Can Saudi Arabia avoid an uprising

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Editor’s Note: Kathleen Sullivan is an analyst at Ergo, a global intelligence and advisory moncler jackets mens firm.

cheap moncler Saudi moncler outlet Arabia has thus far managed to stave off the popular protests that have led to the ouster of four Arab heads of state, chiefly moncler coats for cheap due to its strategic and well timed disbursements of oil revenue funded social giveaways. While so far effective in preserving the status quo, this approach has tied the fate of the monarchy to that of its oil revenues an increasingly risky linkage.

For decades, Saudi Arabia’s booming oil revenues have been moncler outlet usa a safe moncler outlet store bet in a constantly shifting region. Proud and longtime holder of the world’s largest proven reserves, highest exports, and most spare capacity, Saudi Arabia maintained an unrivaled position of dominance in global oil markets. However, a deeper look at Saudi Arabia’s growing domestic pressures and its external challenges reveal signs of decay in the Kingdom’s global oil market dominance, and with it, weakening defenses against a popular uprising.

moncler mens jackets The challenges confronting Saudi Arabia are both internal and external. First, domestically, Saudi Arabia’s oil reserves have long been a subject of mystery moncler outlet canada and speculation. Can the Kingdom’s oil reserves support its current level of production for the next decade and beyond, or is the country approaching its peak? Either way, many sources familiar with Saudi Aramco and Saudi geology believe the Kingdom’s access to easily extractable oil has come to an end. Its fields are cheap moncler jackets wholesale aging, and light crude has become scarcer. Many moncler coats oil experts believe that Saudi Arabia’s future oil production gains will depend on advances in enhanced oil recovery technology to extend the life of existing fields. While advanced techniques may increase production, these techniques can add an additional cost of $20 $60 per barrel, slashing the Kingdom’s profit margin.

moncler outlet store Second, Saudi Arabia must accommodate its increasing population, which at approximately has nearly doubled in the past 20 years Moncler sale and continues to grow at an annual rate of nearly 2.5%. The Saudi youth demographic is among the country’s fastest growing, and is feeling the pain of both underemployment and an acute housing crisis. Throw in the restrictive social environment moncler jackets kids imposed by the Saudi government and you have a volatile mix moncler outlet mall resembling the climate in other Arab countries before their moncler outlet uk uprisings. As regimes crumble all around them, the Saudi people know they have leverage; demands will likely become more numerous and require more expensive pay outs.

buy moncler jackets Third, Saudi Arabia’s growing population has increased the demand for buy moncler jackets toronto energy, infrastructure, and water desalination. Lacking a sophisticated natural gas industry, the Kingdom must use oil for its domestic electricity and infrastructure needs, moncler jackets cheap thus placing pressure on oil exports. Export revenues are critical to the government’s ability to fund moncler jackets outlet massive public giveaways, and the country’s increasing domestic demands have constrained the monarchy’s ability to effectively buy moncler jackets off its population.

moncler sale outlet Saudi Arabia’s external challenges are no less daunting. The Kingdom faces an evolving and expanding competitive landscape. Iraq’s growing oil production, which could reach 12 million barrels per day by 2017, could significantly cut into Saudi Arabia’s exports and revenues. Even if Iraq only reaches half of its targeted production moncler jackets toronto by 2017, an extra 6 million barrels per day in the global oil markets could diminish the Kingdom’s power within OPEC and possibly make the United States its bulwark against regional hostiles a less loyal ally.

moncler outlet online In addition, aggressive neighbors are posing an increasing threat to Saudi Arabia’s oil dominance. In October 2011, Saudi Arabia moncler outlets usa accused an unnamed foreign power, widely understood to be Iran, of instigating violent protests among the Shia community in its eastern province. Iran has also been blamed for plotting to assassinate the Saudi ambassador moncler jackets outlet online to the United States. Unlike many of its war plagued neighbors, Saudi Arabia’s oil industry has enjoyed domestic stability and security. A sustained Iranian campaign to covertly destabilize Saudi Arabia by manipulating Shia populations could threaten the Kingdom’s oil infrastructure, its revenues, and its overall security.

As Saudi Arabia continues to direct resources to fending off an uprising, social reforms addressing its skyrocketing energy consumption, underemployment, and housing crisis have taken a back Official Moncler Outlet seat. The Kingdom must focus on the development of solutions to these critical challenges, and prioritize true social reform over transparent largesse. Unless it addresses the internal and external threats moncler jackets on sale to its power, Saudi Arabia’s days as the world’s oil hegemon could be numbered.

The views expressed in this article are solely those Discount Moncler Coats ofKathleen Sullivan.

I wonder what ever became of sheik Adnon Al Kasid? He was a wealthy middle easter oil sheik who used to manage several professional wrestlers. All of the guys he managed used to cheat a lot to win, and moncler coats for kids the sheik was a cheater too. He left and they said that he went back to the middle east to manage his families billions. I fear that things may not have gone well for him when he got home, because three months later I heard that Moncler Factory Outlet he was working at taco bell on the late shift.

February 28, 2012 moncler outlet online store at 8:14 pm Reply

Saudi Arabia will not have an uprising. Saudi Arabia has always been moving in the right direction. A direction that favors human rights and dignity for all. It isn as quick as we Americans would like, but progress is progress. The Kingdom has plenty of money, and take care moncler jacket online of their own very well. Not everybody in the World is in favor of a democracy. Russian Chechens, Libyans, North Koreans, and other countries favor armed guards through out their countries. We need to remind ourselves of cultural distances and how they effect perceptions.

cheap moncler jackets February 28, 2012 at 10:10 pm Reply

cheap moncler sale You write realistically. I visited Saudi Arabia before 5 years, the Saudi people get a lot of money from the government. Each student gets a high school diploma, the government send him to any country of his choice. We have here at the University of Maastricht moncler jackets canada in cheap moncler jackets outlet Holland, Saudi 40 students. Now there are 30,000 students studying in America. Saudi people receive excellent medical care without money. Therefore, moncler outlet ny the Saudis dont need demonstrations. But I noticed that they pray in the mosques 5 times every day!! Saudi society is very religious!

moncler outlet February 29, 2012 at 9:37 am Reply

cheap moncler moncler coats cheap coats Leave the Saudis alone. They are the strongest power over there and right now they deal and trade with everybody including America, Russia and China. Don go stirring up crap with them, CNN nut bags. Prince Awaleed has the most beautiful wife in the world and only one. She is promoting women rights and pushing for a change to allow women to https://www.moncleroutletssale.com drive over there. He owns controlling interest in Citi Corp who have the most mortgages out there moncler jackets men right now in the USA.. Want to see your housing go down to $1 a house? moncler outlet online Mess with the Saudis. They are smart, savvy, rich, powerful, and tough as nails. And currently Western friendly. I think some journalists are slightly mentally defective.

February 29, 2012 at 4:21 am Reply

moncler outlet sale Dear Americans, do you know what was written about this topic?! Because Saudi Arabia has begun arming the rebels in Syria, the Americans are evil and want continued massacres in Syria by the ruling minority moncler jacket outlet Alawite in Syria. On this day, the Guardian newspaper moncler jackets for women in Britain has allowed an Islamic Saudi dissident to write an article about the in Saudi Arabia. an Islamic fundamentalist. Is required from the West to help him to get his power in Saudi Arabia. America and Britain without morals! They refuse to Syria arming the rebels, and moncler coats for women dont want military intervention to protect the people of the Syrian massacres!!

moncler sale February 29, 2012 at 8:25 am Reply

monlcer down jackets These stupid discount moncler outlet greedy guys won spend single dollar to any poor countries for their food, health, education, etc. Even for Tunami discount moncler jackets or Earth Quake disasters also they won give. All they can do it, marry as much as possible or for bringing girls from other countries. what kind of religion is this. Just few law from this fools, rapping victim should provide 4 male eye witness, who should have womens moncler jackets long moncler coats outlet beard. If anyone (X) killed others (Y) and if family accept blood money from then there won be any punishment for criminal money only speaks. can you point any one single muslim country in this world is ruled by good governance with good development, etc you sick people.

February 29, 2012 at 11:33 pm Reply

Unless the King agrees to remove Viagra from his diet, I see no chances of avoiding the spring. Are you kidding? I think Its only a matter of time, that royals got away with trillions of oil revenue from half a century, they cannot buy people with few billions of bonuses, they certainly become even more richer by buying out stocks and investing all over the world. Oppression never works. Human rights, Illiteracy, unemployment and poverty is what they got. Long Live Freedom! Long Live Democracy!

March 1, 2012 at 2:28 am Reply

cheap moncler moncler outlet location outlet Saudi Arabia accused an unnamed foreign power, widely understood to be Iran, of instigating violent protests among the Shia community in its eastern province. Iran has also been blamed for plotting to assassinate the Saudi ambassador to the United States.??????????????????

Please. The Saudi Government is the cheap moncler worst government. They oppress Women and Shia. They do not understand Islam.

The Wahabis are so cruel and dirty. I went to hajj and the saudi people have no respect for women and certain people with in Islam. They do not take care of their own people, hospitals suck. They have All that money and cannot help their own people.