King Abdullah ‘Not a Benevolent Dictator, He Was a Dictator’

King Abdullah of Saudi Arabia, who was reported dead on Thursday night, was praised by President Barack Obama, U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry, and other western leaders.

In this Friday, Sept. 30, 2011, file photo released by Saudi Press Agency, King Abdullah of Saudi Arabia, center, poses for a picture with King Carl Gustaf XVI of Sweden, center left, and Queen Silvia, right, before King Abdullah received the Wolf Bronze medal from the Swedish King in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. On early Friday, Jan. 23, 2015, Saudi state TV reported King Abdullah died at the age of 90. (AP Photo/SPA, File) EDITORIAL USE ONLY, NO SALES

King Abdullah of Saudi Arabia, who was reported dead on Thursday night, was praised by President Barack Obama, U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry, and other western leaders as a reformer and stalwart of stability in the Middle East.

The Saudi government has been a longstanding ally of the U.S. in the region, with both ex-President George W. Bush and Obama having both strong and close relationships with members of the Saudi Royal Family.