Photo Saudi women and men on opposite sides of a hall at the American Express Luxury Expo in Riyadh last month. RIYADH, Saudi Arabia — The images of the past year have been deeply unsettling for the people of Saudi Arabia , long accustomed to oil-fueled prosperity and regional clout: militants firing at communities along the country’s southern border; protesters storming the Saudi Embassy in Tehran ; civil wars raging in three nearby states. The view from Riyadh has become increasingly bleak as stubbornly low oil prices constrain the government’s ability to respond to crises and as the kingdom’s regional rival, Iran , moves aggressively to expand its influence at Saudi Arabia’s expense. Under huge stress, the Saudis have responded in unpredictable ways, often at odds with Washington’s interests. They have launched a costly military offensive in neighboring Yemen that has failed to defeat the Houthi rebels and has […]