Saudi Arabia's King Abdullah flew to the United States for medical treatment on Monday, while Crown Prince Sultan returned from abroad to govern the kingdom. Abdullah asked Crown Prince Sultan to fly home from Morocco to run the kingdom during his absence.
According to Reuters, the king will be seeking treatment after a blood clot complicated a slipped spinal disc, the state news agency SPA said. No date was specified regarding Abdullah's return. In the West there are concerns about the fate of social and economic reforms promoted by Abdullah.
