Named after the ruling Al Saud family, Saudi Arabia was established in 1932 by King Abd-al-Aziz, during the 20th century successive kings have been able to concentrate on modernisation and on developing the country's role as a regional power.
It has always been in the ruling family's interests to preserve stability in the region and to clamp down on extremist elements. To this end, it welcomed the stationing of US troops in the country after Iraq's invasion of Kuwait in 1990.
But the leadership's refusal to tolerate any kind of opposition may have encouraged the growth of dissident groups such...