Saudi sub-contracting

Tom Friedman once again delves into the Middle East today with a column titled “Saudi-Israel Deal.” He cites Mideast expert Stephen P. Cohen who states: "The only hope for the Saudi ruling family, for long-term survival, is to deliver on two key sources of legitimacy: a rising standard of living and the Palestine question.” Picking up on Cohen’s point, Friedman argues that a deal with the Israelis on a Palestinian state would diffuse political tensions in Saudi Arabia while economic reforms – namely, dismantling the huge kleptocracy of the Saudi princes – will ease internal strife.

To understand why this will never happen, consider this paragraph from an Opinion Journal article earlier this week:

In 1979 a group of Wahhabi extremists seized the mosque in Mecca and tried to spark a revolution. Flown in for the purpose, French special forces shot dead every last one of them. Since then, many Saudis, including some in the royal family, have understood that their society's moral and intellectual confusion is bringing about its downfall. But those who understand the problem have had little practical effect. The ruling princes, either because they are too old, too unimaginative or too selfish, have continued on as before, failing to make reforms which might have saved them.

Finally – a French military victory! (Sorry…couldn’t resist).

Getting back to my point: the reason there will never be meaningful reform in Saudi Arabia is because it would require work and sacrifice on the part of the Saudi Royals themselves. That is, they can’t sub-contract out the dirty work of reform to their Filipinos and Bangladeshis, so it won’t be done. As a result, terrorism within the kingdom will escalate and the princes will respond by bringing in foreign security forces so their un-Islamic lifestyle of boozing and gambling won’t be interrupted.