The Bungler of the Year Award Goes To Mohamed Bin Salman, Crown Prince of Saudi Arabia.

MbS of Saudi Arabia's failed policies in Syria, Iraq, Yemen, Qatar, Lebanon and Iran, which has weakened global and regional Saudi position.

 

award-winning journalist depicted Saudi Crown Prince (MbS) "man of the year" 

due to his failures, kingdom is loser on the path of isolation.

Patrick Cockburn wrote in The Independent 

MbS embarked on ventures that achieve exact opposite of what he intended

engaged in radical economic, social projects to portray himself as “reformist." 

those projects widely seen as consolidating personal power 

less about bringing real change to Saudi Arabia.

aggressive push to purge royals under banner of “anti-corruption campaign.”

elimination of opponents inside and outside royal family. 

his miscalculations remind more of Inspector Clouseau

bin Salman's support (for ISIS)  in Syria 

protracted war on Yemen 

adverse effects, victory of Bashar al-Assad 

at least seven million Yemenis close to starvation.

MbS  "aggressive opposition" to Iran increased Iran's influence 

feud with Qatar driven Gulf country into "Iranian embrace"

MbS "ill-considered" pressure on Lebanese PM Saad Hariri to resign 

empowered Hezbollah and Iran in Lebanon

based on naïve presumptions

no 'Plan B' and not much of 'Plan A'

Saudi simply plugging into conflicts, no idea how to end

Saudi becoming isolated

balance of power changed to its disadvantage over two years

Saudi learning that support from White House brings fewer advantages 

new Saudi adventurist policies 

Saudi behavior is zany, unpredictable and counterproductive

Middle East countries recognize there are winners and losers

have no wish to be on losing side

Bin Salman's lavish purchase

Separately on Saturday, an investigation by The New York Times named Salman as the owner of the Chateau Louis XIV, a mansion outside of Paris named after the 17th century French king that is widely touted as the world’s most expensive house.

The property was sold for more than $300 million back in 2015.



In recent months, the Saudi crown prince was identified as the buyer of the record-breaking da Vinci painting, which sold for $450 million, and a yacht for $500 million.

The lavish purchases come at a time that bin Salman claims to be taking on graft.

Chateau Louis XIV became the most expensive property in the world when it sold for $300million in 2015
The palace was completed in 2011 but bears all the hallmarks of an historic 17th Century French estate
It features a wine cellar, home theatre, a moat filled with koi carp and an underwater viewing chamber
The buyer has now been revealed as Mohammed bin Salman, heir to the throne of Saudi Arabia


Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-5186481/Saudi-Crown-Prince-purchase-300m-French-palace.html#ixzz51bfep1qW
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