To understand Saudi Arabia鈥檚 abrupt decision to revolt against Canada over a tweet, experts say it鈥檚 important to understand the kingdom鈥檚 aggressive 鈥� and often perplexing 鈥� future leader.
At 32 years old, Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman has been described as a powerful force of change looking to introduce modern ideas to Saudi Arabia.
The prince earned international notice in June when Saudi Arabia lifted its ban on women driving cars. He also scrapped a 35-year ban on cinemas, met Queen Elizabeth II at Buckingham Palace and once described his vision for the kingdom鈥檚 future as 鈥渢he next Europe.鈥�
The prince鈥檚 youthful approach has won over a large contingent of young Saudi supporters, particularly online, where he is colloquially known as MBS.
He鈥檚 the youngest defence minister in the world and serves as the kingdom鈥檚 deputy prime minister. One day, he鈥檒l take over the throne from his father, King Salman.
But bin Salman鈥檚 reputation as a forward-thinker is hardly spotless.
Hours after the driving ban was lifted, women鈥檚 rights activists who supported the change were arrested. Bin Salman has also led the charge for the war in Yemen, where Saudi-led coalition air attacks have been responsible for nearly two-thirds of civilian deaths, according to the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights.
The arrests prompted immediate confusion. Why arrest activists who support your policy? Steven Cook, who has authored several books about Middle Eastern politics, says the move was meant to send a clear message.
鈥淭o warn those within Saudi Arabia that the only reform is the reform that is defined by the crown prince. It鈥檚 to say there can be no dissent,鈥� Cook told 麻豆影视.
The nation鈥檚 latest retaliation stems from sent last Friday, that called for the immediate release of imprisoned women鈥檚 rights activists.
Saudi Arabia lashed back by expelling Canada鈥檚 ambassador, pulling its own ambassador, suspending trade, ordering thousands of students and medical trainees to return to the Middle Eastern nation and suspending Saudi state flights to Toronto.
Some see picking a fight with Canada as bin Salman鈥檚 way of sending a message to other countries thinking of questioning Saudi Arabia鈥檚 domestic affairs.
If that鈥檚 the case, Cook says it鈥檚 an odd tactic.
鈥淭o try to intimidate a country like Canada, quite frankly, seems like a bizarre way of going about it,鈥� he said.
The real reason behind the move, Cook suggests, is fear. In Cook suggested that Saudi leadership understands that there is a gap between 鈥渢he stories the government is telling its citizens about how good life is under its benevolent leaders and how people are actually experiencing it.鈥�
If Saudi leadership wasn鈥檛 intimidated by women鈥檚 rights protesters -- and, by extension, Canada鈥檚 support for their freedom -- there would be little reason to revolt, Cook says.
鈥淭he Saudis are essentially whipping up national sentiment against Canada because the royal court feels weak,鈥� he said.
Former Liberal foreign affairs minister Lloyd Axworthy says that, ever since the Second World War, Canada has been a leader when it comes to upholding the international rules-based order. Speaking out against human rights abuses, he says, is 鈥渘ot a new role for Canada.鈥�
鈥淚 think what is different is that the over-the-top, berserk reactions of the Saudis,鈥� Axworthy told 麻豆影视 Channel on Wednesday.
When it comes to bin Salman鈥檚 aggressive tactics, Axworthy questioned whether the young leader is 鈥渒ind of losing it.鈥� He equated bin Salman鈥檚 approach to a public relations campaign that does little to modernize his country.
鈥淚 think the crown prince has come in with a great fanfare about being a new reformer, a new age, new generation Saudi leader, but he and his father have actually been engaged in some of the worst kind of abuses, including executions, including imprisonment of anybody who has any dissenting point of view,鈥� he said.
Some observers have suggested that Saudi Arabia may be following U.S. President Donald Trump鈥檚 example and bashing Prime Minister Justin Trudeau because he embodies the opposite end of the political spectrum. Trump called Trudeau 鈥渨eak鈥� after the prime minster said Canada won鈥檛 be pushed around by the U.S. on trade following a tumultuous G7 summit in Quebec.
For what it鈥檚 worth, Cook isn鈥檛 convinced that Trump has anything to do with the kingdom鈥檚 abrasive reaction.
鈥淭he Saudis would be doing this regardless of who鈥檚 in the White House,鈥� he said.
Saudi Arabia鈥檚 poor record on human rights is regularly scrutinized. Homosexuality is still punishable by death in the kingdom, and Saudi Arabia consistently ranks among the world鈥檚 least free nations, Amnesty International has pointed out that activists who鈥檝e spoken out against the kingdom have been silenced with the death penalty.
With a report from CTV鈥檚 London Bureau Chief Paul Workman and The Associated Press
