The reforms are part of the broader Vision 2030 initiative that is rapidly modernizing the Kingdom—socially, economically, and culturally.

A recent Wall Street Journal review of veteran journalist Karen Elliott House’s latest book, “The Man Who Would Be King,” offers a sweeping view of Saudi Arabia’s transformation under the leadership of Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman. The book profiles the man universally known as MBS, depicting him as a transformative force reshaping the Kingdom’s destiny and influencing the emerging global order.

“MBS… will play a critical and perhaps decisive role in shaping the new regional order,” the book asserts—echoing a growing consensus among international analysts and regional observers alike.

A Kingdom Reimagined

At the heart of MBS’s long-term vision lies NEOM, a $500 billion smart city project meant to position Saudi Arabia at the cutting edge of technological and scientific advancement. “MBS hopes that his new city—known as NEOM—will make Saudi Arabia a dominant force in technological innovation,” House writes.

The reforms are part of the broader Vision 2030 initiative that is rapidly modernizing the Kingdom—socially, economically, and culturally. House highlights how “a younger generation is now free to live something much closer to what their Western peers would recognize as a normal life,” referring to greater social freedoms, entertainment, and job market access for youth and women.

In what the book describes as a high-stakes economic shift, MBS is “placing many multibillion-dollar chips on different alternatives to oil… some will hit big.” From investing in green energy and AI to developing tourism, the Crown Prince is crafting new revenue streams for a nation long reliant on fossil fuels.

One such alternative is tourism—once a niche, now a national priority. “New sources of revenue, like tourism, will have to supplement oil wealth,” the book points out. Major initiatives such as AlUla, Qiddiya, and the Red Sea Project are helping reposition the Kingdom as a global cultural and leisure destination.

A Leadership Redefined

Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman has also redefined the public face of Saudi leadership. “No Saudi ruler before him would be seen riding a dune buggy at a tourist attraction or posing for selfies at a restaurant,” House notes—an observation that underscores MBS’s populist appeal and generational relatability.

Yet this modern image is coupled with firm authority. “The MBS she describes is a formidable character bent on imposing his will,” writes House, underlining the intensity with which the Crown Prince is driving reforms, despite resistance from entrenched interests.

The scale of Saudi Arabia’s transformation is increasingly global in impact. With the Public Investment Fund (PIF) investing in sectors across the world—from tech and AI to entertainment and infrastructure—the Kingdom’s strategic decisions are shaping not just its own future, but also that of international markets and geopolitics.

“The decisions Saudi Arabia makes about investing its massive resources will help shape the global future,” House writes.

Saudi Voices Echo the Sentiment

Reacting to the review, Mohammed Alhamed, Founder and President of Saudi Elite, stated on X (formerly Twitter): “WSJ highlights MBS’s rising global impact through Karen Elliott House’s new book: ‘The Man Who Would Be King.’”

Alhamed added, “The MBS she describes is a leader who’s disrupting norms, reshaping the Kingdom, and steering the Middle East toward a modern and competitive future.”

His remarks reflect a broader sentiment within Saudi Arabia’s emerging elite class, who view the Crown Prince’s assertive agenda as a necessary leap toward relevance and resilience in a fast-changing world.

As the international community watches closely, MBS’s bold reforms continue to challenge perceptions of the Kingdom—and chart an ambitious course toward a post-oil, globally integrated Saudi Arabia.

The Crown Prince was received with the utmost respect and warmth, being greeted by both the President and Prime Minister of India.

In a momentous display of diplomacy, the Crown Prince of Saudi Arabia, Mohammed bin Salman, recently embarked on a state visit to India and actively participated in the G20 Summit. This visit was marked by a series of significant events and agreements that underscore the growing importance of Saudi-Indian relations on both the regional and global fronts.

Below are the key takeaways from this significant visit, drawn from a post authored by Saud Salman Al-Dossary, an MA Candidate in Middle-Eastern Studies at Columbia University.

Summit Success Celebrated

The G20 Summit concluded with resounding success, and the Crown Prince was quick to commend India’s role in this achievement. He remarked, “Well done India, a lot of announcements were made that will benefit both our countries, the G20 nations, and the whole world”.

This statement underlines the summit’s accomplishments and its positive impact on the global stage.

A Presidential and Prime Ministerial Welcome

The Crown Prince was received with the utmost respect and warmth, being greeted by both the President and Prime Minister of India. This exceptional welcome not only reflected the strength of diplomatic ties but also set the tone for the entire visit.

It was a tangible testament to the importance of the Saudi-Indian relationship and the commitment of both nations to further enhance their cooperation on various fronts.

Grand Reception at the Presidential Palace

The official reception ceremony at the Presidential Palace was a grand affair, followed by an elegant banquet. These ceremonial events were not merely diplomatic formalities, they were symbolic of the deep-rooted friendship between Saudi Arabia and India.

The lavishness and grace with which they were conducted highlighted the profound bond and mutual respect shared by the two nations.

Strategic Partnership Council Inauguration

A pivotal moment in the visit was the inauguration of the India-Saudi Strategic Partnership Council. This was a historic first meeting, co-chaired by the Crown Prince and the Indian Prime Minister, signifying their commitment to enhancing cooperation in various sectors.

It marked a significant step forward in the bilateral relationship, underlining the intent to strengthen ties and collaborate on a broader range of economic, political, and strategic endeavors.

Prolific Memorandums of Understanding

The visit saw the exchange of numerous Memorandums of Understanding (MoUs) covering critical areas such as energy, communications, manufacturing, anti-corruption, and bilateral investments.

These agreements reflect the intent of both nations to deepen their economic collaboration significantly.

They serve as a testament to the commitment of Saudi Arabia and India to foster closer ties and engage in mutually beneficial partnerships across a wide spectrum of vital sectors.

Surge in Bilateral Trade

Economic ties between Saudi Arabia and India are flourishing, with bilateral trade reaching a remarkable $52 billion in the fiscal year 2022-23.

This impressive growth rate of over 23% underscores the robust economic potential that exists between the two nations.

It signifies not only the current strength of their economic partnership but also the opportunities for further expansion and cooperation in the future.

Gratitude and Congratulations

India expressed its heartfelt gratitude to Saudi Arabia for evacuating Indian nationals from Sudan via Jeddah, highlighting the crucial role of diplomacy during times of crisis.

Saudi Arabia received warm congratulations from India for the successful management of the Hajj season, demonstrating their expertise in handling large-scale events.

Commitment to Oil Market Stability

Both nations underscored the importance of maintaining stability in the global oil market, reaffirming their commitment to collaborative efforts in this regard.

This shared commitment reflects the recognition of the crucial role that the energy sector plays in the global economy and the need for responsible and coordinated actions to ensure its stability and resilience.

Enhancing Cooperation in Key Sectors

Saudi Arabia and India have set their sights on boosting cooperation in the fields of electricity interconnection and petrochemical production, aligning their objectives for economic development.

This strategic alignment highlights their intention to harness the potential of these sectors to drive economic growth and enhance the energy landscape, ultimately benefiting both nations and fostering regional prosperity.

Sustainability in Focus

India welcomed Saudi Arabia’s commendable green initiatives, most notably the ‘Saudi Green’ and ‘Middle East Green’ initiatives, aimed at addressing climate change and promoting sustainability.

This warm reception demonstrated India’s recognition of the Kingdom’s commitment to environmental stewardship and its willingness to collaborate on critical global challenges.

In response, Saudi Arabia reciprocated by acknowledging India’s substantial efforts in combating climate change, underscoring their shared responsibility towards environmental challenges.

This mutual acknowledgment highlights the importance of global cooperation and joint action to address pressing issues such as climate change and underscores the potential for collaboration between the two nations in sustainable development endeavors.

Vision 2030 Acknowledged

India extended its congratulations and support for Saudi Arabia’s Vision 2030, a comprehensive plan for economic diversification and modernization.

This gesture of solidarity reflects India’s commitment to fostering strong bilateral ties and its recognition of the Kingdom’s ambitious efforts to transform its economy and society.

The endorsement of Vision 2030 underscores the potential for mutual growth and collaboration between the two nations in the years ahead.

BRICS Invitation Appreciated

Saudi Arabia expressed profound gratitude to India for its unwavering support of the Kingdom’s invitation to join BRICS, a recognition of the Kingdom’s growing global significance.

This acknowledgement underscores the depth of the strategic partnership between the two nations and reinforces Saudi Arabia’s expanding role on the world stage.

The inclusion of Saudi Arabia in BRICS is not only a testament to its geopolitical importance but also an opportunity for both nations to collaborate within this influential forum.

Dalia Ziada

But, very bravely MBS decided to take the challenge of smashing the idols of extremism and freeing Saudi Arabia from the heavy burden that tied it down for centuries

For better or worse, the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region is rapidly transitioning into a new geopolitical structure, with new centers of influence and diverse agendas of individual and collective priorities. The ongoing transition process started over a decade ago with the eruption of the Arab Spring revolutions (2010 – 2011), and reached a peak point, last summer on August 2021, following the haste and chaotic withdrawal of the United States from Afghanistan. The main characteristic defining the new regional order, in light of this unavoidable transition, is the fracture of Egypt and Syria as the main complementary poles responsible for keeping the MENA region in balance, and the growing reliance on Arab Gulf monarchies, especially Saudi Arabia, in designing and leading the future of the Middle East.

Arab Youth Look Up to Saudi Leadership

Given the fact that the vast majority of the population of Arab countries are youth under 35 years-old, the data provided by the “Arab Youth Survey” of Asda’a-BCW, on annual basis over the past thirteen years, could further clarify the new reality of the region, in quantitative terms. For the past six years, in particular, the surveyed Arab youth selected Saudi Arabia as the most influential leading power in the Arab region.

For example, in 2020 and 2021, the survey ranked Saudi Arabia as the Arab country that has the most influence over the Arab world; respectively with 39% and 29%. Meanwhile, Qatar and the United Arab Emirates (UAE) used to interchangeably occupy the second position, with 34% for Qatar in 2020, and 23% for the UAE, in 2021.

In contrast, Egypt, which used to lead the Arab world for many decades before the Arab Spring, has been ranked at the tail of the list. In 2020, Egypt was seen by only 5% of the surveyed Arab youth as an influential regional power. However, in the 2021 Arab Youth Survey, Egypt’s position dramatically leaped, with 11%, to the third rank after Saudi Arabia and UAE. That is perhaps due to Egypt’s successful mediation in the ceasefire between Israel and Hamas, during their latest round of war in May 2021.

Saudi Monarchs’ Game-Changing Interventions

In fact, the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA), the Third Saudi State of King Abdul Aziz Al-Saud, has always been a key player in determining the course of events in the Middle East and neighbor regions. Even when Egypt was the one holding the steering wheel, calculated political interventions by Saudi monarchs, at critical times of political and security turbulences, kept the region moving on the right track.

One recent example is KSA’s immediate intervention to clean the mess of the Arab Spring and rescue affected countries from political failure or economic collapse. In the 1990s, Saudi Arabia played a tremendous role in managing the Gulf War and helping Kuwait recover from the Iraqi aggression. In the 1950s and 1970s, KSA challenged western powers to support Egypt in its war with Israel, which paved the way for Egypt to eventually win the war in 1973 and restore peace in the region. The current Saudi King, Salman bin Abdul Aziz, and his brothers, personally volunteered to fight as soldiers in the ranks of the Egyptian army against the British and French aggression, in 1956.

Despite Saudi Arabia’s glorious history of rescuing brotherly Arab countries, at critical moments, stepping up to the forefront of leading the Middle East towards and throughout the new era will not be an easy mission. That is not only because of the many geopolitical and security complications of the region, but also because the new regional order dictates the death of old pan-Arab values and the birth of a whole new culture that values individuality and pragmatism, among the states of the region, when handling domestic and foreign affairs.

Challenges of Shaping the New Regional Order

At least, since the severe political earthquake of the Arab Spring, the Nasserist ideology of Arab Nationalism, which remained the mantra of the region for decades, has disappeared. In the past two years, we have seen an increase in the number of Arab countries, extending from the ocean to the gulf, that took individual initiatives to normalize ties with regional non-Arab neighbors (e.g., Israel, Iran, and Turkey), which were labeled, in the recent past, as rivals of the Arabs.

Around the Valentine’s Day this month, for example, UAE showered the Turkish President Erdogan with love at a festive reception in Abu Dhabi, while Bahrain warmly received the Israeli Prime Minister, Naftali Bennett, with playing the Israeli national anthem in the Capital City of Manama. A month before that, UAE’s National Security Advisor Sheikh Tahnoun Bin Zayed paid a rare visit to Tehran to meet with senior political and security leaders in the Iranian regime to explore means of normalizing ties, following the same pattern of rapprochement that his country used with Turkey and Israel. However, unfortunately, such a positive initiative did not deter the Iran-backed Houthis militia, in Yemen, from targeting Abu Dhabi, in January, with Iranian drones and missiles.

As the big sister of the Gulf region, and thus the most politically and diplomatically experienced, the Saudi leadership has been calmly working on fixing strained ties with neighbor non-Arab countries, with the understanding that building steady foreign relations requires time and guarantees. This is also the same approach that Egypt adopts, in that regard. For the past few months, diplomatic, security, and economic talks between Saudi Arabia and Turkey, on one hand, and between Egypt and Turkey on the other hand have been building up towards the ripe momentum of renewed friendship.

Cleaning After Flawed Western Policies

Sadly, some western powers, who claim to be allies to Saudi Arabia are purposefully making decisions to weaken KSA in face of the rising Iranian threat, at its borders. In the United States, for example, immediately after President Biden’s inauguration, in January 2021, the U.S. State Department decided to review Trump Administration’s decision to designate the Houthis in Yemen as a Foreign Terrorist Organization (FTO).

The next day, the State Department announced holding for review arms and ammunition sales agreements that the Trump administration signed with Saudi Arabia, and to temporarily pause the sale of F-35 fighter jets that are due to UAE upon a contract signed with Lockheed Martin under the Trump administration. Meanwhile, the Biden administration announced its intention to revive talks with Iran on the nuclear deal and ease the suffocating economic sanctions imposed by Trump.

In less than a year, Saudi Arabia and the UAE started to pay for the flawed policy of the Biden Administration. The missile and drone attacks launched by the Houthis on Saudi Arabia intensified and frequented, targeting strategic economic sites in Saudi main cities. By the beginning of this year, the Houthi started to expand their operations to target the UAE with a deadly drone attack that hit an oil facility close to Abu Dhabi Airport.

There is no logical argument that can appropriately explain why the American President is adopting such a policy that is militarily weakening Saudi Arabia and the UAE, while re-empowering Iran and its affiliated proxies and militias.

The rise of Taliban in Afghanistan, following the United States withdrawal and the revival of the Islamic State (IS) terrorists in Syria and Iraq are additional threats at the eastern gates of the Arab Gulf region, that are not expected to fade away any time soon. Out of this reality, Saudi Arabia’s main role in the next phase will be forming new coalitions, inside the Middle East, and with neighbor regions and countries, that can block the rising security threats and keep the region moving in the right direction.

One proposed coalition, with high potential of success, is composed of Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Egypt, and Turkey. The new coalition, which is currently being formed, on a very slow pace though, could mitigate and control most of the strategic threats the region is currently facing or expected to face, in the future. That is mainly because of these countries’ strategic geographic locations, at the gates of the main three continents, as well as the complementary military and economic powers they have.

Fresh Blood in the Saudi Leadership

In face of the aforementioned complications, the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia is blessed by a young leader, Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, who understands the size of the challenge and is actively preparing himself and his country for it, despite the many obstacles thrown on his way by some western powers.

In a TV interview, in April 2021, the Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, discussed the most critical mission of developing the Kingdom’s economy, through the ambitious “Saudi 2030 Vision.” He admitted that this requires modernizing the Saudi society and changing the state system in a way that encourages foreign investment and opens Saudi Arabia to the world, without risking the country’s unique cultural heritage. But bravely, the Crown Prince said he is up to the mission that promises to modernize the entire Middle East region, not only Saudi Arabia or the Gulf countries.

In the interview, Prince Mohammed bin Salman discussed threats against the Saudi national security and the need to neutralize them, especially the threat posed by the Houthi militia and their backer Iran. The prince confirmed that his hands are always extended with peace for those who want peace, including Iran. At the same time, his country will continue to develop the military system and strengthen the army, which has already become among the five most powerful militaries in the Middle East region. According to Global Firepower ranking for 2022, Saudi Arabia comes in the fourth place after the strongest and oldest armies in the region: the Turkish, the Egyptian and the Iranian militaries.

Prince Mohammed bin Salman, also, discussed the most critical issue of developing the economy. For this to happen successfully, it should be accompanied by opening the Saudi society and changing the way the government and the political leadership system in the country works. That is not an easy mission. One of the most important features of the economic development that Saudi Arabia seeks to achieve by 2030, according to Prince Mohammed bin Salman, is openness to foreign investments and the development of tourist areas with a pure Saudi identity capable of attracting tourists from all over the world. This shall create more jobs that will help decrease unemployment. The prince confirmed that there is an urgent need to end the dependence of the Saudi economy on oil as the only source of income.

Since Prince Mohammed bin Salman took office, in 2017, he has been aware that his many ambitions for modernizing Saudi Arabia should be preceded by smashing a few idols that has tied Saudi Arabia down for a long time. The most challenging idols are eliminating extremism and empowering women to play an influential role in public life.

In November, the Crown Prince said in a public speech that “Saudi women in the past could not travel without a permit, could not attend sports shows and cultural events, could not drive a car, could not do a lot of work, and could not appear for their legal cases at court without a male guardian. Women suffered from that for decades. But today Saudi women are experiencing an unprecedented phase of empowerment. We have worked to empower Saudi women in the field of work and personal status, and today they are effectively a partner for the Saudi man in the development of our entire homeland without discrimination. I do not only address the issue of women driving cars, but also driving the development process, in the broadest sense. For example, the rate of women’s participation in the labor market doubled from 17% to 31%.”

On another note, the Crown Prince spoke about the phenomenon of extremism among Saudis and described it as “rampant”. He said: “We reached a stage in which we aim, in the best case, to coexist with this scourge, and eliminating extremism was not an option, nor was it possible to control it. In 2017, I promised to eliminate extremism immediately, and we have actually started a serious campaign to address the causes and address the phenomena. Within one year, we were able to eliminate an ideological project made over 40 years, and today extremism is no longer acceptable in the Kingdom, and it no longer appears on the surface”.

Let’s Embrace the Change!

Anyone in the Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman’s shoes would have preferred to build on what he found, without trying to change it. But, very bravely MBS decided to take the challenge of smashing the idols of extremism and freeing Saudi Arabia from the heavy burden that tied it down for centuries. Saudi Crown Prince’s efforts will not only benefit Saudi Arabia, but also the entire Middle East during this critical transition. This could be the end of the Middle East as we know it. But it will be the beginning of a stronger more stable and more powerful region, that can rely on its own feet to stand tall. The current reshuffling of political alliances and leading roles in the Middle East, based on pragmatic, rather than fiery and emotional, agendas may be the beginning of establishing long-term peace and stability in the ever-boiling region. Let’s not fear the change. Almost always, change leads to positive outcomes.

Article first appeared on Meemcenter.

Disclaimer: Views expressed by writers in this section are their own and do not reflect Milli Chronicle’s point-of-view.

Crown Prince reassured the Kingdom’s proactive efforts towards the stability and balance of the oil industry.

He also said that Saudi Arabia is committed to the OPEC+ agreement.

The two countries reviewed the bilateral ties and talked about innovative steps to enhance them in different areas.

Mohammed Bin Salman and Macron reviewed the latest Russian-Ukrainian crisis, and discussed about what measures can be taken in this regard to promote international peace and security.

Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman (MBS) wrote to BIE, “We live in an era of change, and we face an unprecedented need for humanity’s collective action”.

“It is clear that the whole world, as a collective, needs to work together to foresee the future and address, with its brightest minds, the challenges and opportunities that emanate from this change”, he added.

Crown Prince also highlighted Expo-2030 in Riyadh will coincide with the culmination of the Kingdom’s Vision-2030.

He said that, “World Expo 2030 will represent an extraordinary opportunity to share with the world our lessons from this unprecedented transformation”.

MBS emphasized that, “this vision represents the Kingdom’s ambitions for the future; a vision that aims to leverage the boundless energy of its youth to create a sustainable tomorrow for the benefit of future generations – in which all citizens advance their dreams, surpass their hopes, and go beyond their ambitions”.

Mr. Fahd Al-Rasheed, CEO of the Royal Commission for Riyadh City, delivered the letter in Paris to Dimitri Kerkentzes, Secretary General of the BIE.

Moreover, Royal Commission for Riyadh City (RCRC), which is chaired by MBS, will lead the Saudi bid for the World Expo 2030.

Expo 2030 is expected to take place from 1st October 2030 till 1st April 2031. The theme proposed by Saudi Arabia is “The era of change: Leading the planet to a foresighted tomorrow”.

Saudi Vision 2030 which was launched by MBS in 2016, is a strategic framework to reduce Saudi Arabia’s dependence on oil, and to diversify its economy. It also focuses on developing public service sectors such as health, education, infrastructure, recreation, and tourism.

The royal baby is fifth among the children of Crown Prince: three boys and two girls.

The news of the birth of Abdulaziz the Junior drew overwhelming response on Twitter from Saudis and non-Saudis who sent wishes and greetings to the Crown Prince.

A new royal baby born: Abdulaziz bin Mohammed bin Salman. God bless. #عبدالعزيز_بن_محمد_بن_سلمان

— Fadila Al Jaffal (@FadilaAlJaffal) April 17, 2021

ألف مبروووك ما جاكم سيدي ، أبقاكم الله ذخراً له ولنا وللوطن ???#محمد_بن_سلمان
#عبدالعزيز_بن_محمد_بن_سلمان pic.twitter.com/rCZbd3kh4t

— ياسر التويجري (@yasseraltwaijri) April 18, 2021

نبارك لكم سمو #ولي_العهد بقدوم #عبدالعزيز_بن_محمد_بن_سلمان جعله الله من مواليد الخير والسعادة.. pic.twitter.com/f8QXztddBR

— مبارك العصيمي (@mualosaimi) April 18, 2021

Congratulations to our beloved crown prince of #SaudiArabia Mohammed bin Salman #MBS for his newborn son Abdulaziz bin Mohammed!

May God make his son coolness of his eyes, and a future leader who’ll lead people to truth and victory! pic.twitter.com/YX8d6JgDTb

— Zahack Tanvir ??‍? (@zahacktanvir) April 17, 2021

this is so heart warming… https://t.co/1EgcC8ZE5T

— Sharon Collins (@usamabroad) April 17, 2021

#Saudi monarch @KingSalman holding his newborn grandson Abdulaziz bin Mohammed, the son of crown prince #MBS. Pictures of the newborn are just beginning to appear on Saudi timelines. https://t.co/L21F8xBUfj

— Ahmed Quraishi (@_AhmedQuraishi) April 17, 2021

Congratulations to HRH Crown Prince Mohammed Bin Salman and his lovely wife, Sara, on the birth of their son, Abdulaziz. May God grant him a healthy and happy life. ???? https://t.co/4V8A9TB295

— Annette (@orchardcitygal) April 17, 2021

I wish to extent our warmest congratulations to HRH Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman on the birth of his son Prince Abdulaziz. May the newborn baby and the proud parents be blessed with a healthy and happy life. #عبدالعزيز_بن_محمد_بن_سلمان ??

— Stavros Avgoustides (@SAvgoustides) April 17, 2021

Crown Prince MbS is hailed for his economic and social reforms in the Kingdom, and its strong reaction to tackle extremism.

Ghada Oueiss has used her journalist’s pen to draw bull’s eyes on our backs.

Ghada Oueiss is a liar.

Ghada dresses elegantly, never smiles or even shows any teeth, and sits authoritatively behind a news desk in Doha, Qatar, where she reads the teleprompter at Al Jazeera.

I don’t watch Al Jazeera.

I never heard of Ghada until a reporter asked how I felt about being named in a U.S. District Court Florida lawsuit as a “Saudi spy” who was involved in the murder of Jamal Khashoggi.

Huh?

It seemed like a crazy joke until the reporter said there was actually a lawsuit number, 1:20-cv-25022– and that I was personally named as a member of a shadowy, nefarious, evil-doing operation that Ghada calls “The Network” on pages 19 and 20 of her 93-page diatribe.

Ghada’s lawsuit claims that I and other Americans (whom I’ve never met) are in cahoots with a gang of Saudis (whom I’ve never met). Ghada swears that our secret plan was to murder Khashoggi in Turkey—a man I never heard of until he disappeared.

After orchestrating this devious murder, Ghada says, the USA Defendants, the Saudi gang and I then hacked Ghada’s phone and stole photographs of her lounging fetchingly in a jacuzzi in Qatar.

Ghada complains that tweeting and laughing about her jacuzzi photos is the first step to “murdering her like Khashoggi.” She also repeats, like a mantra, that we have “failed to register with the U.S. Department of Justice.” Ghada claims we are in violation of FARA—a U.S. law called the Foreign Agents Registration Act.

This same law was used to prosecute U.S. General Michael Flynn.

Did I mention that I had not the faintest idea who Ghada Oueiss is?

But I now know this with certainty: Ghada Oueiss is a liar.

I am not a Saudi spy, and I’m not likely to ever become one, either. But if I did, I certainly would not need Ghada to tell me to register myself with my own government.

So why would someone like me even come to Ghada’s busy attention?

My first thought was to question Ghada’s mental state. She seems kind of thin and hungry, dark and tense, and she never smiles, never shows her teeth.

My second thought was that Ghada is enraged because online, I say that I actually love Saudi Arabia. I spent two years there with my young son – first in Hail, and then in Riyadh. We had a spectacular time!

My dream was to return when women were able to drive, and take off in a Toyota Land Cruiser to see the places I’d missed before, and return to the places and people I loved.

There’s that dangerous “L” word—Love.

But the truth is that I love Saudi Arabia and its amazing, God-fearing, intriguing and resilient people.

I also wrote good things online about Saudi’s Crown Prince, Mohammed Bin Salman—MBS. I saw a photo in the news of MBS getting his Covid vaccination. He was wearing a muscle shirt, and I tweeted that I thought his physique looked “very buff.”

Somehow, loving KSA, admiring MBS’s reforms and his hunky biceps, and being friends with Saudis brought me onto Ghada’s radar—making her crazy with rage, and resulting in her falsely naming me as a Saudi spy.

The scary thing about being accused of being a spy is that spies are the one group in international law who have no protection—no real human rights.

Spy flicks show spies being gunned down on dark streets, on subways, in restaurants and the like. These movies may be fiction, but that spies can be murdered everywhere and anywhere they are found is the truth.

Israel’s Mossad turned it into an art.

By falsely declaring me and the USA Defendants to be “agents” spies—for Saudi Arabia, Ghada Oueiss has used her journalist’s pen to draw bull’s eyes on our backs.

Did I mention that Ghada Oueiss is a liar?

Ghada has now falsely implicated many people who are apparently guilty of some crime Ghada imagines, like “being friends with Saudis.” Her aim is to destroy two men she clearly despises—MBS and MBZ, the Crown Prince of the United Arab Emirates—another man I’ve never met and frankly never thought about until Ghada accused us of all being in league to commit murder, mayhem, and then steal and laugh at photos of Ghada lounging fetchingly in a jacuzzi.

I don’t know much about MBZ. I’ve never seen him wearing a muscle shirt while getting vaccinated. But his masculine beard hints that, underneath those robes, he might have a buff physique and biceps that I’d tweet admiringly about.

Will admiring MBZ’s biceps make Ghada accuse me of spying for the UAE?

But now we understand why Ghada invented “The Network.” Ghada is a Lebanese national, married to a French national, and both live in Qatar. She likely has no legal standing to sue MBS (a Saudi) and MBZ (an Emirati) in a Miami, Florida federal court.

Ghada needs defendants who reside in Miami, Florida in order to bring her lawsuit there. Two of the USA Defendants live in Miami, Florida—which is why Ghada made them defendants in her lawsuit. Ghada complains that these two Americans joked about eating dinner at the Olive Garden Restaurant in Miami, so now, Ghada no longer feels safe in Miami—even though she lives in Qatar.

Yes—Ghada actually wrote that in her Complaint to the Court.

Apparently, eating spaghetti and unlimited salad and breadsticks is a terrifying amount of food for Ghada to even imagine. In Ghada’s hungry imagination, people who eat spaghetti and unlimited salad and breadsticks at the Olive Garden plot the murders of journalists they have never met or even heard of, in order to steal photographs of Ghada (a news reader we’ve never met) in a jacuzzi, located in a place we’ve never been.

But it’s not enough for Ghada to lie in order to get into a Florida federal court. She also needs to fling her net of falsehoods wide to “prove” that “The Network” exists, and so she includes people like me and others who live in different U.S. states and, from time to time, say, “Wow! MBS has sexy biceps!”

I never heard of Ghada until a reporter asked how I felt about being named in a U.S. District Court Florida lawsuit as a “Saudi spy” who was involved in the murder of Jamal Khashoggi.

But now, I know for sure who Ghada Oueiss is.

Ghada Oueiss is a liar.

And her lies about spies—so far unchecked in the many internet articles—just might get us all killed.

Sarah Whalen has a J.D. from New York Law School, an M.A. degree in history from New York University, and an Ll.M. from Temple University School of Law.

Disclaimer: Views expressed by writers in this section are their own and do not reflect Milli Chronicle’s point-of-view.

The young Crown Prince came to us, who understood us and knew what we want and what our dreams are as Saudi women and Saudis.

We Saudis at home offer love to the world, but the Western world in particular does not understand us, and unfortunately, it does not believe us. It is unbelievable that we are blessed with the security that a person dreams of, that we walk in the streets without the sounds of bullets, our children sleep without worry, and we spend our time in peace, that our country is in safe hands, and our natural rights are available.

We in Saudi Arabia, as other countries have schools, hospitals, public facilities, and prisons as well. Like all countries of the world, the good citizen goes to his affairs. That is why the law came into existence. This is what happens in all the world. But they do not believe! Ask any citizen or resident, have you been arrested while you are going to work? Or are you looking for sustenance for your children?

We in Saudi Arabia live in a state of harmony that the West does not understand, between the citizen and the leaders of his country, an unwritten, implicit, inherited state that runs in blood that cannot be subject to scientific justification or theorizing. So the young Crown Prince came to us, who understood us and knew what we want and what our dreams are as Saudi women and Saudis. So we loved him above love. Do they understand?

Whoever wants to hear the truth about human rights in any country, let him take it from the people, not from those fleeing because of their weight! There are no haters, lost, and do not know what they want! It is not sick in their minds. Take it from a woman who drives her car to work peacefully, take it from a happy father who returns to his family every day, take it from a safe child in the neighborhood park

There are two pictures of Saudi Arabia, one inside, and the other outside. The distance between them is like the distance between Heaven and Hell. I do not need to point my finger at those who have tarnished us. But what matters to me is that every Saudi and resident knows that he is in a country that respects the right to existence, belief, life, and money.

Kauser Al-Arbash is a member of the Shura Council, member of the Board of Trustees of the King Abdulaziz Center for National Dialogue, and Opinion Writer. She tweets under @KowtherMusa.

Saudi Arabia’s foreign ministry officially dismissed what it called the “negative, false and unacceptable assessment in the report pertaining to the kingdom’s leadership”.

The ministry added that those responsible for the “heinous murder” had been tried in Saudi courts and that “justice was served.”

Kingdom has firmly denied any involvement by the crown prince, also known as MbS.

Political commentators and activists took to the social media to defend the crown prince, King Salman’s son.

#كلنا_محمد_بن_سلمان#AllOfUsMBS
Yes this is USA the country of freedom and humanity!?
Take care about the US people not the Saudis!?pic.twitter.com/HQ6c3OScoE

— ليثبكت يونقي|المنشن خربان (@RAHAFYOONGI) February 27, 2021

#ALL_OF_US_MBS#AllOfUsMBS
Neither the US government nor the entire world can ever understand how strong is the relationship between the crown prince and his people we support him defend him from all our heart.he’s our present our future and our destiny #الاستخبارات_الأمريكية ?? pic.twitter.com/wtgTBVVKgF

— (@Garam_3) February 27, 2021

We stand in support of #SaudiArabia and #MBS. We wish him all the best for his #Vision2030. We firmly believe that his caravan will move forward with success and stability, and no slander and false accusation can ever stop him!#كلنا_محمد_بن_سلمان#AllOfUsMBS pic.twitter.com/yj8Rq4tQl9

— Zahack Tanvir ? (@zahacktanvir) February 27, 2021

Ali Shihabi, former head of the Arabia Foundation in Washington said, there was nothing in the report that had not been said before and “absolutely no smoking gun.”

“Extraordinary that all this hype is made about this document… This thin ‘report’ is actually evidence that no hard proof exists against MBS,” Shihabi tweeted.

Abdulrahman al-Rashed, a Saudi columnist said “… and it is stated in the report: It is not certain that the accused team was on a journey to get rid of Khashoggi.”

He too said there was “no smoking gun.”

Saudi Arabia’s semi-official newspaper published, “The nation is fortified”, on the front page of its weekend edition, with a large picture of the crown prince smiling.

“The Biden administration will soon realize that the complex issues of the region will not find a solution, except through a new and exceptional agreement with its partners in the region that includes holding Tehran accountable,” Okaz said.

Khashoggi was murdered on October 2, 2018 in a rogue operation in Istanbul when he entered Saudi Consulate for a formal paper-work.

The left groups implicated that Saudi crown prince was personally involved in the murder. However, Khashoggi’s son Salah Khashoggi tweeted on September 20, 2019 that enemies of Saudi Arabia in the east and west are exploiting his father’s death in order to undermine Saudi Arabia and its leadership.