Saudi king taps veteran finance chief as foreign minister to improve image

[Eugene]

Source: Reuters

WORLD NEWS DECEMBER 27, 2018 / 8:23 AM / UPDATED 2 HOURS AGO

Saudi king taps veteran finance chief as foreign minister to improve image

Marwa Rashad, Katie Paul
4 MIN READ

RIYADH/DUBAI (Reuters) - Saudi Arabia’s king put a veteran former finance minister in charge of foreign affairs on Thursday, aiming to improve the kingdom’s image after the crisis caused by the killing of a journalist and greater scrutiny of the Yemen war.

The Saudi government has come under intense international criticism over the murder of U.S.-based journalist Jamal Khashoggi inside the Saudi consulate in Istanbul in October.

It has also faced growing scepticism over its intervention in Yemen, where the United Nations says millions of people could starve to death because of supply lines disrupted by a Saudi-led war against the Houthi movement which controls the capital.

The events have gravely harmed the reputation of King Salman’s son and heir, Crown Prince Mohammed, 33, who is poised to succeed his father in the kingdom’s first generational transfer of power for more than 65 years.

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Read more: https://www.reuters.com/article/us-saudi-politics/saudi-king-taps-veteran-finance-chief-as-foreign-minister-to-improve-image-idUSKCN1OQ109

[guillaumeb]

1. No more bone saw interrogations?

Excellent.

[byronius]

2. Nothing's going to help Sad Sack MBS pull out of this crash-and-burn.

It's going to get worse and worse and worse for the Saudis until they free themselves from the Royal Dolt Family.

And speaking as a person who grew up and played and shared a life with the actual Saudi people, I wish them well in this endeavour.