"King Abdullah of Saudi Arabia hospitalized with pneumonia" New York Times January 02, 2015
King Abdullah of Saudi Arabia has pneumonia and needs temporary help from a breathing tube, the royal court said Friday.
The king, who is 90, has a history of medical problems, and his health is scrutinized for any hint of a leadership change in Saudi Arabia, an absolute monarchy and regional U.S. ally that is one of the world’s most important oil producers.
In a statement quoted by news agencies, the royal court said the king was in stable condition at a military hospital. He was transferred there Thursday after having been admitted to King Abdulaziz Medical City Hospital in Riyadh, the capital, on Wednesday for unspecified tests.
The statement said an examination “revealed pneumonia, which required the provisional insertion of a tube on Friday evening.”
It added that “that step was crowned with stability and success,” but it left unclear how long the king would remain hospitalized.
The new uncertainty about the king’s health came against a backdrop of deep Saudi influence on a number of major global issues.
The biggest is plunging oil prices, caused in part by Saudi insistence on maintaining current high production levels in an effort to drive out higher-cost producers elsewhere and gain more control over the global market.
And to undercut Russia and Iran, as per USraeli wont.
Saudi officials, presumably acting under the king’s orders, have shown no inclination to curb production, despite complaints by others, including the country’s regional rival, Iran.
That is where my print ended.
The king’s health difficulties also come as Saudi Arabia has exerted itself more forcefully in the conflicts in Syria and Iraq. Most notably, Saudi Arabia is actively participating in the U.S.-led bombing campaign against extremists there.
Crown Prince Salman, 79, the king’s half brother and presumed successor, has increasingly acted as Abdullah’s representative, most recently standing in for him at a summit meeting of Persian Gulf countries in Qatar last month. Crown Prince Salman is also Saudi Arabia’s deputy prime minister and defense minister.
Another half brother of the king, Prince Muqrin, 69, is second in line to the throne.
Abdullah is the country’s sixth king, having assumed the throne in 2005.
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Does it really matter who rules the extremist Wahhabi state?
"The fascist Saudi theocracy, which became a US client in the 1930s when Saudi oil was discovered, and remains one today.
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