The Qaboos has left the station

[Luziyca]

According to the BBC, Sultan Qaboos of Oman has died.

Sultan Qaboos bin Said Al Said of Oman, the Arab world's longest-serving ruler, has died aged 79.

"With great sorrow and deep sadness... the royal court mourns His Majesty Sultan Qaboos bin Said, who passed away on Friday," a court statement said.

Last month he returned home after undergoing medical checks and treatment in Belgium. There were reports he was suffering from cancer.

Sultan Qaboos was unmarried and had no heir or designated successor.

Three days of national mourning have been declared.

The sultan deposed his father in a bloodless coup with British support in 1970. Using its oil wealth, he then set Oman on a path to development.

According to the sultanate's Basic Statute, the Royal Family Council - comprising about 50 male members - should choose a new sultan within three days of the throne falling vacant.

I send my condolences to the people of Oman, and I hope that the Omani royal family will decide on a successor sooner rather than later. He has done quite a lot to improve Oman's economy, and his foreign policy is certainly something to be lauded, especially since he was able to play a big role in shaping that nuclear deal between the USA and Iran.

May Qaboos rest in peace.

[Ebengar]

The sultan is dead, long live the new one...

...whenever the new one's decided, anyway.

Oman, generally, seems like a nice enough place, I suppose.

Don't hear a whole lot about it in American media, though...

[Kowani]

So…how exactly do they pick a successor?

[Luziyca]

So…how exactly do they pick a successor?

According to Wikipedia:

Article 6 of the constitution says the royal family should choose a new sultan within three days of the position falling vacant. If the royal family council fails to agree, a letter containing a name penned by Sultan Qaboos should be opened in the presence of a defence council of military and security officials, supreme court chiefs, and heads of the two quasi-parliamentary advisory assemblies.

Seems overly complicated but I suppose it works.

[Ard al Islam]

May God forgive him and grant him Paradise.

The thing is, he died without an heir, which is a good thing. That way, an unqualified person can't just inherit the throne. They'll pick the person with the most merit to rule next.

[San Lumen]

My sympathies to his family and the Omani people. It seems odd to me though there isn’t simply a line of succession. It’s probably logical to assume women are excluded from the throne?

[Kowani]

So…how exactly do they pick a successor?

According to Wikipedia:

Article 6 of the constitution says the royal family should choose a new sultan within three days of the position falling vacant. If the royal family council fails to agree, a letter containing a name penned by Sultan Qaboos should be opened in the presence of a defence council of military and security officials, supreme court chiefs, and heads of the two quasi-parliamentary advisory assemblies.

Seems overly complicated but I suppose it works.

I see...

[-Astoria]

The sultan is dead, long live the new one...

...whenever the new one's decided, anyway.

Oman, generally, seems like a nice enough place, I suppose.

Don't hear a whole lot about it in American media, though...

It's pretty much one of the few places in the Middle East where there currently isn't a war on

[USS Monitor]

Don't hear a whole lot about it in American media, though...

That's probably a good sign, considering what American media coverage of non-Western countries looks like.

Rest in peace, Sultan Qaboos.

[San Lumen]

https://www.google.com/amp/s/amp.thegua ... -announces

Cousin of Qaboos and former Minister of Heritage and Culture Haitham bin Tariq al-Said has been named the new Sultan

[North German Realm]

Does anyone like, know anything about the new Sultan Haitham? Is he politically aligned with the now-late Sultan Qaboos?

[San Lumen]

Does anyone like, know anything about the new Sultan Haitham? Is he politically aligned with the now-late Sultan Qaboos?

I’m not certain if he if that new Sultan. The Guardian is the only one reporting it

[Luziyca]

https://www.google.com/amp/s/amp.theguardian.com/world/2020/jan/11/sultan-of-oman-dies-state-media-announces

Cousin of Qaboos and former Minister of Heritage and Culture Haitham bin Tariq al-Said has been named the new Sultan

That seems awfully quick, honestly.

Then again, since only The Guardian is reporting it, maybe we should wait a little bit before we know who is the new sultan. Then again, Wikipedia seems to have linked Qaboos' successor with Haitham, so...

[Nakena]

RIP, he was a good and wise ruler. I hope Oman will continue to do well as it did in the past. It's basically the last traditional arab nation.

[Luziyca]

RIP, he was a good and wise ruler. I hope Oman will continue to do well as it did in the past. It's basically the last traditional arab nation.

It has done much better under Qaboos than under his dad. But I do hope whoever is the new Sultan will continue Qaboos' benevolent rule.

[Samudera Darussalam]

We belong to God, and to God we shall return. Condolences to the people of Oman.

RIP, he was a good and wise ruler. I hope Oman will continue to do well as it did in the past. It's basically the last traditional arab nation.

It has done much better under Qaboos than under his dad. But I do hope whoever is the new Sultan will continue Qaboos' benevolent rule.

Amen.

[Ard al Islam]

youtube.com/watch?v=mw-gmjzN4Fw

[-Astoria]

RIP, he was a good and wise ruler. I hope Oman will continue to do well as it did in the past. It's basically the last traditional arab nation.

It has done much better under Qaboos than under his dad. But I do hope whoever is the new Sultan will continue Qaboos' benevolent rule.

^ This.

[San Lumen]

https://www.google.com/amp/s/amp.cnn.co ... index.html

CNN is now reporting that Haitham bin Tariq Al Said Is the new Sultan

[Novus America]

Oman, generally, seems like a nice enough place, I suppose.

Don't hear a whole lot about it in American media, though...

Not hearing about it in the US media is a good sign. It means it is not belligerent, not in a civil war, not sponsoring terrorists, not shockingly poor, and not committing the worst human rights abuses. It stays quiet and stays out of trouble. It is not an exceptionally great place by global standards unlike say Norway or Switzerland. But is not bad, especially by Middle Eastern standards.

It is like the quiet kid in class who is not a trouble maker, gets good enough grades but is not the top of the class. Who has few particularly close friends but also few real enemies.

[The Blaatschapen]

So only male members of the royal family are eligible?

Makes sense, the country is called Oman, not Owoman.

Though I personally prefer Opeople.

[Novus America]

My sympathies to his family and the Omani people. It seems odd to me though there isn’t simply a line of succession. It’s probably logical to assume women are excluded from the throne?

I would assume so. Oman is not bad by ME standards but it is a very patriarchal society.

[Definitely Not Trumptonium]

Long live Sultan who overthrew his own father in a coup.

I wonder why Sultan Qaboos never had kids.

[Samudera Darussalam]

My sympathies to his family and the Omani people. It seems odd to me though there isn’t simply a line of succession. It’s probably logical to assume women are excluded from the throne?

I would assume so. Oman is not bad by ME standards but it is a very patriarchal society.

It is still a country heavily influenced by traditional values, but yes they are doing very well. They are not really affected by the Arab Spring unlike Bahrain, or others in North Africa and Syria, which helps to preserve some stability there.

[Definitely Not Trumptonium]

CNN is now reporting

Speculation is not good in times of grief, let's wait for some news.