Saudi King Tries to Pre-empt Unrest with $36 Billion Carrot

Seeking to head-off the sort of unrest that has toppled governments in Tunisia and Egypt while threatening others, Saudi Arabia’s King Abdullah is mounting a pre-emptive economic carrot before he, too, is forced to break out the stick. In addition to releasing debtors who are in jail, the king is offering benefits to the unemployed and financial aid for students along with a 15% increase in the salaries of public employees according to sources in Saudi Arabia. The package will cost about $36 billion. The monarch has also pledged to spend $400 billion through 2014 to improve education, infrastructure and healthcare.  Abdullah’s proposal as it presently stands appears to be lacking the component of political and judicial reforms being demanded by his subjects.