University of Bucharest
Faculty of Political Science
English Section – sophomore
Subject: International Relations
Instructor: Ruxandra Ivan
Student: Doru Frantescu





Political Islam and Democracy – An International Relations Perspective



Case Study: Saudi Arabia – Playing at Both Ends




Topics:


The Concept of Political Islam
The House of Saud
A Moment of Choice: the Golf War of 1990-1991
Religious Opposition - The Saudi Ulema
Ideological Point of View: The Holly War
Saudi Arabia’s Relations with Other Countries
Saudi Arabia’s Special Relations with the United States
Conclusions









The Concept of Political Islam

Political Islam is a concept that defines the way in which Islamic religion is influencing politics in Islamic states. In this study I aim to establish to what extent the Islamic-thinking affects politics and especially Saudi Arabia’s internal and foreign policy. In order to do that, we need to know how powerful the Islamic ideology is in this particular country.
The population of Saudi Arabia is 90% Muslim Arab of the Wahhabi sect (a branch of Sunni Islam), although there is a small percentage of Shiites, mainly in the Northeast. Islam is the only officially recognized religion, and other faiths are not publicly tolerated.
The states resulted after the First World War were cursed to have a very harsh life. The geographic delimitation was mainly the result of the arbitrary division according to foreign interests. Twentieth Century’s Middle East is, in reality, an Anglo-French creation and had little to do with the dynamics of that specific region.

The House of Saud

As the Ottoman Empire dissolved after World War I, Ibn Saud of the House of Saud worked quickly to consolidate his family's power over the Arabian Peninsula. Ibn was a despot of old type. He was aided materially by the British who were interested in destroying the Ottomans. Ibn Saud gave birth to a modern and powerful dynasty by having numerous children with his many wives. Toda