New Saudi king vows no abrupt policy shifts

As Saudis gathered Friday to the mourn the death of King Abdullah, his half-brother and handpicked successor, Crown Prince Salman, moved quickly to establish himself as the new king, name his own successor and promise a smooth transition.

King Abdullah bin Abdul Aziz, who was hospitalized with pneumonia in December, died early Friday at the age of 90.

Salman, the 79-year-old former defense minister, was enthroned as king under a long-standing agreement among the royal family that controls the country. Abdullah's half-brother Moqren was named crown prince.

King Salman promised in a nationally televised speech to continue the policies of his predecessors.

"We will continue adhering to the correct policies which Saudi Arabia has followed since its establishment," he said.

But he also made passing reference to the chaos and unrest plaguing parts of the Middle East from Islamic State militants who hold a third of Iraq and Syria.

"The Arab and the Islamic nations are in dire need of solidarity and cohesion," the king said.

For more than six decades, power has passed among the sons of King Abdul-Aziz, from brother to brother, since his death in 1953. But ranks of that generation, largely in their 70s and 80s, are thinning.

After Mogren, Salman named Interior Minister Prince Mohammed bin Nayef as deputy crown prince, making him second-in-line to the throne. Mohammed is the first grandson of Saudi Arabia's founder, King Abdul-Aziz Al Saud, to be named as a future heir.

Abdullah, the force behind OPEC and a U.S. ally in the fight against al-Qaeda, came to power in 2005 after his half-brother King Fahd died. But he had been the kingdom's de facto ruler since a stroke incapacitated his brother 10 years earlier.

President Obama said in a statement it was "with deep respect that I express my personal condolences and the sympathies of the American people" to the king's family and all Saudis.

He noted that the king's life "spanned from before the birth of modern Saudi Arabia through its emergence as a critical force within the global economy and a leader among Arab and Islamic nations. He took bold steps in advancing the Arab Peace Initiative, an endeavor that will outlive him as an enduring contribution to the search for peace in the region."

Obama said he always valued Abdullah's perspective "and appreciated our genuine and warm friendship. As a leader, he was always candid and had the courage of his convictions. "

Vice President Joe Biden will lead a presidential delegation to Saudi Arabia to offer condolences and pay respect to Abdullah's family and the country, he announced on Twitter.

Secretary of State John Kerry said the United States had "lost a friend" with Abdullah's death. He commended the king for investing in Saudi Arabia's people, infrastructure and economic development.

"Even as he battled age and illness, he held on to his sense of determination," Kerry said in a statement. "He was so proud of the Kingdom's journey, a brave partner in fighting violent extremism who proved just as important as a proponent of peace."

Former President George H. W. Bush said he was "deeply saddened to learn of the passing of my dear friend and partner King Abdullah."

He called the monarch "a wise and reliable ally, helping our nations build on a strategic relationship and enduring friendship."

"Of course, following the invasion of Kuwait, I will never forget the way Saudi Arabia and the United States stood together against a common foe — marking a moment of unparalleled cooperation between two great nations."

Abdullah was known for having tried to modernize the ultraconservative Muslim kingdom, including small but important steps to create more opportunities for women. Obama noted that his "vision" was "dedicated to the education of his people and to greater engagement with the world."

He was no advocate for democracy, however. He and his fellow Sunni Muslim monarchs saw popular uprisings as threats to their lock on power, and they fought to keep the "Arab Spring" from reaching the Gulf.

His biggest focus was limiting the influence of Saudi Arabia's main Middle East rival, mainly Shiite Iran. Abdullah also maneuvered to keep the radical Islamic State from posing a direct threat to the House of Saud.

The king had known and dealt with many Americans since 1962, when he was named head of Saudi Arabia's National Guard, an internal security force largely equipped and trained by the United States.

But as the Custodian of the two Holy Mosques — his official title — he often pushed back against Washington, earning him a reputation of being less pro-American than his predecessors. Saudi experts said it was undeserved.

"His reputation as anti-American is absolutely untrue,'' the late James Akins, a former U.S. ambassador to Riyadh, once said.

Years ago, another diplomat said Abdullah reminded him of Spencer Tracy in his gruffness, shrewdness and sense of fun. He enjoyed a good story. Saudis called him "Our Abdullah.'' Abdullah means "servant of God" in Arabic.

Abdullah was born in Riyadh in 1924, one of the 49 sons of Saudi Arabia's founder, King Abdul-Aziz Al Saud. But he was the only son the king fathered with Abdullah's mother, who was from a Bedouin tribe.

The king's death leaves Queen Elizabeth II, 88, as the world's oldest-living monarch. Next month she hits her 63rd anniversary on the throne, and on Sept. 10 she will pass Queen Victoria as the longest-reigning British monarch. Victoria is her great-great grandmother.

Contributing: Barbara Slavin and Jessica Estepa, USA TODAY; Associated Press.