King Abdullah’s succession plan for Saudi Arabia’s aging leadership may be his most important legacy at a time of multiple crises in the Middle East, says expert Rachel Bronson.

Despite last week’s fence-mending meeting between President Obama and King Abdullah, serious differences over policy regarding Iran, Syria, and Egypt remain between the United States and Saudi Arabia…

The country’s instability should not be viewed as a simple push for democratic reforms, and the outcome has implications for Iran’s role in the region, says CFR’s Ed Husain.

Major democracies have an obligation to assist local civil society in countries where popular demands for reform have not been met, says expert Mark P. Lagon.