-dates the 1990-91 Gulf War but is good background for the development of the war and understanding U.S. policy leading to the war. ... Read more

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Kingdom Without Borders is the first book to explore the driving forces behind Saudi Arabia's new era of expansionism. Having established a far-reaching political and religious influence, as well as an impressive media empire, Saudi Arabia has become a kingdom without borders, holding both local and international actors in a tight embrace. This phenomenon has yet to be seriously-instead of sensationally-studied. In this volume, contributors soberly reassess the changing nature of state and society, considering not only the multiple leaders who have risen within Saudi Arabia in recent years but also, thanks to a second oil boom, the consolidation of outside forces that now threaten to subvert the state.

Bringing together leading scholars from Europe, the United States, the Middle East, and Asia,Kingdom Without Borders combines both a top-down and grassroots approach to examining the country's growing regional and international influence. Contributors also trace the impact of Saudi Arabia on the religion, economics, and politics of Yemen, Lebanon, and the United States, linking the transformation of local contexts to the external actors of globalization. With a thorough investigation of the history and contemporary manifestations of Saudi expansionism,Kingdom Without Borders presents a unique opportunity to view Saudi Arabia's power project within the interrelated realms of local politics, religion, and media genres.

Product Description
An important new study that assesses comparatively the future of Islamic fundamentalism in three key countries: Egypt, Algeria, and Saudi Arabia. Islamism has witnessed an upsurge and new-found zealotry and stridency in the post-Gulf War period, but its real fortunes have fallen far short of expectations, according to Mahmud Faksh. Indeed, as outlined in this work, it is now being stymied on many fronts. The book focuses on the limits of Islamic fundamentalism as a system of thought, as well as a force for changing the established order. And it shows that the threat of an Islamic avalanche--despite assorted high-profile, militant activities--is overstated, unrealistic, and lacking in credibility. ... Read more

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This digital document is an article from Congressional Research Service (CRS) Reports and Issue Briefs, published by Congressional Research Service (CRS) Reports and Issue Briefs on December 1, 2009. The length of the article is 641 words. The page length shown above is based on a typical 300-word page. The article is delivered in HTML format and is available immediately after purchase. You can view it with any web browser.

Citation Details
Title: Recent developments.(Saudi Arabia: Background and U.S. Relations)
Author: Christopher M. Blanchard
Publication: Congressional Research Service (CRS) Reports and Issue Briefs (Report)
Date: December 1, 2009
Publisher: Congressional Research Service (CRS) Reports and Issue Briefs
Page: NA

Distributed by Gale, a part of Cengage Learning ... Read more

Product Description
This book examines Saudi Arabia's security from the Saudi point of view, concentrating on internal challenges to the country's security as well as external threats.It argues that Saudi Arabia should pursue a policy of inclusion vis-a-vis Iraq and Iran, rather than simply following the Western emphasis on the exclusion of these states. ... Read more

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Saudi Arabia Ecology & Nature Protection Handbook ... Read more

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Saudi Arabia, a monarchy ruled by the Saud dynasty, enjoys special importance in much of the international community because of its unique association with the Islamic religion and its oil wealth. Since the establishment of the modern Saudi kingdom in 1932, it has benefited from a stable political system based on a smooth process of succession to the throne and a prosperous economy dominated by the oil sector. With one-fourth of the world's proven oil reserves and some of the lowest production costs, Saudi Arabia is likely to remain the world's largest net oil exporter for the foreseeable future. During January-October 2004, Saudi Arabia supplied the United States with 1.5 million barrels per day of crude oil, or 15 per cent of US crude oil imports during that period. The September 11, 2001 attacks fuelled criticisms within the United States of alleged Saudi involvement in terrorism or of Saudi laxity in acting against terrorist groups. Of particular concern have been reports that funds may be flowing from Saudi Arabia and other Middle East countries to terrorist groups, largely under the guise of charitable contributions.Critics of Saudi policies have cited a number of reports that the Saudi government has permitted or encouraged fund raising in Saudi Arabia, by charitable Islamic groups and foundations linked to Osama bin Laden's Al Qaeda organisation or like-minded entities. ... Read more