Military of Saudi Arabia
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The Saudi Ministry of Defence and Aviation is responsible for the direction of the military of Saudi Arabia. The Ministry also has responsibility for the construction of civilian airports as well as military bases, and for Meteorology departments.
Crown Prince Sultan bin Abdulaziz has held the portfolio of Saudi Arabia's Minister of Defence Aviation since 1962. The Vice Minister, Abdulrahman bin Abdulaziz, is his full brother. His oldest son, Khalid bin Sultan, was appointed Assistant Minister of Defence for Military Affairs in 2001.
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[edit] Military situation
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With the collapse of the Iraqi Ba'athist regime in mid-2003, the greatest conventional threat to the Saudi Kingdom was eliminated. The military situation became both less threatening and more complex.
The most important threats now are from tribesmen in Yemen who cross the frontier at will (as they have for centuries) and whose presence threatens Saudi territorial integrity.[weasel words]
The Islamic Republic of Iran is another potential threat. Its behavior since the fall of the Shah has generally been introverted, but also unpredictable and therefore worrying, however recent meetings between King Abdullah of Saudi Arabia and President Ahmadinejad of Iran seem to be showing improved relations between the two nations. Iranian air or sea action could threaten the free flow of oil, critical both to the industrial world and to the oil-producing countries. Shias of Iran could extend its reach (perhaps through Bahrain) to subvert the Shiite minority in Saudi Arabia.
Internal subversion also a major threat.[citation needed] This is heightened by a growing population of young men who are facing daunting challenges to simply find work. Although Saudi Arabia is exceptionally religious and defers to religious authorities on many issues, the legitimacy of the Kingdom is threatened from both liberal and conservative groups.[citation needed]
The rise of internal threats coincided with the beginning of the Iraq war. Car bombs and other attacks have been organized by cells based within the Kingdom. The police and intelligence communities have stepped up their activities to deal with unrest.
Despite its at times anti-Western rhetoric, Saudi Arabia has been very dependent on Western military assistance for its security needs. When Iraq invaded Saudi Arabia's northern neighbor Kuwait in 1990 during the Persian Gulf War, Saudi Arabia immediately requested the deployment of US troops within the country to deter further aggression. Additionally, the country's oil exports through the shipping lanes of the Persian Gulf are protected by the US Fifth Fleet, based in Bahrain. In 2005, Saudi Arabia was the foremost purchaser of US armaments in the world, with over $1.1 billion in purchases.[2]. It was believed that Saudi Arabia would start purchasing military equipment from other suppliers, including Russia, but so far all deals have only been possibilities, and several of them have fallen through in the process. No military equipment has been bought from Russia, and as of late the armed forces of Saudi Arabia are trying to now procure equipment from nations like the United Kingdom and Germany, as well as trying to get upgrades from the United States.
The military is a major employer, so it provides some relief to the nation's huge unemployment problem by bringing many young men into the defense of the country.[weasel words]
[edit] Military industry
[edit] See also
[edit] Notes
- ^ http://milexdata.sipri.org/result.php4 The SIPRI Military Expenditure Database
- ^ - Saudi arms reports at WorldPolicy.org
- ^ Weapons made in Saudi Arabia at GlobalSecurity.org
[edit] References
- "Foreign Military Sales, Foreign Military Construction Sales and Military Assistance Facts as of September 2003," Published by Deputy for Operations and Administration, Business Operations/Comptroller, DSCA, Department of Defense
[edit] External links
- Ministry of Defense and Aviation, official website
- Royal Saudi Land Forces, official website
- Saudi Arabian National Guard, official website
- Strategic Missiles Force, official website
- General Intelligence Presidency, official website
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