A Time for Monsters
Summary: the success of MENA autocracies in crushing democracy efforts obscures the reality that within that success are embedded the seeds of ongoing struggle.
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Europe flails and Saudis play a waiting game
Summary: MENA hydrocarbons producers and most particularly Saudi Arabia play a strong hand and a waiting game as Europe fumbles its energy strategy.
COP26: Of Carbon, Chess and King Cnut
Summary: Riyadh played a skilled hand at COP26 but may well discover very soon that the real threat to its petro-economy lies largely outside international forums.
Exit Pursued By A Bear?
Summary: the prospect of defeat in the 2023 presidential election may drive President Erdoğan to quit NATO and draw closer to Russia and Iran, a scenario that could cause anxiety for Saudi Arabia and the UAE.
Struggling Iran talks threaten Saudi withdrawal from Yemen
Summary: an explosive interview, an interminable war, rumours of rapprochement between old enemies, allegations of a regicide plot…not Game of Thrones but life in the kingdom of Mohammed bin Salman.
Saudi economy steps up a gear
As COVID recedes from the kingdom and oil prices stay steady at US$80, Saudi Arabia’s economy is responding with strong signs of positive growth.
The Gulf’s mixed Cop26 bag
Summary: Gulf oil producers, Kuwait excepted, have made big promises on the climate front ahead of Cop26 but doubt persists as to how far they are prepared to go to realise the promises.
Oil: A Reality Check
Summary: although decarbonisation does mean painful economic adjustments worldwide the current hype over the ‘energy crisis’ and consequent risk to the global economy is overblown.
A good day for Mohammed bin Salman
Summary: the Saudi crown prince had a brace of wins on 7 October with the purchase of NUFC and the ditching of a UNHRC investigation into war crimes in Yemen.
Russia and the slaughter of Syrian civilians
Arab Digest editor William Law’s guest is Airwars’ Emily Tripp. Her organisation tracks civilian casualties in conflict zones. Airwars has just released a report on civilian harm caused by Russian airstrikes in the Syrian conflict, a war that is receiving little coverage even as the death toll of civilians steadily mounts, with the Russians escaping scrutiny and dodging accountability for actions that constitute war crimes.