Urban Renewal- Saudi Style

I ran across this article and found it interesting for several reasons.

First, it seems that the Saudis are doing a great job in trashing one of Islam's holiest sites.

Second, and more important, it deals with international politics. It stuck me that the Sunni Saudis have always claimed that they were the rightful and able protectors of Islam's shrines. Can this trashy Mecca development be played up by the Shiite Iranians to de-legitamize the hold the Saudis have on these sites and by extension, on Islam itself?

Take a look Mecca Journal
The Price of Progress: Transforming Islam’s Holiest Site