Bangkok--Nov 3--Francom Asia
Airtimes:
Saturday November 6 at 20:00
Sunday November 7 at 12:00 and 18:00 (replays)
Deep oil reserves, the birthplace of Islam and a strong American ally are three of the cornerstones of Saudi Arabia’s position in the world. In the CNN PRESENTS ‘KINGDOM ON THE BRINK’ documentary, CNN’s senior international correspondent Nic Robertson explores whether Saudi Arabia is on the verge of collapse as it tries to retain its central role in the region, while facing outside pressure and internal unrest. The chaos in neighboring Iraq, together with the recent terror attacks inside Saudi Arabia are all potentially fueling a new and stronger al Qaeda inside the birthplace of Islam.
Robertson, a regular visitor to Saudi Arabia in the past 12 months, has covered al Qaeda’s increased terror attacks and the beheading of American engineer Paul Johnson. In KINGDOM ON THE BRINK, he takes a deeper look at the terrorists and how their militant brand of Islam is fueled by the Wahabbi religious teachings from Saudi clerics.
Robertson interviews a number of Saudis, including Prince Alwaleed bin Talal, one of the world’s richest men and a leading proponent of reforming Saudi Arabia’s closed society. Other Saudis profiled include Osama bin Laden’s brother-in-law, who discusses his failed attempts in persuading his former best friend Bin Laden to renounce his terrorist ways. Robertson also talks to former militants who are now working to change Saudi society peacefully and bring an end to the violence.
From a young factory worker who talks openly about the rising problem of drug abuse in the country, a businesswoman trying to challenge the established order by running as the first woman in municipal elections, to a Jeddah-based ad executive who visits Ground Zero in New York to understand the American perspective on its war on terrorism, Robertson takes International viewers inside this closed society and offers an insight into the huge challenges facing the House of Saudi.
AIRTIMES AND GUESTS ARE SUBJECT TO CHANGE
Click for photo release at www.thaipr.net End.