A drought which afflicted the land from the Nejd to Kuwait and which caused the deaths of much live-stock (camels and sheep) reinforced in Ibn Saud the conviction that the only way to bring stability and security to the region was by improving the quality of life of his people.

After much consultation and deliberation, he concluded that he could best protect the bedouin from the vicissitudes of the nomadic life by encouraging them to settle into agricultural communities. At the same time, he was determined that the bedouin should retain their martial skills which were a crucial element in maintaining and extending his authority.

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