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August 02, 2005
Whither Saudi Arabia?
The Daily Demarche cataloges the depressing state of affairs in Saudi Arabia. King Fahd is dead, the new King Abdullah is 80 years old, the new presumptive heir is over 80, and the next in line after him is a spritely 72.
And yet 60 percent of the Saudi population is under 25 years old. In addition, with...
...unemployment in the high teens this spells bad news for the house of Saud, and for us. Regular readers know that I do not beleive that poverty causes terrorism, but combined with boredom, apathethic leadership and a steady diet of sanctioned anti-Western hate filled diatribes that pass as education, it does play a role. These kids may not be the next Mohammed Atta, but they can certainly be used as homicide bombers. Samar Fatany, that rarest of creatures, a female Saudi rafio journalist has the following to say on this subject:
... Saudi researchers estimate that more than 50 percent of the work force is without a high school diploma, and college graduates make up less than 20 percent of the total population. Current public school graduates lack the mathematical, scientific and language skills necessary in the job market. English and an adequate knowledge of computers are mandatory today. ... Unfortunately, the majority of our graduates do not speak English, and they are also computer illiterate, which puts their average qualifications well below international standards.
Endless hours of boredom and wasted time in emptiness are reasons enough to make them seek adventure ... This also explains why many Saudi youths are easily brainwashed by extremists who advocate terrorism.
Dr. Demarche points out the obvious: that the future of Saudi Arabia lies not with a progression of backward-looking 80 year old rulers, but with the youth of the country. And that youth, in spite of the incredible wealth of Saudi Arabia, has suffered at the hands of a neglected educational system.
It's becoming increasingly obvious that Saudi Arabia, already an established source of worldwide funding for jihadists, is itself a powderkeg with a lit fuse.
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