King Abdullah

King Abdullah is the king of Saudi Arabia. He officially assumed the throne on August 1, 2005, though he had been acting regent of Saudi Arabia since January 1, 1996, when his half brother, King Fahd, suffered a massive stroke. King Abdullah is a follower of the Salafi school of Sunni Islam, a practice commonly known as Wahhabism. In March, 2008, King Abdullah made an unprecedented call for an inter-faith dialog between various leaders of Islam, Judaism, and Christianity. The King has been a longtime ally of the United States and has encouraged foreigners to live and work in Saudi Arabia. This has motivated several terrorists attacks against the country, to which King Abdullah has responded by launching a large-scale anti-terrorism campaign. King Abdullah has been criticized for his harsh treatment of some religious minorities and also for discriminatory policies against women and homosexuals.

King Abdullah visited the Mayo Clinic in Minnesota on November 15th for a check up. He arrived with a royal entourage of several hundred, including at least five princes. It is estimated that the royal family spent up to $1.5 million, which should help offset the areas current economic problems.Associated Press: Saudi royals shot in arm for home of Mayo Clinic