The Saudi Succession Stalemate (Karen Elliott House, The National Interest)

After more than two decades of domestic drift under geriatric rulers and overdependence on U.S. protection in a dangerous region, the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia is starting to stand up to shape its own future. There are two major reasons for this change. The royal family itself has put power in the hands of a new generation of leaders who are more self-confident and assertive. In the meantime—in Riyadh’s view—the United States, long the kingdom’s protector, has increasingly shied from leadership in the Middle East under President Obama.

http://nationalinterest.org/feature/the-saudi-succession-stalemate-15724