Saudi Arabia balances ‘tolerance’ with support for ultra-conservatives in conflict zones

Once viewed as a breeder of religious extremism, Saudi Arabia earned brownie points as the international community sighed a sigh of relief when Mohammed bin Salman, the kingdom’s de facto ruler, substantially reduced global funding of ultra-conservative strands of Islam and started to propagate a socially more relaxed interpretation of the faith. Almost a decade later, the benefits of the change far outweigh the costs.