Women in the kingdom: at least the debate is picking up steam

Piece in The Economist is the latest in a recent string of MSM articles about things opening up--ever so slightly--in the Saudi kingdom with the blessing of 85-year-old Abdullah, who is living up to expectations of being a consistent-if-gentle reformer.

Story leads with the apparent survival-in-his-job of Ahmed al-Ghamdi, head of the Mecca vice squad.  He recently came out for the innocent mixing of sexes, a notion that elicited many calls for him to be sacked.  In late April he was, only to have the official state news agency story rescinded two hours later.  So he remains in his post and the debate continues, apparently with some shielding from above.

The telling stat:  60% of college students are women.  For now they're a small bit of the workforce, but it grows with time.  Iran has this "problem" in a much worse fashion.

It's an old story:  educate a man and you've got yourself a productive head of household, but educate a woman and you're got yourself a transformed household.

The Saudi household is being transformed.  The government can pave the way for what must come next, or try to bar the door.  Abdullah sees that but will only rule for X many years longer, thus the great importance of who comes next.