Summary of "Behind the Bastards" – Part Three: Prince Mohammed Bin Salman: The Tyrant of Saudi Arabia

Podcast: Behind the Bastards
Host: Robert Evans (with James Stout and guest Dave, plus commentary from Joel, Matt, and others)
Original Air Date: January 27, 2026

Episode Overview

This episode continues the deep dive into Mohammed bin Salman (MBS), the current Saudi crown prince, by examining the dynastic rivalries that allowed MBS to rise, the catastrophic Saudi intervention in Yemen he orchestrated, and the party-hard, out-of-touch lifestyle that has defined his ascent to power. There’s a strong focus on the rival MBS outmaneuvered—Mohammed bin Nayef (MBN)—and on the disastrous human consequences of the Yemen war.

The tone oscillates between dark humor and cutting criticism, with irreverent asides on pop culture and "butt bombs" balancing out the gravity of mass atrocities and corruption within the Saudi monarchy.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Dynastic Rivalry: Mohammed bin Nayef vs. Mohammed bin Salman

• Background on Prince Nayef ("the Black Prince") and MBN

  • Prince Nayef, known for his harsh crackdowns and puritanical laws (05:00), was infamously repressive toward Saudi Arabia’s non-citizen workers.
  • His son, Mohammed bin Nayef (MBN), was presented as a more liberal, Western-friendly alternative, studying in Portland, Oregon (06:45), and training with the FBI and Scotland Yard.
  • Despite the official narrative, MBN's academic credentials are dodgy, and evidence suggests he rode his royal status through much of his Western training (06:56).

• MBN’s Role in Counterterrorism and the Al Qaeda Threat

  • MBN worked closely with US intelligence and played a pivotal role in recognizing Al Qaeda’s danger—even as his father underestimated it—helping to avert attacks like the 1998 US Consulate plot when Al Gore visited (13:14).
  • Became Saudi Arabia’s top man for security and a favorite of the CIA (15:31).

• Al Qaeda’s War on the Saudi Royals and MBN’s Heroic Image

  • MBN survived an assassination attempt involving a rectal bomb (27:08). The attempt left him injured—possibly suffering longer-term consequences—yet his legend grew, especially in the US.
  • "He put his ass on the line. He took someone else's ass in an explosion..." – Robert Evans (29:01)

2. MBS’s Power Play and the War in Yemen

• MBS’s Early Moves

  • Upon becoming king in 2015, King Salman rapidly removed MBN’s separate royal court, weakening his power base and signposting a preference for his own son, MBS (30:34).
  • Under rumors of Alzheimer’s, Salman ceded decision-making authority quickly to MBS, who became Defense Minister.
  • MBS sought to win prestige as a military leader, mirroring MBN’s anti-Al Qaeda reputation, by launching Saudi Arabia's direct military intervention in Yemen (33:33).

• Yemen: Rationale and Atrocities

  • MBS wanted a quick, victorious war to boost his image (35:48). He didn't consult his family or top officials before sending forces, hoping for glory and legitimacy.

  • The war soon degenerated into strikes on civilian targets—water, food, infrastructure—when quick victory failed to materialize (45:12).

    • "I guess we just start bombing where they keep the food. I guess we start bombing the water treatment facilities. I guess we start bombing the hospitals and schools." – Robert Evans (45:12)

  • The coalition, reliant on US support, began a blockade and economic war, causing mass famine and humanitarian catastrophe (62:34).

  • Notable: As civilian suffering climbed, MBS decamped for extravagant holidays—first to the Maldives with 150 "supermodels" and pop acts including Pitbull and Psy (47:39), then to the French Riviera, where he purchased a $550m yacht out from under Bill Gates (62:35).

• Resistance from MBN and the Power Shift

  • MBN, alarmed by the catastrophe, covertly sought US support to counter MBS (51:34). However, the US (under Obama) decided on a stance of non-involvement, refusing to back either prince in internecine Saudi power struggles (57:43).
  • MBS, meanwhile, built support with the UAE’s powerful MBZ, further isolating MBN (53:54).

• MBS's Ruthless Maneuvering

  • MBS used every dirty trick—undercutting MBN, getting his top aide fired (58:41), and blocking access to US officials—slowly tightening his grip on power.
  • There are suggestions MBN was hampered mentally and physically by injuries and painkiller dependence after the assassination attempt (59:47), leaving him unable to outplay MBS.

3. Satirical and Dark Comic Relief

• The episode is laced with banter and irreverence about pop culture, US foreign policy, and absurd details (such as Pitbull's STD check, or what one would say before detonating a "butt bomb").
• References include X-Files writing analogies, video game “pew pew” compared to war strategy, and meta jokes about South Park/ISIS vs. Simpsons/Al Qaeda.
• Extended joke: "If you're going to put a bomb in your butt, make sure it's a big one, because it's all for nothing if you just explode your own butt." – Dave (65:30)

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

| Timestamp | Speaker | Quote / Moment | |---------------|-----------------|---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 06:45 | Robert Evans | "He goes to fucking–nbn goes to Portland, Oregon for college...attends Lewis & Clark and PSU." | | 15:31 | Robert Evans | "By fall 2001, he was considered by many experts to be the number one guy in the Saudi government..." | | 27:08 | Robert Evans | "...the man detonated a bomb hidden in his rectum...a bad assassination attempt." | | 27:34 | Dave | "[If] your ass exploded and everybody turned and went, 'Oh my God, what happened?'..." | | 29:01 | Robert Evans | "He put his ass on the line. He took someone else's ass in an explosion." | | 33:33 | Robert Evans | "If I want to kick this guy out of power...I need to develop a reputation as a war leader for our people." | | 45:12 | Robert Evans | "I guess we start bombing...water treatment facilities...hospitals and schools. That's where we go from there." | | 51:34 | Robert Evans | "His top aide...told DC he knew the king's son was an idiot and that the war in Yemen was a mistake." | | 53:54 | Robert Evans | "His most important early ally was...MBZ...who starts connecting with MBS because they both hate MBN." | | 57:43 | Robert Evans | "[John Kerry] was suggested to be MBS's friend, but was too busy...so instead they picked no one..." | | 62:35 | Robert Evans | "He comes across a 135-meter-long yacht...offered an estimated $550 million on the spot." | | 65:30 | Dave | "If you're going to put a bomb in your butt, make it a big bomb, because it's all for nothing if you just explode your own butt." |

Important Timestamps & Segments

• 03:02 – Satirical transition into broader discussion of the Saudi royal family and their privileged, "regular guy" image.
• 05:00 – 10:45 – Origins and education of MBN, versus his hardline father ("the Black Prince").
• 13:07 – 17:46 – Early Al Qaeda threats in Saudi Arabia, MBN's rise in counterterrorism, and differences in US/Saudi intelligence cooperation.
• 27:08 – 29:01 – The assassination attempt with a rectal bomb and its possible lasting effects on MBN.
• 33:33 – 45:14 – MBS's intervention in Yemen, rationale, execution, and breakdown.
• 45:12 – 51:17 – Escalation to attacks on civilian infrastructure in Yemen and MBS’s Maldives blowout.
• 62:34 – 64:48 – Blockade/famine in Yemen and MBS’s spontaneous $550 million yacht purchase.

Key Takeaways

• MBS rose to power not as an obviously qualified candidate, but as a ruthless master of palace intrigue who methodically isolated and neutralized his cousin MBN, often outmaneuvering both his rivals and Western officials.
• The Saudi intervention in Yemen, led by MBS, was initiated for personal and dynastic prestige, rapidly degenerating into a humanitarian catastrophe with no military gain—serving as a case study in hubris and deadly incompetence.
• MBS’s lifestyle is a surreal juxtaposition: war crimes and mass suffering at home, while abroad he throws multi-million dollar parties with drugs, prostitutes, and international pop stars.
• The US relied on and lionized MBN but ultimately abandoned him, failing to see or stop the tide of MBS’s rise—a lesson in realpolitik and the bankruptcy of American influence.
• The episode wields dark comedy to emphasize the grotesque disconnect between the Saudi elite’s actions and the suffering they inflict, ending on a note of moral outrage (and butt jokes).

Conclusion

This episode paints a scathing, darkly humorous portrait of Mohammed bin Salman’s rise—intertwining palace intrigue, catastrophic war, and grotesque excess—while sharply critiquing the failures and hypocrisies of US foreign policy and the inefficacy of liberal “reformers” like MBN within autocratic systems.

In Robert Evans’ words:
"If you're going to put a bomb in your butt, make it a big bomb, because it's all for nothing if you just explode your own butt." (65:30)
A crude, darkly comic metaphor for the Saudi monarchy’s self-destructive trajectory—and perhaps the broader failures of power unchecked.

For those who haven't listened, this episode offers a shocking, tragic, and often absurd look at modern Saudi tyranny, with enough context, humor, and righteous anger to illuminate the grim realities behind the monarchy’s glittering façade.