The King Versus The Radicals

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Aramco's lax social atmosphere has allowed it to attract the best talent from around the world; 15 percent of its workers are foreign, mostly at the upper echelons, with tens of thousands more foreign contractors. Perhaps more important, the company's independence has also kept it free from the corruption, nepotism, red tape and inwardness that have hindered development in the rest of the country. At Aramco, women work alongside men and hold senior positions in key divisions like petroleum engineering; 1,000 Saudi women number among its ranks. Aramco also maintains Western standards of professionalism and meritocracy—in marked distinction from most Saudi government offices and private businesses.

Western encroachment into Saudi society is generally resisted: the Internet is censored, satellite dishes are banned and even tourist visas for Westerners are forbidden. But the Wahhabi clergy—and, more important, the Saudi people—have been willing to overlook Aramco's brazen behavior until now because they recognize the company's centrality to Saudi Arabia's existence; providing nearly 75 percent of government revenues, the company singlehandedly keeps the country afloat. "The Saudis have always understood that this is the goose laying golden eggs and they can't mess with it too much," says Gregory Gause, a Middle East specialist at the University of Vermont.

Aramco's executives recognize that this is a fragile bargain, and step carefully. The unspoken understanding is that, in exchange for its unprecedented independence, Aramco keeps its activities limited to the remote Eastern Province and within its compound walls. Any work outside the region has been strictly limited to necessary oil-producing projects, such as refining and shipping. Aramco has also refrained from Western-style proselytizing. Above all, it's tried to maintain a low profile.

Until now. Ever since King Abdullah came to the throne three years ago, his government has been slowly implementing progressive reforms to counteract the extreme Wahhabi doctrine that many blame for fostering terrorism at home and abroad and for squelching innovation. Abdullah also knows he must modernize the country's moribund economy. Almost 75 percent of Saudi citizens are under the age of 30, and a third of these young people are unemployed—a dangerous source of social unrest, dissent and potential terrorism.

To tackle these threats, the king has begun gradually challenging the old grand bargain of Saudi politics, which granted the Wahhabis a free hand in exchange for the clerics' support for the House of Saud's legitimacy. Many of Abdullah's changes are already apparent, from increased criticism of the religious police in the state-controlled press to drastic reform of the Kingdom's legal system, emphasizing the independence of judges. The most visible sign is the king's annual National Dialogue, a public forum held since 2003 to which he invites a wide variety of Saudi intellectuals—including dissidents and even people previously imprisoned for their palace criticism. The religious establishment is pointedly excluded.

Abdullah may be moving too slowly for Western human-rights advocates, but he knows that pushing too hard could create a backlash—for the Wahhabis still have significant support within the royal family and among the population. The king's solution has been a strategy of circumvention, using outside forces to drive his progressive vision. "Abdullah realizes he can't make swift changes," Gause says, "so he uses a strategy of working around established institutions."

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Despite the many errors in this article, the underlying premise is relatively accurate. Saudi Aramco is still called "Aramco" throughout Saudi Arabia and enjoys a certain "separate state" status within the country.. However, with Saudiation, its independent status has alteredsignificantly over the past 20 years, becoming less open and more vulnerable to extremeist incursions (decorative wreaths stolen from doors, holiday figurines stolen or desecrated, women joggers harrassed by bearded men - the dreaded Mutaween - in passing cars). However, the Dhahran compound (NOT Dammam) remaines the residence of choice for Western-educated Saudis with Western-educated wives. True, women are permitted to work, but the opportunities are increasingly limited to select positions within the company. Nearly all women working in the medical clinic are all veiled in the extreme: eyes only are visible. The "face" of the clinic is a vision of flowing black hostility.

Abdullah is too aware that, like Bush, he is a lame duck; he is the last of the absolute rulters. His successor must change the image of the Royal Family withint the country AND modernize the nation. a task that could result in his assassination.

It is worth remembering that the "Western" KFUPM - also built by and sited just outside Aramco - banned engineering classes in "Probability" because Allah controls all and it is not permissible to postulate what Allah will do. The Aramco television stations cease broadcasting during prayer breaks; the radio station censors music (imagine a C&W song with all mention of booze or broads bleeped!!) Sattelite TV became available only AFTER the establishment of the All-Islam channels; efforts to limit incoming "heathen" transmissions has failed, but effort is still underway to put that genie back in the bottle.

The Saudis are a tribal, hyper-religious, hypocritical populace that resist even 19th century norms within their tight boundaries. Muslims forbidden to drink will party happily outside the country but would be outraged to find a legal bar or nightclub in the Kingdom. Saudi men oogle women at in modest street clothes, drool over women in swimsuits, cover their ample girths with overstretched Speedos but keep "their women" literally under wraps. Saudi people will never permit the freedom of information, interaction, and social exchange common in classrooms even in the Islamic world; the concept of a Western university on Saudi terrirory is beyond comprehension.

Abdullah may found it and fund it, but will he or his successors be permitted to maintain it?

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Posted By: sebinns @ 05/27/2008 2:05:21 AM

I am a professor at KFUPM in the mathematics department studying Randomness. We also have an active teaching program in Probability. I don't know where GrayKat gets his information. KFUPM is a great university with an active research base and bright motivated students. I have taught at large state universities in the USA and KFUPM is comparible in the teaching load given to faculty and support for research.
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Posted By: GrayKat @ 05/23/2008 4:37:22 PM

Despite the many errors in this article, the underlying premise is relatively accurate. Saudi Aramco is still called "Aramco" throughout Saudi Arabia and enjoys a certain "separate state" status within the country.. However, with Saudiation, its independent status has alteredsignificantly over the past 20 years, becoming less open and more vulnerable to extremeist incursions (decorative wreaths stolen from doors, holiday figurines stolen or desecrated, women joggers harrassed by bearded men - the dreaded Mutaween - in passing cars). However, the Dhahran compound (NOT Dammam) remaines the residence of choice for Western-educated Saudis with Western-educated wives. True, women are permitted to work, but the opportunities are increasingly limited to select positions within the company. Nearly all women working in the medical clinic are all veiled in the extreme: eyes only are visible. The "face" of the clinic is a vision of flowing black hostility.

Abdullah is too aware that, like Bush, he is a lame duck; he is the last of the absolute rulters. His successor must change the image of the Royal Family withint the country AND modernize the nation. a task that could result in his assassination.

It is worth remembering that the "Western" KFUPM - also built by and sited just outside Aramco - banned engineering classes in "Probability" because Allah controls all and it is not permissible to postulate what Allah will do. The Aramco television stations cease broadcasting during prayer breaks; the radio station censors music (imagine a C&W song with all mention of booze or broads bleeped!!) Sattelite TV became available only AFTER the establishment of the All-Islam channels; efforts to limit incoming "heathen" transmissions has failed, but effort is still underway to put that genie back in the bottle.

The Saudis are a tribal, hyper-religious, hypocritical populace that resist even 19th century norms within their tight boundaries. Muslims forbidden to drink will party happily outside the country but would be outraged to find a legal bar or nightclub in the Kingdom. Saudi men oogle women at in modest street clothes, drool over women in swimsuits, cover their ample girths with overstretched Speedos but keep "their women" literally under wraps. Saudi people will never permit the freedom of information, interaction, and social exchange common in classrooms even in the Islamic world; the concept of a Western university on Saudi terrirory is beyond comprehension.

Abdullah may found it and fund it, but will he or his successors be permitted to maintain it?
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- Report Abuse
Posted By: British Bloke @ 05/22/2008 10:16:22 AM

Several more corrections. 1) Almost all expatriates and most middle class Saudis have access to satelite TV. 2) Although there is some censorship, most websites can be accessed from within the Kingdom. 3) The correct term for the replacement of expatriaes by nationals is "Sauization", not "Sauify". 4) Far from hiding in a small enclave in the Eastern Province, Aramco and subsequently Saudi Aramco have built major facilties in most regions of the Kingdom and have been supervising the construction of schools on behalf of the government for 30-40 years. You should get someone who has spent time in the country to vet your articles before you print.