Washington Post a few months ago ---
Mohammed [bin Naif] met with President Obama in the Oval Office on Dec. 12, discussing terrorism and regional issues. At the time, F. Gregory Gause III, a prominent international affairs professor at Texas A&M University, called Mohammed “America’s favorite Saudi official.” Gause cited the good cooperation between U.S. officials and the Saudi Interior Ministry.
Saudi Press Agency yesterday --
Crown Prince Mohammed bin Naif bin Abdul Aziz, the Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of the Interior as well as Chairman of the Supreme Hajj Committee, this evening inspected the command and control center of Hajj security at the headquarters of the Public Security in Mina ... The crown prince expressed pride in the praise by the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud of the venerable efforts of the security men in the service of pilgrims, despite what happened in the stampede in Mina and that this does not reduce the size of the efforts made by them.
If someone was looking to shove America's favorite Saudi official out of the way, the fact that he's Chairman of the Hajj committee during a disaster that killed nearly 800 people could be very convenient. For anyone who's bet the farm on him continuing in his role, it could be awkward.
Mohammed [bin Naif] met with President Obama in the Oval Office on Dec. 12, discussing terrorism and regional issues. At the time, F. Gregory Gause III, a prominent international affairs professor at Texas A&M University, called Mohammed “America’s favorite Saudi official.” Gause cited the good cooperation between U.S. officials and the Saudi Interior Ministry.
Saudi Press Agency yesterday --
Crown Prince Mohammed bin Naif bin Abdul Aziz, the Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of the Interior as well as Chairman of the Supreme Hajj Committee, this evening inspected the command and control center of Hajj security at the headquarters of the Public Security in Mina ... The crown prince expressed pride in the praise by the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud of the venerable efforts of the security men in the service of pilgrims, despite what happened in the stampede in Mina and that this does not reduce the size of the efforts made by them.
If someone was looking to shove America's favorite Saudi official out of the way, the fact that he's Chairman of the Hajj committee during a disaster that killed nearly 800 people could be very convenient. For anyone who's bet the farm on him continuing in his role, it could be awkward.
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