From: Terje Rod-Larsen To: Jeffrey Epstein <[email protected]> Subject: Fwd: (s)7/24, FP: The Prince and the Revolution (KSA) Date: Wed, 25 Jul 2012 11:42:58 +0000 Sent from my iPad Begin forwarded message: From: Fabrice Aidan Date: July 24, 2012 6:47:49 PM GMT-04:00 To: Terje Roed-Larsen Subject: Fw: (s)7/24, FP: The Prince and the Revolution (KSA) Sent by Fabrice Aidan, United Nations From: COResources Sent: 07/24/2012 05:44 PM AST To: Tim Dixon ce Subject: (s)7/24, FP: The Prince and the Revolution (KSA) Foreign Policy The Prince and the Revolution By Simon Henderson July 24, 2012 On July 19, on the eve of the Saudi weekend and the start of the muslim holy month of Ramadan, the Saudi government orchestrated its equivalent of Washington's Friday afternoon news dump: Prince Bandar bin Sultan, son of the late crown prince and defense minister, Sultan, was appointed the new intelligence chief. The kingdom may want minimal coverage and analysis of Bandar's appointment, but it is bound to be disappointed. Bandar used to be one of Saudi Arabia's flashiest diplomats, a longtime ambassador to the United States renowned for manipulating people and policy in the kingdom's favor, and sometimes also in favor of the U.S. government. At the very least, his appointment is a reflection of King Abdullah's concerns about developments in the Middle East, particularly Syria, and the limited talent pool in the House of Saud to meet the challenges. Frankly, it suggests panic in Riyadh. Where does one start? Bandar certainly used to be a firm pair of hands, but recently that grasp has been shakier. Although Bandar endeared himself to successive U.S. administrations for being able to get things done — as well as the sumptuous parties he hosted at his official residence in Virginia overlooking the Potomac — the prevailing story about him recently has been about his mental state. William Sampson, a (friendly) biographer, noted that Bandar's "first period o