Saudi Arabia's challenges

Most Saudis want a continuation of a stable government

By Frank Gardner in Saudi Arabia

Saudi Arabia's international image as a haven of stability in the Middle East has been damaged recently by two car bombs in the capital, Riyadh.

One Briton was killed and four others were injured in the still unexplained blasts in November.

Princes and ministers dispense the oil revenues as they see fit

How will such incidents affect the oil-rich kingdom's internal situation and its ruling family?

In the country as a whole, there is an unwritten alliance between rulers and ruled.

The princes and ministers dispense the oil revenues as they see fit. In return, the population is not expected to ask for any political representation.

Strategic partners

To the surprise of many in the West, this rather undemocratic formula has worked well now for several generations.

But to develop its oil industry and then guarantee its defence, Saudi Arabia has had to choose a strategic partner.

There are concerns about the country's future after King Fahd

That partner is the West - in particular, Britain and the United States.

In the current Arab climate of hostility to Israel and its US backers, many Saudis resent their government's friendship with the West.

It is thought this resentment may have been behind the recent car bombs that targeted Westerners in Riyadh.

Unemployment

But Khaled Al-Maeena, the editor of the daily paper, Arab News, thinks too much is made of Saudi-American relations.

"A lot of focus that is not necessarily warranted has been put on our strategic alliance with the US," says Mr Al-Maeena.

Many poor Saudis are getting poorer

"Of course, the US is very close to us in terms of the economy and oil but that doesn't mean we have to be subservient to the US."

The Saudi oil minister certainly proved that in November when he refused America's request to pump more oil to please US consumers.

But Saudi Arabia's rulers have other things to worry about than their relations with Washington.

Popular dissent

Their immediate problem is unemployment. Unofficially it is running at more than 25%.

The idea that every Saudi drives round in a luxury car is a myth.

For the last few years per capita income has been falling and many poor Saudis are getting poorer.

That may sound surprising in these times of high oil prices but a leading Saudi dissident, Dr Saad Al-Faquih, says not enough of those revenues are filtering down to the population.

Yet even he believes that popular dissent is unlikely to break out unless the ruling family quarrel among themselves.

For now, most Saudis want a continuation of a stable government but with the country's two most powerful men, King Fahd and Crown Prince Abdullah, both approaching their 80th birthdays, there are growing concerns about what the future will bring.