Thanks to Abdulateef Al-Mulhim for his article, “Saudi stability and royal succession.” (Feb. 22)

It is a mystery why some people apparently 'have it in' for the Kingdom and resent its every success. Even some Middle Eastern commenters seem to grind their teeth at every Saudi success and rejoice at any misfortune.

Why would that be so? Do they know?

Since 1932, Saudi Arabia has been an island of stability in a world of trouble. No World War ll in KSA, no Korean War in KSA, no Vietnam War in KSA, no apartheid regime in KSA, and no massive crime-ridden society (yes, like anywhere in the world, there is some amount of crime in KSA, but much less so, if you accept UN and other organizations' statistics), no high AIDS rate in KSA (one of the lowest in the world) — and, a modernizing society and thriving economy have been the case there for a few decades now.

Of course, there will always be problems which crop up from time to time, but if people are going to argue that Saudi Arabia is doing it all wrong, then they won't get much in the way of supporting facts and statistics from recognized and reputable organizations worldwide. (Because there aren't many statistics which could be twisted around to support a negative view of KSA's progress, which has been well-researched.)

Facts, people, are amazing things. You should try using them before making up your opinions. It saves embarrassment later. I enjoyed reading his fine column. — John Brian Shannon, By email