Word: fahd
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Dates: during 1970-1979
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During King Faisal's reign, Fahd appeared to favor life abroad ? particularly in France ? to the austerities of Riyadh. He damaged his prestige somewhat in 1974 by spending five months in Europe, even staying there during the holy fasting month of Ramadan. Faisal never scolded him but in public was often heard to ask, "Where is our brother Fahd?" Since Faisal's death in 1975, Fahd has had little time to go anywhere for personal pleasure...
...unduly offending the Islamic conservatives. He opposes the introduction of Western-style democracy, arguing that free elections would not bring the country's most qualified people ? the young Saudis who have been educated abroad ? to positions of leadership. "We have invested heavily in educating these young men," Fahd says, "and now we want to collect a dividend on our investment. But if we were to have elections, these young men would not be elected. The winners would be rich businessmen who could buy the votes. Our real talent would not be used...
...Minister of Education in the 1950s, Fahd introduced the country's first extended public school system, and since then he has quietly allowed the expansion of women's education. But he has often told friends that he is against the "Atatürk approach," a reference to the way in which Turkey's Kemal Atatürk outlawed the veil and traditional dress and tried to impose social reform from the top. Fahd favors the sort of grass-roots evolution that seems to be taking place in his country today...
...same velvet-gloved approach characterizes his conduct of foreign affairs. In the Arab world, the Saudis are resented by some of their Islamic brethren as nouveau riche desert barbarians. But Fahd is on speaking terms with almost every leader (one notable exception: Libya's Muammar Gaddafi, who refuses to deal with him). On the theory that Saudi Arabia's first line of defense is diplomatic, he avoids quarrels even with Arab radicals, preferring to build as broad a range of contacts as he can. In the interests of preserving Arab unity, he has mediated between leftist Algeria and royalist Morocco...
...P.L.O. as evidence of Riyadh's untrustworthiness. "The Saudis donate their money to some of the most fanatical terror groups." charges a high-ranking Israeli general. "They speak in 300 languages and with as many tongues as there are crown princes. There is no one solid Saudi voice." Fahd's argument is that by supplying Arafat's Fatah with some $40 million a year in aid, he is strengthening Arafat against George Habash's more radical Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine. Two years ago, Fahd was close to reaching an agreement with Arafat under which Fatah would renounce...