Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman Named Saudi Arabia’s New Prime Minister

 

BBC: Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman named prime minister 

Saudi Arabia's powerful Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman has been appointed prime minister - a post that is traditionally held by the king. The 37-year-old son of King Salman bin Abdulaziz, 86, is already seen the de facto ruler of the oil-rich Gulf state. A royal decree announcing his promotion from deputy PM and defence minister cited an exception to the Basic Law. An official told Reuters news agency the move was in line with the king's previous delegation of duties to him.  

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WNU Editor: Another sign that he is the de facto ruler of the oil-rich Gulf state. 

Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman Named Saudi Arabia’s New Prime Minister  

Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman named prime minister of Saudi Arabia -- CBS 

Prince Mohammed bin Salman declared Saudi Arabia Prime Minister as U.S. civil lawsuit looms -- UPI  

Saudi Arabia’s Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman named PM -- Al Jazeera

Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman Accused Of Hacking Jeff Bezos' Phone In 2018

Jeff Bezos with Mohammed bin Salman during his visit to the US in March 2018. Photograph: Saudi Press Agency

The Guardian: Amazon boss Jeff Bezos's phone 'hacked by Saudi crown prince'

Exclusive: investigation suggests Washington Post owner was targeted five months before murder of Jamal Khashoggi

The Amazon billionaire Jeff Bezos had his mobile phone “hacked” in 2018 after receiving a WhatsApp message that had apparently been sent from the personal account of the crown prince of Saudi Arabia, sources have told the Guardian.

The encrypted message from the number used by Mohammed bin Salman is believed to have included a malicious file that infiltrated the phone of the world’s richest man, according to the results of a digital forensic analysis.

This analysis found it “highly probable” that the intrusion into the phone was triggered by an infected video file sent from the account of the Saudi heir to Bezos, the owner of the Washington Post.

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WNU Editor: If true. The Crown Prince went through a lot of trouble (and exposure) for hacking a citizen's cell phone. 

More News On Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman Being Accused Of Hacking Jeff Bezos' Phone In 2018

Revealed: the Saudi heir and the alleged plot to undermine Jeff Bezos -- The Guardian
Bezos cell phone 'was hacked in 2018 after he received a WhatsApp video file from PERSONAL ACCOUNT of Saudi Crown Prince' - just months before sex pictures from his phone were leaked to National Enquirer -- Daily Mail
Jeff Bezos' phone was reportedly hacked by Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman in 2018 -- Business Insider
MBS personally involved in hacking of Jeff Bezos's phone: Report -- Middle East Eye

Is An Alliance With Russia The Saudi Crown Prince's Final Option?

Cyril Widdershoven, OilPrice.com: The Saudi Crown Prince’s Final Option

Saudi crown prince Mohammed bin Salman has been making headlines again these last few days. After giving an interview to CBS in which he admitted the mistakes of the Khashoggi murder last year, a media frenzy started, with a vast lineup of reports linked to the 1 year remembrance day of the brutal Khashoggi murder, mainly intended to weaken the position of the Saudi crown prince. Unnamed sources are being quoted stating that MBS’s position is being attacked from all sides, including within the Kingdom.

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WNU Editor: As this blog noted last year. The relationship between Putin and Salman is very close .... Russian President Putin And Saudi Crown Prince Mohammad Bin Salman Share A High Five At The G20 (November 30, 2018).

Criticisms Of Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman Grow In Saudi Arabia

Saudi Arabia's Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman attends a meeting with U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, September 18, 2019. Mandel Ngan/Pool via REUTERS/File Photo

Reuters: Exclusive: In Saudi Arabia, criticism of Crown Prince grows after attack

(Reuters) - Some members of Saudi Arabia’s ruling family and business elite have expressed frustration with the leadership of Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman following the largest-ever attack on the kingdom’s oil infrastructure last month.

It has sparked concern among several prominent branches of the ruling Al Saud family, which numbers around 10,000 members, about the crown prince’s ability to defend and lead the world’s largest oil exporter, according to a senior foreign diplomat and five sources with ties to the royals and business elite. All spoke on condition of anonymity.

The attack has also fanned discontent among some in elite circles who believe the crown prince, known in the West by the initials MbS, has sought too tight a grip on power, the sources said. Some of these people said the event has also fueled criticism among those who believe he has pursued an overly aggressive stance towards Iran.

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WNU Editor: I am not surprised that the Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman is facing a lot of criticisms. But he is the Crown Prince and chosen heir by his father King Salman. He is someone who is not going to be removed anytime soon.

Saudi Crown Prince Warns That War With Iran Would Collapse The World Economy And Oil Prices Will Reach 'Unimaginably High Numbers'

ABC News Online: Saudi Arabia's crown prince warns oil prices could spike to 'unimaginably high numbers' if Iran isn't stopped

Saudi Arabia's Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman warns that oil prices could spike to "unimaginably high numbers" if the world does not come together to deter Iran, but says he prefers a political solution to a military one.

n an interview with America's 60 Minutes broadcast on Sunday, Prince Mohammed also said he agreed with US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo that the September 14 attacks, which damaged the world's biggest petroleum-processing facility and knocked out more than 5 per cent of global oil supply, were an act of war by Iran.

The United States, European powers and Saudi Arabia have previously blamed the attacks on Iran, but Tehran has denied any involvement. Instead, the Iran-aligned Yemeni Houthi rebel group claimed responsibility.

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WNU Editor: 20% of the world's oil supplies travels through the Persian Gul. Any disruption will mean huge price increases and shortages, and a massive hit on the global economy. For developing nations who are dependent on energy supplies to grow and develop their econopmies, this will be a disaster.

More News On Saudi Crown Prince Salman's Warnings That War With Iran Would Collapse The World Economy

Saudi crown prince warns of 'Iran threat' to global oil -- BBC
Saudi Arabia's MBS: War with Iran would collapse global economy -- Al Jazeera
Oil will hit levels ‘we haven’t seen in our lifetimes’ if Iran isn’t stopped, Saudi crown prince says -- CNBC
Saudi crown prince warns of escalation with Iran, prefers political solution -- Reuters
Saudi prince warns of 'unimaginable' oil prices -- DW
Saudi prince warns regional war with Iran could lead to 'total collapse of global economy' -- The Telegraph
Saudi Crown Prince says he 'takes full responsibility' for the death of Jamal Khashoggi during interview with 60 Minutes but denies ordering journalist's murder, before laying into 'stupid' Iran for drone attack on his country's oil facilities -- Daily Mail
Saudi Arabia predicts huge spike in oil prices if no global action is taken ‘to deter Iran’ -- RT
Highlights from this week's Mohammad bin Salman interview on "60 Minutes" -- 60 Minutes (CBS)

Saudi Crown Prince On Killing Of Jamal Khashoggi: 'It Happened Under My Watch'

NPR: Saudi Crown Prince On Killing Of Jamal Khashoggi: 'It Happened Under My Watch'

Saudi Arabia's Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman has acknowledged for the first time that he is accountable for the killing of prominent critic and Washington Post journalist Jamal Khashoggi.

The revelation is made in an upcoming PBS documentary set to air next week, a day before the one-year anniversary of Khashoggi's death.

"It happened under my watch," the crown prince, commonly referred to by his initials MBS, said to PBS Frontline journalist Martin Smith. "I get all the responsibility because it happened under my watch."

Khashoggi was last seen walking into the Saudi Consulate in Istanbul. Once inside, he was brutally killed and dismembered by Saudi state agents, according to a United Nations report. His remains have never been located.

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More News On Saudi Crown Prince Remarks On The Killing Of Jamal Khashoggi

Saudi Arabia's crown prince says he takes responsibility for Jamal Khashoggi's murder because it 'happened under my watch' in his first public comments about the incident -- Daily Mail
Khashoggi murder 'happened under my watch,' Saudi crown prince tells PBS -- Reuters
Saudi crown prince says journalist Jamal Khashoggi's murder 'happened under my watch' -- USA Today
Saudi crown prince says he is responsible for Khashoggi killing 'because it happened under my watch' -- The Hill
Khashoggi murder 'happened under my watch,' MBS tells US broadcaster -- Middle East Eye
'Happened Under My Watch': Saudi Crown Prince to Open Upon Khashoggi Murder in New Documentary -- Sputnik

U.S. Senators Criticize The Saudi Crown Prince As Going 'Full Gangster'

Saudi Arabia's Crown Prince Mohammed bin. REUTERS

Reuters: U.S. senators say Saudi crown prince has gone 'full gangster'

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Retired Army General John Abizaid, U.S. President Donald Trump’s nominee to be ambassador to Saudi Arabia, defended the U.S.-Saudi relationship on Wednesday as lawmakers accused the kingdom of a litany of misdeeds and criticized its crown prince as going “full gangster.”

Senators at Abizaid’s confirmation hearing, Trump’s fellow Republicans as well as Democrats, condemned the kingdom’s conduct in the civil war in Yemen, heavy-handed diplomacy and rights abuses including torturing women’s rights activists and the murder of Saudi journalist Jamal Khashoggi.

Abizaid called for accountability for the murder of Khashoggi, a U.S. resident, and support for human rights, but repeatedly stressed the importance of Washington-Riyadh ties.

Despite increasing tension between the two countries, the United States has not had an ambassador there since Trump became president in January 2017.

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Update: Rubio says Saudi crown prince has gone ‘full gangster’ (Politico)

WNU Editor: This is going to be a sore point between the U.S. and the Saudi Crown Prince for a long time .... The Trump Administration Briefed Senators on Jamal Khashoggi’s Murder. They Weren’t Impressed. (Mother Jones).

Report: Saudi Crown Prince Salman 'Moves Military Troops To Riyadh To Deter Any Possible Coup

Feeling safe: Saudi Arabia's Crown Prince is pictured arriving at the G20 leaders summit in Buenos Aires, Argentina, which opens today

Daily Mail: Crown Prince Mohammad bin Salman 'moves military troops to Riyadh to protect him from possible COUP' as exiled Saudi Prince warns of plan to topple him

* Crown Prince of Saudi Arabia reportedly reshuffled troops and military assets
* Troops have been moved to Riyadh, allegedly in response to threats of a coup
* Crown Prince Mohammad bin Salman is attending G-20 meeting in Argentina
* Dissident Prince Khalid bin Farhan al-Saud said opposition wants to unseat MBS
* Prince Khalid hopes for a 'soft coup' that overthrows King and Crown Prince

The Crown Prince of Saudi Arabia has scrambled the kingdom's army in response to rumours that members of the royal family are planning to unseat him in a coup, Emirati media claims.

Military personnel and assets have reportedly been moved from eastern and western Saudi Arabia to Riyadh while Crown Prince Mohammad bin Salman attends the G20 summit in Argentina.

Any military reshuffling would likely be a pre-emptive move to deter any potential plotters from making a move while the Crown Prince, known as MBS, is abroad.

The claims made in Emirati media coincided with an interview with a dissident Saudi Prince who claimed a royal coup is in the offing, and that the opposition is mobilising against the Crown Prince.

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Update #1: Saudi Arabia’s Bin Salman Takes Preemptive Action Against Coup Threat -- Jerusalem Post
Update #2: Saudi Arabia scrambles troops amid fears of COUP to topple Crown Prince -- Daily Star

WNU Editor: The Saudi military is not going to move against the King and the Crown Prince. This is just speculation.

Argentinian Prosecutor Will Pursue A War Crimes Case Against Saudi Crown Prince Salman

BREAKING: #Argentina prosecutor proceeds with case against MBS, asks judge to request information from #Yemen & #Saudi governments re alleged crimes, and asks Argentine MFA re MBS’s diplomatic status.

— Sarah Leah Whitson (@sarahleah1) November 28, 2018

The Independent: Argentina 'proceeds with prosecution' against Saudi crown prince Mohammad bin Salman over Yemen war

"A cloud of suspicion will loom over him as he tries to rebuild his shattered reputation."

An Argentinian prosecutor has agreed to pursue a case against Saudi Arabia‘s crown prince, Mohammed bin Salman, over possible war crimes in Yemen, according to Human Rights Watch.

HRW petitioned Argentina's judiciary on Monday to use a clause in its constitution to prosecute Saudi Arabia’s de facto leader, who arrived in the country to attend the G20 summit in Buenos Aires.

Sarah Leah Whitson, executive director of HRW’s Middle East and North Africa Division, announced on Twitter that a prosecutor has agreed to take up the case, and asked a judge to request information from Yemeni and Saudi authorities regarding alleged war crimes, and had also asked Argentina's foreign ministry whether the crown prince's diplomatic status might allow a legal proceeding to go forward.

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WNU Editor: The Crown Prince has just arrived in Argentina .... MBS arrives in Argentina in the face of G20: Will he be a pariah? (Al Jazeera).

Human Rights Watch Wants To Charge Saudi Crown Prince Salman With War Crimes When He Arrives At The G20 Summit This Week In Argentina

Saudi Arabia's Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman at a meeting in Egypy on Monday afternoon

Daily Mail: Argentina is considering charging Saudi Arabia's Mohammed bin Salman with war crimes and torture if he attends G20 summit in Buenos Aires

* Activist group Human Rights Watch issued a writ to a federal prosecutor
* It recommends Mohammed Bin Salman is charged for human rights abuses
* HRW cites the killing of Jamal Khashoggi and alleged incidents in Yemen war
* It is unclear whether there is enough evidence to charge Bin Salman this week
* The G20 conference gets underway in three days time in Buenos Aires

Argentina is considering charging Saudi crown prince Mohammed bin Salman with war crimes if he shows up to the G20 summit in Buenos Aires this week.

Advocacy group Human Rights Watch (HRW) wrote to a federal prosecutor arguing that the Argentinian courts should prosecute him under Argentinian law.

Specifically HRW asked that he be charged for mass civilian casualties caused by the Saudi-led coalition’s campaign in Yemen, and for the killing of Jamal Khashoggi in Istanbul last month.

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WNU Editor:  Good luck on trying to arrest him when he is in Buenos Aires.

Will World Leaders Avoid Saudi Crown Prince Salman At This Month's G20 Summit?

Saudi Arabian Deputy Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, right, attends the G20 Summit, in Hangzhou, Zhejiang province, China, September 4, 2016. REUTERS/Mark Schiefelbein/Pool

The Guardian: Saudi prince's presence at G20 offers leaders a photo op to dread – will he go?

The outcry over arms sales, Khashoggi and Yemen is building – but will anyone at the summit in Argentina stand up to MBS?

Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman’s scheduled appearance at the G20 summit next week in Buenos Aires presents world leaders with a moment of truth they would rather avoid.

Western powers such as the US, UK and France have been happy to keep up arms sales to Riyadh despite the carnage in Yemen and the threat of the worst famine the world has seen in a generation, for which Saudi Arabia bears heavy responsibility.

Even after the international outcry over the murder of the Washington Post columnist Jamal Khashoggi, that multi-billion dollar weapons trade has continued unabated.

However, being pictured with the crown prince in Argentina would be a political nightmare for most of the other leaders at the G20.

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WNU Editor: Presidents Trump/Putin/Xi will be in a photo-op with the Crown Prince. Everyone else will talk with the Crown Prince, but away from the cameras. They will only be photographed with the Crown Prince at the end of the summit when the group picture is taken.

Are Members Of The Saudi Royal Family About To Turn Against Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman?

Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman attends a session of the Shura Council in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia November 19, 2018. Bandar Algaloud/Courtesy of Saudi Royal Court/Handout via REUTERS

Reuters: Exclusive: After Khashoggi murder, some Saudi royals turn against king’s favorite son

LONDON (Reuters) - Amid international uproar over the killing of journalist Jamal Khashoggi, some members of Saudi Arabia’s ruling family are agitating to prevent Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman from becoming king, three sources close to the royal court said.

Dozens of princes and cousins from powerful branches of the Al Saud family want to see a change in the line of succession but would not act while King Salman - the crown prince’s 82-year-old father - is still alive, the sources said. They recognize that the king is unlikely to turn against his favorite son, known in the West as MbS.

Rather, they are discussing the possibility with other family members that after the king’s death, Prince Ahmed bin Abdulaziz, 76, a younger full brother of King Salman and uncle of the crown prince, could take the throne, according to the sources.

Prince Ahmed, King Salman’s only surviving full brother, would have the support of family members, the security apparatus and some Western powers, one of the Saudi sources said.

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WNU Editor: The above Reuters report is nothing but a collection of wishful thinking from dissatisfied Saudis. The Saudi military and security services are staffed with those who are loyal to the Crown Prince .... and I doubt that they are going to turn against him. The only person who has the authority to remove the Crown Prince is the King himself .... and that is not going to happen.

CIA Believes Saudi Crown Prince Salman Ordered Jamal Khashoggi's Death

Reuters: CIA believes Saudi crown prince ordered journalist's killing: source

The CIA believes Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman ordered the killing of journalist Jamal Khashoggi in Istanbul, sources familiar with the matter said on Friday, complicating President Donald Trump’s efforts to preserve ties with a key U.S. ally.

The sources said the CIA had briefed other parts of the U.S. government, including Congress, on its assessment, which contradicts Saudi government assertions that Prince Mohammed was not involved.

The CIA’s finding, first reported by the Washington Post, is the most definitive U.S. assessment to date tying Saudi Arabia’s de facto ruler directly to the killing.

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More News On The CIA Believing That Saudi Crown Prince Salman Ordered Jamal Khashoggi's Death

US official: US intel says prince ordered Khashoggi killing -- AP
CIA concludes Saudi Crown Prince behind Khashoggi murder: reports -- AFP
Jamal Khashoggi: CIA 'blames bin Salman for murder' -- BBC
CIA concludes Saudi crown prince ordered Jamal Khashoggi’s assassination -- Washington Post
CIA finds Saudi crown prince ordered Khashoggi killing – report -- Guardian/Reuters
CIA determines Khashoggi’s death was ordered by Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman: report -- FOX News
CIA thinks Saudi Prince ordered Khashoggi killing: reports -- DW
CIA reportedly determines Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman ordered the killing of Jamal Khashoggi -- CNBC
CIA says Saudi crown prince ordered Khashoggi's murder: reports -- Al Jazeera
Saudi Crown Prince MbS ordered Khashoggi's assassination, CIA concludes -- Daily Sabah

Has The CIA And Other Western Intelligence Agencies Dumped Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman?

Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman gestures during a military parade. (photo credit:SAUDI PRESS AGENCY/REUTERS)

Zero Hedge: Regime Change In Riyadh? The CIA Has Just Publicly Dumped MbS

A fascinating FT article suggests Western intelligence agencies have now dumped Saudi crown prince Mohammed bin Salman after he's been personally accused by world leaders — foremost among them Turkey's President Erdogan and US President Trump — for ordering the brutal murder and dismemberment of journalist Jamal Khashoggi. Implicit in the article, rich with quotes from current and former US and Western intelligence officials, is the further suggestion that these very intel operatives appear to now be actively seeking MbS' ouster.

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WNU Editor: Mohammed bin Salman is still the Crown Prince, and Saudi Arabia is a critical country for the West. Western intelligence agencies may wish they were dealing with someone else, but they are not going to dump him unless the Saudi King does.

Will Saudi Arabia's King Replace Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman?

King Salman is pictured (right) shaking hands with the son of murdered Jamal Khashoggi in Riyadh. The Crown Prince (second right) is pictured shaking hands with another man

Daily Mail: Saudi King 'will have Crown Prince REPLACED to restore the credibility of the monarchy' after his disastrous handling of the Khashoggi murder

* Saudi Crown Prince is facing a battle to contain fallout over the Khashoggi killing
* Journalist went missing after entering Saudi consulate in Istanbul on October 2
* Donald Trump has said the kingdom's de facto ruler may be behind the death
* Colonel Brian Lees, Britain's former defence attaché to Saudi Arabia, has said Saudi King Salman may look to replace his son to restore credibility of monarchy

Saudi Arabia's King could have his Crown Prince son replaced to restore the credibility of the monarchy amid turmoil over the Jamal Khashoggi murder, Britain's former defence attaché to the kingdom has claimed.

Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman has faced claims he may have been behind the death of the journalist who went missing after entering the Saudi consulate in Istanbul.

Saudi Arabia first denied any role in Khashoggi's disappearance before blaming his October 2 death on a botched attempt to return him to the kingdom.

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WNU Editor: What we have seen .... and will be seeing in the coming weeks .... is internal Royal Saudi family politics at play. And as to what will be the fallout, I suspect that we are going to be seeing some drastic changes, but Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman will still remain as the Crown Prince (but with more supervision from the King's office).

Is Saudi Crown Prince Muhammad bin Salman In DAnger Of Being Removed?

Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman gestures during a military parade. (photo credit:SAUDI PRESS AGENCY/REUTERS)

Madawi Al-Rasheed, Newsweek: The Slow, Dangerous Implosion of Saudi Crown Prince Muhammad bin Salman

Contrary to the speculation that the Saudi regime would face mass protests during the 2011 Arab uprisings, the regime survived by increasing repression against a wide range of critics, including women activists, Islamists and fellow royals.

Crown Prince Muhammad bin Salman (MBS) now stands alone at the top of the hierarchy, but he has lost many constituencies that allow him to rule without resorting to direct force. This situation is unsustainable and even dangerous. There's been a serious erosion of regime legitimacy, and this is leading to a slow implosion from within.

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WNU Editor: Crown Prince Muhammad bin Salman is the Crown Prince .... and will remain so unless the King decides otherwise .... which I doubt. The problems that the Crown Prince Muhammad bin Salman are facing are multiple. The Yemen war, the economy, a young generation's desire for change, as well as being a country that has many radical Islamists. But what is in his favor is that the alternatives are worse than him. Most Saudis and the Saudi establishment do not want to see their country gripped by sectarian and tribal conflicts that are engulfing countries like Iraq, Syria, and Yemen. And as long as Crown Prince Muhammad bin Salman can project himself as a viable alternative who is trying his best to avoid that type of outcome, he will continue to enjoy the support of most Saudis.

Where Is Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman?

Prince Mohammed bin Salman, Saudi Arabia’s deputy crown prince, attends a cabinet meeting in Riyadh to approve a broad reform plan known as Vision 2030. Saudi Press Agency via Reuters

Damian Reilly, Spectator: Are reports of Mohammed bin Salman’s death greatly exaggerated?

Has Saudi Arabia Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman been assassinated, had a breakdown, or gone into hiding? Or is that just wild internet conjecture? I ask only because he has barely been seen in public since prolonged heavy gunfire was heard at the royal palace in Riyadh in the middle of the night on April 21.

At the time Saudi state media dismissed reports on Twitter and elsewhere that the shots were the sound of a coup taking place, insisting instead the semi-automatic gunfire was merely aimed at a recreational drone that had flown too close to the palace walls.

In this age of fake news and heavy Arab media censorship it’s hard to know who to trust, but what seems certain is that the Crown Prince, previously ubiquitous as the international focal point of a cultural revolution in the kingdom, seems suddenly to have vanished.

Social media is ablaze with rumours of the young ruler’s murder. Users are sharing reports of a supposedly secret intelligence dossier that states MBS, as the Crown Prince is known, has been shot twice.

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WNU Editor: I have been reading the same rumors. He is dead, wounded, under house arrest, demoted, or in hiding. What's my take. If something serious had happened we would have known about it within a few days. My guess is that he is either busy, or he has decided (or been told by the King) to stay low key.

An Interview With Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman

Amir Levy / Reuters

Jeffrey Goldberg, The Atlantic: Saudi Crown Prince: Iran's Supreme Leader 'Makes Hitler Look Good'

In a wide-ranging conversation, Prince Mohammed bin Salman also recognized the Jewish peoples’ right to “their own land.”

This much, at least, can be said for Mohammed bin Salman, the putatively reformist crown prince of Saudi Arabia: He has made all the right enemies. Among those who would celebrate his end are the leaders of ISIS, al-Qaeda, Hezbollah, and Hamas, as well as Yemen’s Houthi rebels, and the entire clerical and military leadership of the Islamic Republic of Iran. As a bonus, there are members of his own family, the sprawling, sclerotic, self-dealing House of Saud, who would like to see him gone—or at the very least, warehoused at the Ritz-Carlton in Riyadh, where the 32-year-old prince recently imprisoned many of his enemies and cousins during an anti-corruption sweep of the kingdom.

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WNU editor: This entire interview is a must read. But the remark that caught my attention was this one ....

.... “I believe that each people, anywhere, has a right to live in their peaceful nation. I believe the Palestinians and the Israelis have the right to have their own land.”

No Arab leader has ever voiced such a remark. And if he lives long enough .... Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman will probably be shaping the Middle East in a manner that no one thought was possible only a decade ago.

Saudi Crown Prince Salman: War Between Saudi Arabia And Iran May Happen In Just 10-15yrs

Saudi Deputy Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman with US President Donald Trump. Reuters

Wall Street Journal: Saudi Prince Calls for Stepped-Up Pressure on Iran

An opponent of the nuclear deal with Tehran, Crown Prince Mohammed cautions that the alternative to pressure is military conflict.

Saudi Arabia’s crown prince called on the international community to squeeze Iran economically and politically to avoid a direct military confrontation in the region.

Sanctions “will create more pressure on the regime,” Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman told The Wall Street Journal this week.

Saudi Arabia has been a fierce critic of the deal the Obama administration and other world powers made in 2015 to lift some crippling economic sanctions on Iran in exchange for limits on its nuclear program.

Under Prince Mohammed, Saudi Arabia has severed diplomatic ties with Iran and pressured countries in the Middle East and Africa to curtail their relationships with Tehran, accusing it of meddling in Arab affairs.

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WNU Editor: The key paragraph in the above Wall Street Journal article ....

.... “We have to succeed so as to avoid military conflict,” said Prince Mohammed, who is Saudi Arabia’s day-to-day ruler. “If we don’t succeed in what we are trying to do, we will likely have war with Iran in 10-15 years.”

More News On Saudi Crown Prince Salman's Remarks That War Between Saudi Arabia And Iran May Happen In Just 10-15yrs

Saudi Crown Prince warns war likely if Iran mischief not checked -- Gulf News
Pressure on Iran will help avoid war: Saudi Crown Prince tells the WSJ -- Arab News
Saudi Crown Prince: If we don’t succeed, likely war with Iran in 10-15 years -- Al Arabiya
Saudi Arabia Crown Prince Says Conflict Will Break Out If Trump Doesn't Apply Renewed Economic Pressure on Iran -- Newsweek
Saudi crown prince warns of risk of future war with Iran -- The National
Saudi Crown Prince Warns of Possible War With Iran in 10-15 Years -- Sputnik
War between Saudi Arabia and Iran may happen in just 10-15yrs – Crown Prince -- RT

Saudi Crown Prince Salman To Visit The White House Today

VOA: Saudi Crown Prince to Visit White House Tuesday

Saudi Arabia's crown prince Mohammed bin Salman is due to meet with President Donald Trump at the White House Tuesday as part of a trip to the U.S that comes amid heightened tensions between Saudi Arabia and Iran.

A senior White House official said the meeting is a "tremendous opportunity to make progress" and discuss "Iran's destabilizing activities in the region."

Trump has explicitly sided with the Sunni monarchy in its rivalry with Shi'ite Iran.

The crown prince, known as MBS, seems eager to take advantage.

In an interview with CBS, he compared Iran's leader to Hitler and said if Iran gets nuclear weapons, Saudi Arabia will follow suit.

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WNU Editor: The Trump - Salman meeting has just started .... Saudi Crown Prince Arrives at White House to Meet with Trump (New York Times).

More News On Saudi Arabia's Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman's Visit To The U.S.

Saudi ‘prince of PR’ arrives in US, unleashing a royal media spin -- France 24
Saudi crown prince to meet with Trump amid marathon US tour -- Washington Post
Trump to Greet Visiting Saudi Prince with a Crowded Agenda -- Wall Street Journal
Saudi Prince To Stress Shared Goals Involving Iran In U.S. Visit -- RFE
US and Saudi trade at top of agenda on Crown Prince's trip -- The National
Saudi crown prince's visit to White House sheds light on pro-Saudi lobby -- Al Jazeera
The Saudi Crown Prince's visit to the US will focus on changing his image rather than policy -- Rosie Perper, Business Insider