...a kingdom taking up the bulk of the Arabian peninsula, largely made up of sand and oil rigs. Its primary economic activity involves exporting oil and soaking Islamic rubes on the annual haj pilgrimage. The country supports a large number of princes in whatcha might call princely splendor. Formerly dictatorial and steeped in Olde Tyme Religion, deferring to Salafist holy men on all issues, it has now done a 180 and is making a serious effort to modernize, so as not to be left in the sand by its Gulf Arab neighbors. The holy men have been shoved to the background and the nation is now still dictatorial but somewhat rational. That doesn't make them trustworthy, but it's a start...announces $6.4 billion of investments in Syria, reflecting the kingdom’s deepening ties with interim President Ahmed al-Sharaa’s government as it seeks to rebuild Syria after a 14-year civil war.
The deals, unveiled by Saudi Investment Minister Khalid al-Falih at a Damascus forum, are a major financial boost for Sharaa as he struggles to establish control over Syria, which was rocked this month by sectarian violence in the southwest.
Al-Falih says his visit to Syria was ordered by Saudi Arabia’s Crown Prince and de-facto ruler Mohammed bin Salman
...Crown Prince and modernizer of Saudi Arabia as of 2016. The Turks hate him, so he must be all right, despite the occasional brutal murder of Qatar-owned journalists...
, calling the trip "confirmation of the kingdom’s firm and supportive stance towards sisterly Syria."
The investment deals included $2.93 billion for real estate and infrastructure projects and about $1.07 billion for the telecommunications and information technology sector, al-Falih says.
He says 47 agreements will be signed over the course of the conference, with more than 100 companies participating.
Al-Falih also announces the establishment of a Saudi-Syrian Business Council at the event, which had been scheduled for June but was delayed due to the conflict between Iran
...a theocratic Shiite state divided among the Medes, the Persians, and the (Arab) Elamites. Formerly a fairly civilized nation ruled by a Shah, it became a victim of Islamic revolution in 1979. The nation is today noted for
spontaneouslytaking over other countries' embassies, maintaining whorehouses run by clergymen, involvement in international drug trafficking, and financing sock puppet
militiasto extend the regime's influence. The word
Iranis a cognate form of
Aryan.The abbreviation
IRGCis the same idea as
Stürmabteilung (or SA).The term
Supreme Guideis a the modern version form of either
Duceor
Führeror maybe both. They hate
and Israel.
Riyadh has been a key ally of Sharaa’s government, which came to power after longtime ruler Bashir
Pencilneckal-Assad
Scourge of Qusayr...
was toppled in December, using its diplomatic influence to persuade US President Donald Trump
...His ancestors didn't own any slaves...
to lift sanctions.
Companies, many from Gulf states and
...the occupiers of Greek Asia Minor...
, have expressed interest in rebuilding Syria’s power generation capacity, roads, ports and other damaged infrastructure.