Saturday, February 12, 2011

Rumors About King Abdullah of Saudi Arabia Unfounded

By Douglas V. Gibbs

Rumors began to swirl around that King Abdullah of Saudi Arabia died earlier this week. No official announcement was made regarding the King's health, so the rumors intensified. Many believed it was because of the quickly changing events in Egypt and the growing instability in the Middle East that delayed any Saudi announcements regarding King Abdullah's health.

The King of Saudi Arabia did undergo surgery, and he is currently in Morocco, where he is convalescing after surgery in the United States. The Saudi Embassy in Morocco has denied rumors that the Saudi monarch has died.

The stir first arose when the Islam Times published an article that reported King Abdullah had died of a heart attack the previous day after a heated telephone debate with President Barack Obama on the strife in Egypt.

The London Times reported Obama and King Abdullah had a "testy, personal" telephone call, and in that conversation the king had threatened to bankroll the Egyptian regime if the US withdrew its aid.

King Abdullah actually had surgery for a debilitating herniated disc complicated by a hematoma that put pressure on his spine. He came out of the surgery successfully.

-- Political Pistachio Conservative News and Commentary

Saudi embassy dismisses rumours about king's health - AFP/Yahoo News

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