National Security in Saudi Arabia: Threats, Responses, and Challenges

(Hardback)

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With continuing instability in Iraq, the threat of a nuclear Iran, and the ever-present reality of further terrorist attacks within its own borders, Saudi Arabia has been forced to make some hard decisions. The current structure of the Saudi security apparatus is only one pathway to improved security. Economic and demographic threats may well be the hardest hurdles to overcome. What has been accomplished since 2001 and what are the real prospects and implications of further reform To what extent should the kingdom continue to rely on the US to protect its interests Cordesman and Obaid argue that it is time to put an end to client and tutorial relations. Saudi Arabia must emerge as a true partner. This will require the creation of effective Saudi forces for both defense and counterterrorism. Saudi Arabia has embarked on a process of political, economic, and social reforms that reflects a growing understanding by the governing members of the royal family, Saudi technocrats, and Saudi businessmen that Saudi Arabia must reform and diversify its economy and must create vast numbers of new jobs for its young and growing population. There is a similar understanding that economic reform must be combined with some level of political and social reform if Saudi Arabia is to remain stable in the face of change. With Gulf security, the war on terrorism, and the security of some sixty percent of the world's oil reserves at stake, the real question is how quickly Saudi Arabia can change and adapt its overall approach to security, and how successful it will be in the process.

Reviews

General interest in Saudi national security has become more apparent following al Qaeda attacks in the kingdom in May 2000. Events since then have brought Saudi security even more into the discussion of the war on terror, making this volume timely. The authors cite several factors for Saudi concerns regarding external threats. For one, Iraq became unstable after the American invasion, and this was accompanied by the collapse of its military. Yemen, a neighboring state, shows signs of instability as well. Should it become radicalized, it could change the situation dramatically. The most attention is paid to the Iranian military strength and its modernization program, which is covered in great detail. Also treated extensively is the issue of energy security, dealing with Saudi Arabia's precious oil reserves. The collection of comparative military data for the entire Persian Gulf region, enhanced further by graphs and tables, gathered because of serious access to sensitive Saudi national authorities, makes this work an essential reference item for any serious military analysis of the area. Essential for any library with a military or Middle East collection. Upper-division undergraduate and above. * Choice *
[A]nthony Cordesman and Nawaf Obaid, longtime students of Saudi Arabia and its security apparatus have delivered a thorough, sober (and sobering), and wide-ranging assessment of the threats to Saudi Arabia's security, the Kingdom's ability to respond to those threats, its armed forces and police, and its organizational competence, or lack thereof.[t]his book is an indispensable guide to the critical issues facing a critical country, written by authors who know what they are talking about. They are sympathetic to the Kingdom, but harshly critical of its performance in crucial areas. In their estimation, the House of Saud endures not because it is strong but because its enemies are even weaker. * Middle East Journal *
The book's strength lies in its detailed discussion of military and security apparatuses and capabilities, which will be of significant interest and policy analysts. * International Journal of Middle East Studies *

Author Bio

Anthony H. Cordesman is Senior Fellow at the Center for Strategic and International Studies and a military analyst for ABC News. A frequent commentator on National Public Radio, he is the author of numerous books on security issues and has served in a number of senior positions in the US government. Nawaf Obaid is a Saudi National Security and Intelligence consultant based in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. He is currently the Director of the Saudi National Security Assessment Project. He is a former senior fellow at The Washington Institute for Near East Policy (WINEP).