Prince Salman Named Saudi defense Minister

Saudi Arabia’s Prince Salman bin Abdulaziz was named the country’s new defense minister on Saturday. At 76, Prince Salman is the younger brother of both King Abdullah and Crown Prince Nayef. ”As governor of Riyadh he’s in the middle of (the powerful central region of) Nejd, so the central tribes and tribal chiefs have long looked to him as the regional font of patronage and honor,” noted Robert Lacey, the author of two books about the kingdom.

One former diplomat has described him as “intelligent, political, in touch with the conservative base, but also quite modern-minded,” as many expect Salman to be next in line for the throne after Nayef. As defense minister of one of the largest spenders of arms, Salman now controls the top spending ministry in Saudi “which has long used arms purchases to turn its military into one of the best equipped in the Middle East and to bolster ties with Western allies such as the United States, Britain and France.”