King Abdullah opened an emergency session of the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation in Saudi Arabia today to address ongoing instability in the Middle East. Syria is high on their list of priorities, with other member states already voting to suspend its membership of the OIC until Bashar al-Assad gives up power.
The OIC is a famously ineffectual institution but there is significant posturing taking place behind the scenes. Saudi Arabia had only hosted the OIC once since its inception in 1969 until King Abdullah took power in 2005. Since then, at his request, it has hosted it a further two times.
This chimes with Abdullah’s plans to project himself as the region’s leading statesman, particularly now that all his competitor grotesques are gone. Saddam, Mubarak and Gaddafi are no more, Bashar is wavering, and Ahmadinejad is isolated. Abdullah senses his moment to expand the Saudi sphere of influence within the region.
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