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      BFF

“Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques, King Abdullah Bin Abdulaziz Al Saud, yesterday issued a royal decree appointing Prince Salman Bin Abdulaziz Al Saud as the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia’s Minister of Defense, succeeding his brother Crown Prince Sultan Bin Abdulaziz Al Saud to the post. This came as part of a series of royal decrees issued by the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Abdullah Bin Abdulaziz yesterday, which included the renaming of the “Minister of Defense, Aviation, and General Inspection” as the “Minister of Defense.” A second royal decree announced the appointment of Prince Sattam Bin Abdulaziz Al Saud as Governor of Riyadh Region at the rank of minister, and the appointment of Prince Mohammed Bin Saad Bin Abdulaziz as his deputy, also at the rank of minister. Prince Sattam Bin Abdulaziz succeeds the newly appointed Saudi Defense Minister as the Governor of Riyadh. The royal decree which announced the appointment of Prince Salman Bin Abdulaziz as the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia’s new Defense Minister also included the announcement of the appointment of Prince Khalid Bin Sultan Bin Abdulaziz as Saudi Deputy Minister of Defense at the rank of minister. A third royal decree issued yesterday announced the appointment of Prince Saud Bin Naif Bin Abdulaziz as Head of the Crown Prince’s Court and Special Adviser to the Crown Prince at the rank of minister. Whilst another royal decree announced the appointment of Prince Fahd Bin Abdullah Bin Mohammed Al Saud as Chairman of the General Commission for Civil Aviation ……………”

Saudi semi-official and official media (the only two kinds available) have gone berserk over the new royal line-up (they have no choice). They started by eulogizing the late Crown Prince Sultan as if he were transferred to a new job, Custodian of the Pearly Gates, way up there. Now Prince Nayef is made to be one of the wisest, greatest, nicest, sweetest, prince that ever lived.
I was especially intrigued by this new appointment: “Prince Saud Bin Naif Bin Abdulaziz as Head of the Crown Prince’s Court and Special Adviser to the Crown Prince “.
(I felt sad about the removal of the title of “Inspector General” from the Defense Minister’s portfolio. It always amused me, evoking memories of the late Danny Kaye, although I never knew wtf he inspected).
Cheers
mhg


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