To help defuse the present crisis, bin Salman would do well to follow an example set by one of his predecessors, Abdullah bin Abdul Aziz. In 1997, when tensions were also mounting between Iran and the United States, Crown Prince Abdullah, despite being hawkish toward Iran, initiated a notable detente, helping to calm the region. ADADThis episode in Saudi history should be instructive to bin Salman, the current crown prince. Since ascending to power, bin Salman has embarked on a number of misadventures as he has sought to roll back Iran’s regional influence and cement his country as the regional power broker. Although bin Salman is more secure in power today than Crown Prince Abdullah was in 1997, his impetuousness constitutes a vulnerability.

Source: Washington Post January 20, 2020 11:03 UTC