by Catherine Shakdam, New Eastern Outlook:
Where has Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman gone? Since mainstream media broke news of the disappearance and alleged death of Jamal Khashoggi, MBS has gotten a little camera shy … and somewhat politically withdrawn.
Whatever did happen to our buoyant reformer, who, from the platforms of his friendships so openly spoke wars and violent retributions to those who dared opposed his ‘vision’? By vision of course I speak of MBS’s ambition to play Nero to a tamed Middle East while his name would suffer no contention on the international scene.
Once feted as a great reformer, or as the Independent put it this February: “Saudi Arabia’s great young reformer”, MBS no longer sits a favourite of the ‘ruling class’ on account of the sins he committed against that very elite.