It is the Wahabis, imho, who may be stirring up passions over this. They are the extremists, and also a threat to the Royals. One could easily blame the Royals for not taking steps against the Wahabis sooner, but they are taking steps now, and in fact may be the west's best hope of restraining the influence of the religious extremists in Saudi Arabia. If the House of Saud were to fall, what we would see in it's place would be far worse, both for the Saudis and the rest of the world.
I read a while ago that they (Saudi Royals) are trying to wean their country away from the influence of the Wahabi clerics. In fact, they broadcast a program on Saudi national tv not long ago encouraging more moderate beliefs. They may have to go somewhat slowly in this effort due to the influence of the clerics on the citizenry. The Wahabi clerics hold tremendous power, which they do not want to lose.
There is also an effort by the Saudi government to reduce extremism in the school system. Many DUers will probably be surprised to read this:
Public Debate in Saudi Arabia on Extremism in the School System
January 4, 2005
memri
Recently, some senior Saudi education officials have called for a ban on the dissemination of extremist views in schools, and launched activities to increase teacher awareness of the issue. At the same time, education ministry officials, editors, columnists and TV critics insist that the Saudi government is not doing enough to eradicate extremism in the schools. The following are excerpts from discussions about the issue:
New Guidelines for the Educational System as School Begins
With the beginning of the Saudi school year in September 2004, senior Saudi officials called upon teachers not to disseminate extremist views among their pupils, and warned that any teacher found doing so would be fired.
On September 5, 2004, Crown Prince Abdallah bin Abd Al-'Aziz told senior education officials: "Watch your teachers. We want to serve the religion and the homeland, not terrorism..."(1)
..."Criminal deeds are the result of criminal thoughts... Teachers must understand the great difference between the teacher and the mufti. They must teach the pupils, in the best possible way, what is in the curricula, without issuing religious rulings and without deviating from the curriculum and force-feeding the pupils with issues that have nothing to do with them...
...On another occasion, Al-Rashid said that: "the Education Minister will in no way accept a teacher who holds misguided views that influence the younger generation,"(3) and that "any element implementing an extremist policy will be uprooted from the educational system."(4)
...Tabouk District Governor Prince Fahd bin Sultan said in a September 12, 2004 speech to members of the Tabouk Educational Council: "The teachers are responsible for preserving the way of thought of the young generation at the beginning of its crystallization... It is unacceptable for one of us to disseminate extremism, fanaticism, terrorism, and apostasy. We must not allow anyone who identifies with the group holding a dangerous and deviant view to among us... The weapon to which we must cling in fighting the deviant view is faultless adherence to faith, free of extremism." In his speech, he also called upon teachers to encourage the pupils to implement the principle of dialogue and to accept the view of the "other."(6)
http://www.freemuslims.org/news/article.php?article=298 We in the west understand very little of the inner political workings of the middle east and of Islam. Be wary of what you read.