Subject leadership and the topic about king abdullah the king of saudi arabia - Research Paper Example

Saudi Arabia is one of the lucky countries in the Middle East since it has escaped many tribulations that are normally associated with other countries such as Afghanistan, Palestine and Iraq. However, the country is not where it is today through simple luck. Much of the credit for getting where the country is today goes to the leader himself, King Abdullah. It is impossible to talk about the all that King Abdullah has achieved as a national and international leader without touching on his leadership qualities (Sobhani 12).

When King Abdullah came to the throne, he inherited a country that was sharply divided into two between the radical fundamentalists and liberal modernizers and reformists. Adaptability/flexibilityis one of King Abdullah’s strengths that have seen him lead the Saudis to their present prosperity, even when they are surrounded by politically and economically unstable economies. King Abdullah was able to adapt to the sweeping change around him a fact that enabled him to keep his country together (24).

He was also able to adopt western technology in order to enhance the quality of life of Saudis. The King flexible nature has seen him enhance the rights of women and children in a society where women re not worth much (Reed and Lange 109). It is common to find in many cases that women in the Arab world are normally forced to take a backseat in every aspect of life. However, due to the King’s flexibility and open-mindedness, the women in Saudi Arabia are able to enjoy the same previledges as men.

This has seen many females get access to education and political opportunities, something that was almost unheard of before (Reed and Lange 102). Any good leader must chow assertiveness in everything he does. By being assertive a leader is able to offer strong leadership even in the face of hardships and upheavals. In a country that has many desponded voices, a certain level of assertive leadership is necessary to ensure that things do not boil over to a level where it might become difficult to contain.

King Abdullah’s assertiveness has enabled him to keep extremists such as Al-Qaeda and the Taliban outside his country’s borders. The king’s assertive nature has also seen him approach the issue of development with a strong hand which has endeared him to his countrymen and to the international community at large (Sobhani 33). Although he has opened up his country to develop using western aid and technology, King Abdullah ahs had the foresight to be assertive enough to retain the sovereignty of Saudi Arabia.

Many Arab world countries have fallen to the pressures of the west due to weak leadership that is normally devoid of assertiveness. King Abdullah is also selfless and compassionate. He is one individual who has the capacity to put aside his interests so that he can serve other people. Whenever there is a problem in any of the neighboring countries, King Abdullah is normally the first out there offering whatever kind of help is available at the time. Many times, the king has used his position as the Saudi King to engage in constructive talks among difference nations in order to bring about peace and understanding (Oxford Business Group 93).

King Abdullah is not a despot King like many would like to believe. Since he came to the throne, Saudi Arabia has developed into one of the most vibrant democracies in the Arab world