I wonder what, if any, impact this will have on the region:
Saudi Arabia’s King Fahd — whose reign was marked by unprecedented prosperity, but whose close ties with the United States stirred the passions of Islamic militants — has died, Saudi Arabia’s information minister announced Monday.
His exact age remains uncertain — believed to be between 82 and 84.
A source told CNN’s Nic Robertson that Fahd died Sunday evening. His burial is scheduled for Tuesday at 3 p.m. (8 a.m. EDT) in Riyadh.
The former Crown Prince Abdullah, Fahd’s half brother, has been named the new Saudi king and Defense Minister Prince Sultan has replaced Abdullah as crown prince.
Abdulllah has been effectively running things for so long that I don’t know if there will be much of a transitional problem. If any of you find someone who is an expert on this, please put the link in the comments.
Justin
Yeah, this isn’t a huge deal. Fahd’s basically been a vegetable for the past 10 years. The only effect of his death is that it reconfirms Abdullah’s rule and changes his title.
Abu Aardvark has a nice take on this, including how the Arab media is reacting.
docG
Given the new democratization of the Middle East, have you heard when the elections for the new king will be held?
ppGaz
Poor Fahd is dead
Poor King Fahd is dead
All gather round his coffin now and cry
He had a no heart but gold
And he was very very old
Oh why did such a feller have to die?
— “Poor Jud Is Dead” from the musical “Oklahoma!” by Rodgers and Hammerstein (paraphrased)
My condolences to the Bush family.
Bob
The reaction is the region? Oil is $62 bucks a barrel. God knows what it would have been if he’d come out of his coma.