Saudi: Turbulent times for new King Salman

For maintaining security will be King Salman’s chief priority. Hundreds of young Saudis have fought with Islamic State (IS) and are returning home inspired by jihadist ideology.

The policy of trying to prevent them carrying out attacks within Saudi Arabia will be accompanied by an intensified strategy of encouraging Islamic preachers and the teaching profession to warn young Saudis of the dangers of signing up to IS beliefs.

As part of the process of battening down the hatches King Salman is likely to be less inclined than Abdullah in seeking to intervene in the region’s trouble spots.

While the kingdom will continue to support the Syrian opposition, for example, it might now look more favourably than in the past on initiatives that include a transitional solution that sees some members of the Assad regime remaining in power.

Likewise in Iraq, King Salman will remain committed to the anti-IS coalition but will also stand by Abdullah’s refusal to commit troops there. The view among Saudi leaders is that the chief task of the armed forces is to protect the country’s borders.

Indeed extra forces are likely to be sent to the southern border with Yemen. The recent rapid expansion of the Houthis, allegedly with support from Iran, at the expense of the Saudi-backed Yemeni government, is of increasing concern to the kingdom.

Then there is the continuing danger stemming from al-Qaeda activity in Yemen.