So, King Fahd of Saudi Arabia died over the weekend.
Big deal.
He's been an invalid since 1997 when a stroke left him essentially incapacitated. Daily rule over Saudi Arabia was left to Fahd's half brother, Crown Prince Abdullah. It is Abdullah who will be king.
What does this mean for US interests in the region. No difference - they'd been dealing with him for years, and Abdullah will be carrying on the same two-step he'd been carrying on as Crown Prince. On the one hand, the Saudis will try to maintain their street credibility with the Islamic fundamentalists, including al Qaeda, and on the other, he'll have to maintain relations with the US and other Western countries. They've been walking the tightrope, and have largely escape the mess they've made.
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