Saudi Crown Prince Abdullah took over the country's day-to-day governing duties after King Fahd suffered a debilitating stroke in 1995.
Born in 1924, Abdullah bin Abdul Aziz, showed a love of the desert and the Bedouin lifestyle from an early age. Racing horses and patronizing the cultural activities of the tribes were his favorite past time. His strong tribal ties resulted in his appointment as the head of National Guard in 1962. The tribal army under him made great progress. He modernized the force and brought in professionalism.
As Saudi Arabia's de factor ruler, Crown Prince Abdullah introduced a limited expansion of political and civil liberties in response to a series of deadly terrorist bombings in Saudi Arabia. Saudi Foreign Minister Saud al-Faisal announced in October 2003 that elections for 14 municipal councils would be held within a year (though half of the seats will still be appointed). Although there are no plans for elections to the Majlis al-Shoura (consultative council), a 120-member appointed body that advises the king, a June decree expanded its powers - it can now propose and debate (but not pass) legislation without getting prior approval from the monarch.
As a progressive step the crown prince also allowed the council's deliberations to be televised for the first time. Number of legal reforms has also been introduced. A new criminal code that forbids torture and criminal suspects are allowed access to lawyers has been promulgated. It is understood that Crown Prince Abdullah's tribal background has helped him to rein in the kingdom's religious zealots without inviting open rebellion.
July, 2003 was a landmark year which saw the passing of a comprehensive capital markets law that allowed entry of more foreign banks and liberalized the securities markets, two conditions necessary for membership in the World Trade Organization.
The Saudi-US alliance in the late 1970s was a result of instability in Iran which made Saudi Arabia a key ally of the US in the Gulf region. King Fahd's regime collaborated closely with Reagan administration and backed Iraq in its war against Iran.
Another boost to the strategic relationship blossomed in 1990 when both sides viewed the Iraqi invasion of Kuwait as a threat to regional security. The Secretary of Defense Dick Cheney and General Norman Schwarzkopf traveled to Saudi Arabia in August 1990 and met with King Fahd and proposed a US-led coalition to face Iraq. Though King Fahd gave his full support, Crown Prince Abdullah was initially opposed. He was not very sure regarding the real threat Iraq posed to Saudi Arabia and concerned about the stationing of US troops in the kingdom without a sound exit strategy once the conflict was resolved.
The Persian Gulf War, which followed this event, brought the presence of US troops on Saudi territory which became a tangible reminder of the House of Saud's dependence on foreign powers for defense.
Though Crown Prince Abdullah made no effort to sever this defense alliance, but to assuage the Islamists and the skeptical public, he refused in 2003 to allow the United States to wage war on Iraq from Saudi soil. By the end of the summer, the US had pulled out most of its military forces from Saudi Arabia.
To the disappointment of the United States, he has also allowed a charity run by his half-brother, Interior Minister Nayef, to compensate the families of Palestinian "martyrs."
Crown Prince Abdullah proposed a peace plan to resolve the Arab-Israeli conflict in February 2002. The plan stated that Israel withdraw to its borders prior to the 1967 war, giving up the West Bank and Gaza to the Palestinians. And in return, the Arab states that have refused to recognize the existence of Israel since its inception in 1948 would establish normal diplomatic relations and trade relations with the Jewish state. Unfortunately, the plan did not materialize.
With Crown Prince Abdullah coming to power it is believed that he will forestall any serious threats by the Islamic radicals and extremists.
