Saudi Arabia under its previous monarchs was very cautious and conservative in its foreign policy. It subsidised various extreme Sunni groups in other countries, but it clung tightly to its American alliance and never engaged directly in adventures abroad
The new Saudi king, Salman, is 80 years old and infirm, so in practice most decisions are made by his nephew, Crown Prince Muhammad bin Nayef (aged 56), or his son, Deputy Crown Prince Muhammad bin Salman (aged only 30). There is intense competition between the two men for the succession to the throne, and the decisions coming out of Riyadh have been much bolder than ever before.
The past nine months have seen a major Saudi Arabian military intervention against the Shia side in the Yemeni civil war, the creation of a Saudi-led alliance of almost all the Sunni-majority Arab states, and now the execution of a Shia leader in Saudi Arabia that was clearly calculated to cause a diplomatic breach with Iran.
It’s just dynastic politics, in other words, not some inevitable geopolitical juggernaut. But it was similar dynastic politics half a millennium ago that triggered the worst phase of the Christian wars of religion.
And so yes, yes most Muslims are not interested in these things. And there truly are many, many good and decent Muslims. . . . . .
What is Islam?
Ehn, as noted, it’s another one of the several often interchangeable Abrahamic faiths, even with the common confusion of faith vs religion.
It’s still Muslims killing with the aid of the state.
‘Ang on, ‘ang on, ‘ang on, ‘ang on.
Which state?!?!?!
Daesh??? Daesh is a collection of lunatics undergoing the process of being walled off, and is not a state.
Any of the actual states?
And so yes, yes most Muslims are not interested in these things. And there truly are many, many good and decent Muslims. . . . . .
What is Islam?
Ehn, as noted, it’s another one of the several often interchangeable Abrahamic faiths, even with the common confusion of faith vs religion.