A Brief 20th century History of

Saudi ArabiaBy Cory Laban

Arab-Israeli conflict

• Conflict between Middle Eastern nations and Israel began almost immediately after British withdrawal of the region and granting of Jerusalem to the Jews.

• In 1973 the Yom Kippur War began as Egyptian and Syrian troops attacked Israel, and Saudi Arabia supplied minimal troops and monetary aid to the coalition.

• After the resulting loss by the Middle Eastern nations, Egypt signed a treaty with Israel.

Arab-israeli conflict

• Although fighting aid was minimal, the control of oil was used against Israel affiliated nations.

• An embargo was placed on Egypt, US, and other Western nations by Saudi Arabia and the major oil exporting nations. This disrupted the connection being forged between the Middle East and the West, and began the 1973 Oil Crisis.

Persian Gulf war

• After Iraqi militant leader Saddam Hussein began an invasion of Kuwait in 1990, aid by Saudi Arabia and Egypt was requested to the US.

• After Hussein’s belligerent speeches and amassing of troops on Kuwait and Saudi borders, Operation Desert Shield began.

• A coalition of the US air force, and Saudi troops built up on Saudi borders in preparation for an attack.

• In the aftermath of Iraq’s aggression only Kuwait and Iraq were badly damaged. After Saddam’s refusal to comply with US demilitarizing demands a second outbreak, the Iraq War, began.

A shift in economic growth

• In the middle of the 20th century new discoveries of oil fields began emerging in the middle east and especially in Saudi Arabia.

• In 1972, Saudi Arabia gained semi-control of the Arabian-American Oil Company.

• The involvement in this demanding market widely expanded the Saudi economy, made profound political and social movement, and expanded Saudi global influence.

Saudi after oil

• With the economic gains of oil exports, the current leader Ibn Saud was able to launch many modernization programs focusing on public health, irrigation, manufacturing, and agriculture.

• Although these modernizations were made, he also implemented the strict Islamic fundamentalist ideas into the government.

Foreign influence

• The most critical eruption of Saudi and Middle Eastern control of oil was the OPEC oil crisis of 1973.

• An oil embargo was placed on the US and other nations that aided or supported Israel in the Yom Kippur war when Egypt and Syria attacked Israel to regain territory lost in the Six Day war.

• The Saudis viewed pro-Israeli countries as anti-Arab nations, which motivated their aggressive motions.

Foreign Influence (con’t)

• The crisis brought on extremely high oil prices causing oil rationing and energy conservation such as national speed limits to conform with the embargo.

• This new oil rationing sparked a new sentiment by Americans, believing the world supply of oil was disappearing.

• The United States and other western nations felt their continued support of Israel was necessary after the tragedy of World War II and did not waver their support in order to regain Middle Eastern ties for their oil reserves.

Foreign EFFect

• Gasoline rations during the crisis were printed. • This sign shows the

new policy a gas station used to show how much available gas there was.

Global Culture

• Saudi Arabia is almost completely separated from foreign worlds.

• The strict Islamic law of Wahhabism is used to govern the state by the Saud family.

• This sect of Islam is the same sharia law observed by some extremist organizations such as al-Qaeda.

• Regardless of the world-wide economic ties the Saudis have from oil, they remain culturally isolated from the rest of the world.

• Because of the similarity between extremist groups such as al-Qaeda, US association between Saudi Arabia and extreme fundamentalism created new Islamic nation stereotyping.

Global Culture

• Strict censorship remains in the country; magazine and newspaper pages are ripped out that don’t coincide with Wahhabi beliefs, and strict internet surveillance to block undesirable web pages still occurs now.

• The secret police known as the haid patrol the streets to enforce strict Sharia law, enforcing dress code and separation of genders.

• Other Islamic theocracies such as Iran are much more lenient regarding foreign influence, and women’s ability in society.

Global Culture

• An example of the required niqab head covering for women.

Global Culture

• Asides from their cultural isolation, Saudi Arabia does have national football clubs that have competed in different cups, along with a summer Olympic team.

• Although international athletic competition was popular with men starting in the 70’s, the first women to compete in the Olympics did not appear until 2012 (pictured right).

Global Culture

• Saudi Arabia is considered the center of global Islamic culture, because it contains the Islamic holy city of Mecca, where the Muslim people are required to make a journey known as a hajj once in their life time.

• As a result of being the center of Islam, many nations such as Egypt, Iran, and Pakistan have very positive views towards Saudi Arabia.

Global economy

• The oil exports of Saudi Arabia do reflect a complete global economy, as oil is one of the most important commodities of world trade.

• Some trade affiliations include the Organization of Petroleum exporting countries (OPEC), the World Trade Organization (WTO) (very recently), and the International Monetary Fund (IMF).

Chaotic culture

• The strict Wahhabi influence over Saudi Arabia has caused many internal social issues through the 20th and 21st centuries.

• Rape, human trafficking, and domestic violence have been apparent issues that go often unpunished by the Sharia law implemented in the legal system.

• In some cases victims of these crimes will be punished for violation of the sex segregation laws implemented.

• The peak of Islamic fundamentalism appeared in 1979 after the Iranian Revolution to expel foreign influence motivated Islamic fundamentalism throughout the Middle East.

Foreign outlook

• The gender issues present in Saudi Arabia are often viewed as similar to the apartheid system in South Africa by western sources such as the New York Times.

• The actions taken against women are similar to the oppression by the Taliban, and are considered by some activists and newspapers to be fitting of crimes against humanity.

• The US has not spoken out against the Saudi Monarchy and their religious oppression. This is most likely related to the close US-Saudi economic ties the US tries to maintain for oil.

Slight Progress

• Overall, Saudi Arabia has experienced severe social issues throughout this period.

• King Abdullah (pictured right) has began some slight progress in recent years.

• After the 9/11 attacks, backing for extremist education systems has dropped, and moderation for school textbooks has increased.