
King FahdWho's who in the House of Saud.
Posted Monday, Aug. 1, 2005, at 5:11 PM ET
Saudi Arabia's King Fahd died today at age 83 and was succeeded by Crown Prince Abdullah, his half brother. In 2001, Bryan Curtis explained who wields the power in the 6,000-member Saudi royal family, noting that Crown Prince Abdullah had been the de facto king since Fahd's first stroke in 1995. "Royal-family watching is an even more difficult art than Kremlin watching was during the Cold War," wrote Curtis. "This much can be said of Abdullah's politics: He is deeply religious and hews closely to the kingdom's Islamic clerics. He moves more cautiously than his predecessor when engaging with the United States."
What did you think of this article?
Join The Fray: Our Reader Discussion Forum
When Congress Sends a Bill to the President, Do They Use E-Mail?
Gov. Haley Barbour's Strange Habit of Pardoning Murderers Who Work on His House
Slowpoke Directors Explained: Why It Took 12 Years to Make Avatar
The Surprising Reason Banks Are Suddenly Repaying Their TARP Funds
How Come You Don't Hear About the "War on Christmas" Anymore?
Jeff Bridges Gives the Performance of the Year in Crazy Heart











