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|url=https://abcnews.go.com/2020/News/story?id=169246&page=1|access-date=16 July 2012|author=Brian Ross|author2=Jill Rackmill}}</ref>
When meeting with US diplomats in 2009 Prince Nayef voiced support for aggressive activity against Iran after what he believed was a breach of the 2001 security agreement. He urged European nations to turn in suspected terrorists and asked for US intercession. He said the most effective way to combat extremism was through Friday sermons.
As Crown Prince, Nayef was the most influential of the Sudairi Seven. He delegated the day-to-day responsibilities of his ministry to his son, Prince [[Muhammad bin Nayef]] and then-deputy minister Prince Ahmed. Prince Nayef had members of the ministry of interior placed in all overseas embassies.<ref name=autogenerated2>[http://www.globalsecurity.org/military/world/gulf/sudairi.htm Al Sudairi Clan]. ''Global Security''. Retrieved 13 October 2011.</ref>
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In November 2002 Prince Nayef said, "It is impossible that 19 youths carried out the operation of September 11, or that bin Laden or al Qaeda did that alone. ... I think [the Zionists] are behind these events."<ref>[http://www.nysun.com/national/arab-press-says-jews-perpetrated-9-11-attacks/38781/ Arab Press Says Jews Perpetrated 9/11 Attacks]. ''The New York Sun''. 30 August 2006. Retrieved 13 October 2011.</ref> He later proposed that Americans visiting the Kingdom should be fingerprinted like visitors to the United States.<ref name="washingtoninstitute.org">Simon Henderson [http://www.washingtoninstitute.org/templateC05.php?CID=3038 Desert Schism: Prince Nayef Bids for Saudi Thro"1ne]. ''The Washington Institute for Near East Policy''. 31 March 2009</ref>
According to [[United States diplomatic cables leak|leaked cables]], Prince Nayef argued for a tougher approach than King Abdullah towards the then Yemeni president [[Ali Abdullah Saleh|Saleh]] in 2009.<ref>[http://www.al-akhbar.com/node/10276 Yemeni Tribal Leader: For Saleh, Saudi Involvement In Sa'Ada Comes Not A Moment Too Soon| الأخبار]. ''Al Akhbar''. 28 December 2009. Retrieved 13 October 2011.</ref> Leaked cables also argued that his views on Iran were more sophisticated and comprehensive than those of King Abdullah.
His motto was "no to change, yes to development".<ref name=iris/> He believed that no change is necessary in Saudi Arabia: “Change means changing something that already exists. Whatever exists in the Kingdom is already well-established; however, there is a scope for development – development that does not clash with the principles of the nation”.<ref name=iris>{{cite web|author=Iris Wurm|title=In Doubt for the Monarchy. Autocratic Modernization in Saudi-Arabia|url=http://cgi.hsfk.de/fileadmin/downloads/PRIF-81-web.pdf|work=Peace Research Institute Frankfurt|access-date=15 April 2012|year=2008}}</ref> In a similar vein, in March 2009, he publicly stated that he saw no need for either elections or [[women in government]].<ref name="washingtoninstitute.org"/>
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==Personality==
Prince Nayef, before being appointed second deputy prime minister in 2009, was generally described as elusive, ambiguous, pragmatic, unimaginative, shrewd, and outspoken. According to leaked cables, he had a reputation of being anti-Western, but tended to do business if there were shared interests. It is further stated that his conservative approach did not reflect his personal religious personality (indeed, he was rumored to be a heavy drinker in his younger days). However, his conservative views allowed him to gain support from social and religious conservatives. He seemed to be reserved and even a bit shy. He was described as neither well-spoken nor articulate, and had a tendency to repeat platitudes in private as well as in public. He did appear to understand and speak at least some English. On the other hand, Prince Naif was considered by other princes to be one of the kinder members of his royal generation in his approach towards nephews and nieces.
Prince Nayef and his full brother and then-deputy interior minister, [[Ahmed bin Abdul-Aziz Al Saud|Prince Ahmed]], were reported to pay massive bonuses to successful security officers. They both also had a reputation for honesty and using the security budget only for the stated purposes, not enriching themselves.<ref>{{cite web|title=Saudi internal security: A risk assessment|url=http://www.mafhoum.com/press7/197P8.pdf|work=Center for Strategic and International Studies|access-date=8 April 2012|author=Anthony H. Cordesman|author2=Nawaf Obaid|date=30 May 2004}}</ref>
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