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A comment on Saudi Arabia and Iran: The Cold War of Islam. Parent comment

Re:Saudi Arabia and Iran: The Cold War of Islam by welanes on Tuesday May 10, 2016 @11:52AM (#11668100)
A critical but oft overlooked piece of Saudi history is the seizure of the Grand Mosque in Mecca and its consequences:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Grand_Mosque_seizure#Policies

The Royal family essentially entered into a Faustian pact with the religious fundamentalists who've held massive sway over the country ever since. (Not unlike The Sparrows in GOT).

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Re:Saudi Arabia and Iran: The Cold War of Islam by Apocryphon on Tuesday May 10, 2016 @12:30PM (#11668421)
Of course, religion never exists in a social vacuum. The Sparrows, at least in the books, came to power with support of the common people who were sick of the depredations of turmoil caused by fighting between the noble houses. So what empowers the fundamentalists, beyond moral authority?
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