Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates have attacked their neighbor, Qatar, for supposedly supporting terrorism. They pretend to be firefighters, but spent years as arsonists. Over the years the Saudis, in particular, financed and staffed terrorist groups, including al-Qaeda, which staged the 9/11 attacks. Riyadh’s record has since improved, but only under strong U.S. pressure.

Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman has been consolidating power, essentially turning a consensual, familial autocracy into a more traditional personal dictatorship. Most recently he has been detaining and shaking down wealthy family members, an act akin to a criminal gang adjusting members’ shares after a big heist.

Worse, he is thought to have decided on the bloody intervention in Yemen, which has turned a longstanding civil war into a sectarian conflict and killed thousands of civilians. The only positive so far of his de facto reign is his recent decision to liberalize Saudi social life. Women now can breathe and even drive.

Read more