Political Reforms and the Shiites in Saudi Arabia

Saudi Arabia is the most important Arab state that has not fully implemented US reforms after 9/11. United States applied all of its hard & soft power in order to implement American democracy in the middleast and replace old political regimes with new ones in Afghanestan and Iraq. Also other Arab states allowed reluctantly more activities for the opposite groups in due environmental pressure. Consequently Shiite groups in spite of the US wish they have got a new and very different historical position. However, Saudi - American style of reform has been partly implemented in Saudi Arabia. In a general review, two dimensions can be recognized in regard to the reform movement. Firstly: a series of reforms has been implemented by Saudi government. Due to the foreign powers pressure and regional and global events. Second one can be attributed to the demands of civic groups. A point to not in this regard is the position of Saudi Shiites. In the process of the reform movement, shiites have been among very important and influential minorities. The main question of this article is that what is most fundamental factor caused political and social reforms in Saudi Arabia in the tow recent decades particularly after September 11 with respect to the Shiite position? And then we will analyzise actions and reactions of Saudi Shiite community.