Saudi state television preceded the announcement with a cut to programming of Koranic verses, often used to indicate the death of a royal family member. Initial announcements of the king's death were denied by journalists and a member of the royal family on Twitter.
Oil-rich Saudi Arabia is a key U.S. ally, though it's often been accused of supporting some of the most notorious Islamist terrorist organizations, including the Taliban and ISIL.
Abdullah was lauded by many as a reformer in the context of conservative Saudi Arabian society, citing the investment of the country’s oil-derived riches in education and infrastructure programs. He brought Saudi Arabia into the World Trade Organization as part of an opening of this country’s markets. However, women still lack basic freedoms such as the ability to drive, voting takes place in municipal elections only, political parties of all stripes are banned, and public beheadings by sword are still a standard part of the judicial system.
King Abdullah assumed the throne in 2005 and was the sixth king in the history of the nation. He officially came to power after the death of his brother, King Fahd, though he had been a de facto leader since Fahd’s stroke in 1995.
Prince Salman bin Abdulaziz, Abdullah’s 79-year-old half brother, has been named king, and Prince Muqrin, 69, became Crown Prince and is next in line after Salman's accession, according to state television reports.
While Abdullah spoke of religious tolerance, met with faith leaders like Pope Benedict XVI, presented a peace plan for Israel and even oversaw an opening up of the country to some tourism, he did not bring change to the underlying political structure of the country, which remains an absolute monarchy under Sharia law. All power ultimately lays with the House of Saud, in conjunction with the orthodox Wahhabi religious establishment.
Both Salman and Muqrin are seen as just as conservative as Abdullah, if not moreso.
Despite strong ties with Islamist movements around the world and a troubling human rights record, Saudi Arabia was spared harsh criticism in Washington reserved for some of the kingdom's neighbors. This was perhaps most clearly demonstrated when the US government classified a significant part of a bipartisan congressional 9/11 report, indicating that part of the financing for the terrorist attacks came from the Saudi government. Despite numerous attempts to declassify those 28 pages, both the Bush and Obama administrations refused to do it on national security grounds.
Just recently the State Department came under criticism from journalists after refusing to take measures beyond expressing disagreement over the prosecution of Saudi blogger Raif Badawi, who was sentenced to 1000 lashes for criticizing Islam.
Following the news of Abdullah's death, President Barack Obama released a statement expressing condolences:
"As a leader, he was always candid and had the courage of his convictions. One of those convictions was his steadfast and passionate belief in the importance of the U.S.-Saudi relationship as a force for stability and security in the Middle East and beyond. The closeness and strength of the partnership between our two countries is part of King Abdullah's legacy."
Saudi Arabia controls 20% of the world's oil reserves.
