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Changing Dynamics: Family Enterprise or One-Man Rule?

earning their keep?

Likewise, another brother has reached the very uppermost ranks of government. Khalid, a one-time Ambassador, is currently the deputy minister of defense (MbS heads the department, though in practice the deputy is more involved with day-to-day affairs). Given that his recent visit to Washington was mostly dismissed as a ploy by the Kingdom to circumvent the crown prince's own persona non grata status there, by having Khalid act as something of a proxy, and the fact that he departed his ambassadorship under a cloud, with a furtive flight from the country in the wake of the murder of journalist and critic Jamal Khashoggi and the international condemnation that followed, he is generally regarded as less than an actor in his own right. Nonetheless, Khalid should not be dismissed outright.

A former fighter pilot, Khalid received a Bachelor of Aviation Science from Riyadh's prestigious King Faysal Air Academy, then joined the Royal Saudi Air Force, where he flew missions against ISIS in northern Syria in September 2014, as part of the international coalition. He also took part in combat operations in Yemen, but an injury ultimately put an end to his flying career. He went on to study in the US (Harvard) and France, before undertaking graduate work in Security Studies at Georgetown University. In April 2017 he was appointed Saudi Ambassador to the United States, a stint which ended in February 2019 after he had utterly failed to convince anyone that his government was in the dark about Khashoggi's disappearance. Once the details of the episode began to emerge, his continued presence there became untenable.

The pre-eminent position of MbS in the current royal lineup would seem to preclude any room for alternative voices, but this may not entirely be the case. Since his anointment as heir apparent, MbS has indeed put his stamp on the nation's affairs, with the introduction of sweeping economic and social changes: from Vision 2030 and the vast NEOM project on the west coast, to clipping the wings of the religious police and allowing mixed-gender concerts and entertainment spectacle, the previously unthinkable in the ultra-conservative Kingdom has now become reality. But at the same time, there has been a sweeping crackdown on dissent and free speech, with the arrest of activists, clerics, journalists and even royal family members. Rival princes have been sidelined, or worse (with imprisonment and allegations of torture), the result being that the crown prince no longer faces any credible challenge from within the family. Yet, despite the marginalization of potential threats to his supremacy, the containment has held a certain logic - the broader outlines of the family now encompass several cadet branches in addition to the principal 'royal' line (those princes descending from the founder Ibn Saud), each holding a varying degree of influence and seniority, but within the main line itself there exist another subset of lineages associated with the most important offspring of Ibn Saud. To MbS (and his father, Salman) the monarchy should rightfully belong to his (subsidiary) line. Siblings are not rivals; their personal ambitions will be tempered, it is understood, but they are an aid rather than a hindrance, all subsumed under a common goal. In this regard, there is a certain latitude for action and initiative, far in excess of what would be tolerated from a prince of a 'rival' branch.

Abd al-Aziz and Khalid occupy a unique position, with a supporting role in the trajectory of MbS, in line to succeed the king. Unlike other princes, they are entrusted with positions which are not mere patronage appointments (especially in the case of Abd al-Aziz, the most qualified regardless of his royal status), and are not seen as potential challengers succession. For MbS, perhaps fated to be forever checking over his shoulder for ghosts and rivals, the illusion of a 'family effort' may be one comfort.

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