A friend of the U.S., Fahd becomes King of Saudi Arabia
To Arabians, he was a beloved figure, more at home sipping tea with Bedouins in the desert than discussing policy in the corridors of power. Diplomats were often surprised, one visitor recalled, when he would engage them in talk about "the stars, hunting and spring rains, topics that made his eyes brighten." He was a reluctant monarch who ascended the throne to preserve family unity, and he eagerly delegated authority to younger and more sophisticated members of the royal family. When he died last week at the age of 69, Khalid...
To continue reading:
or
Log-In
