democracy as containment in Saudi Arabia ?

["Ian Murray" <seamus2001@xxxxxxxx>]

[NYTimes]
November 28, 2001


A Saudi Prince With an Unconventional Idea: Elections

By DOUGLAS JEHL

RIYADH, Saudi Arabia, Nov. 27 - A prominent member of Saudi Arabia's
royal family called today for a transformation that would bring
elections, "the faster the better," to a kingdom whose only bow to
democracy has been the establishment of an appointed advisory council.

Prince Walid bin Talal, a billionaire investor, said in an interview
here that he was addressing the politically taboo subject to augment
what he called intensive discussions within the royal family about
what Saudi Arabia could be doing better to address domestic
discontent - particularly in the wake of the Sept. 11 attacks, in
which 15 of 19 hijackers were Saudis.

"If people speak more freely and get involved more in the political
process, you can really contain them and make them part of the
process," Prince Walid said.

The remarks were unusually candid in a kingdom that almost always
maintains a guarded public face, particularly on questions of internal
decisions and any kind of political liberalization.

They echoed loud but private calls by Saudi liberals, who have begun
to speculate that the widespread Saudi participation in the Sept. 11
attacks was at least in part a consequence of a closed political
system that allows little room for political expression.

[snip]