The unrest bubbling beneath the surface of Saudi society is not about to shake the royal regime in Riyadh. It would take unlikely link-up between disaffected royals, militant progressives and young rebels to dent its stability. But first cracks are visible in its absolute power.

Tehran was galvanized by the capture of the US drone into a spurt for spreading its diplomatic wings and showing the departing Americans who is the boss in Baghdad. An Iranian delegation sought to persuade Riyadh to help stabilize the regime in Damascus by forcing Bashar Assad to co-opt ...

There is almost no record of the views and orientation of the new Saudi crown prince and defense minister. However, Princes Nayef and Salman will be running the oil kingdom's foreign and defense affairs in the coming decade, taking the lead for the entire Gulf region as Iran becomes ...

Saudi Crown Prince Sultan bin Abdulaziz's long-expected passing aged 87 in New York Saturday, Oct. 22 could not have happened at a more auspicious time for his presumed successor, Interior Minister and Deputy Prime Minister Prince Nayef bin Abdulaziz, to move up as next in line to the throne after King Abdullah.  Whereas the Muslim clergy backed uprisings against five other Arab regimes, the Saudi religious establishment is solidly behind the throne – and will especially welcome the ascent of conservative Prince Nayef.