Saudi exceptionalism

摘要

Saudi Arabia occupies a pivotal role in the Arab Revolution, both as the dominant military power in the Arabian Peninsula and as the world's premier oil exporter. Its stability is a key question, but there are good reasons to think that the Kingdom is far more stable than its neighbors, even if the factors that have triggered unrest throughout the rest of the Arab world are also present in Saudi society. The most important element is that the King Abdullah himself remains highly regarded and indeed, in a local context, is seen as a reformer. His initiatives to address three core problems in the Kingdom -jobs, housing and education - are striking, and years of rising oil prices have given him the means to ensure radical change in all three areas.