A number of Royal Orders issued Saturday by King Abdullah, Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques, show the smooth functioning of the government and the King's profound wisdom. Prince Salman Bin Abdul Aziz is the most appropiate person to fill the position of Defense Minister left vacant by the death of his brother Prince Sultan Bin Abdul Aziz. Prince Salman is reputed for his fairness and competence. As Emir of Riyadh, a position he held from 1962, Prince Salman changed the landscape of the city from a mid-size town to a developed capital. He is known for his philanthropic activities, and has been a tireless supporter of humanitarian work in Muslim nations, such as Somalia, Sudan, Bangladesh, Afghanistan, and more recently, Bosnia-Herzegovina. He has established the Prince Salman Center for Disability Research and the Prince Fahd Bin Salman Charitable Society for the Care of Kidney Patients. The person who is replacing him as Emir of Riyadh region is also an able administrator. Prince Sattam Bin Abdul Aziz, who was appointed by the King as Emir of Riyadh region, has handled the task well as acting Emir whenever Prince Salman was outside the country. Newly appointed Deputy Defense Minister Prince Khalid Bin Sultan has vast experience in the field. He attended the Royal Military Academy Sandhurst and the US Army's Command and General Staff College at Fort Leavenworth in Kansas. He graduated from the Air War College at Maxwell Air Force Base in Alabama. He served in various branches of Saudi Arabia's military before becoming Commander of the Joint Forces in the first Gulf War. King Fahd promoted him to Field Marshal afterward. King Abdullah also issued orders to rename the Ministry of Defense, Aviation and General Inspection as the Ministry of Defense. The Royal Orders also split the Defense Ministry from the General Authority for Civil Aviation (GACA). Prince Fahd Bin Abdullah Bin Mohammed Al-Saud has been appointed as Chairman of the General Commission for Civil Aviation at the rank of minister and Dr. Faisal Bin Hamad Al-Suqair as his deputy at the excellent rank. The Royal Order said the board of Saudi Arabian Airlines (Saudia) would be restructured, and said that the new civil aviation authority would come under the direct control of the Prime Minister. __
