Is Saudi Arabia Preparing for War? Or is this a political favor to force us to stay?

[berni_mccoy]

Saudi Arabia has said they would support the Sunni's in Iraq, while obviously, Iran and Syria support the Shiites. This statement from S.A. is eerily juxtaposed with the resignation of the S.A. Ambassador to the U.S. and Cheney's visit to S.A. It seems like a major development is happening.

If this is true, and we withdraw, Iraq could become a battlefield between Iran/Syria and Saudi Arabia. Saudi Arabia is the 9th largest spender on their military, spending more than India, Israel and South Korea, with an estimated $25 billion budget and purchasing over $1 billion worth of U.S. military equipment / year.

Obviously, S.A. would not engage in war unless we withdrew. Are they applying a political tactic to force the U.S. to stay in Iraq. This would give the Bush Administration the justification for staying the course and sending more and more troops to Iraq.

[madokie]

1. yep think so

[Monkeyman]

4. Yep

[Lowell]

2. It was my impression

that the military hardware Saudi Arabia purchases is used more to control their own people than anything else.

So I think that the question is more, who will the Saudi's pay to fight their next war?

[rolfboy]

3. or could this be the equivalent of shooting

franz ferdinand?

anyone else expecting WW3? i have heard that bush/condi/and co. are firm believers in revelations, new testament, etc. is this how they are orchestrating ww3 and the end of our beloved, beautiful planet?

i am getting more and more scared now, after a brief respite of joy on nov 8.

[Pyrzqxgl]

13. Lighten up Friend. The Saudi's don't want to use any of those nice American built weapons

they'd much rather have us to fight their dirty little war for them.

[babylonsister]

5. Political favor or blackmail? And if it's blackmail,

when will it ever end?

[Strelnikov_]

6. Simply A Look At One Possible Thread

If we leave, they will have no choice but to become directly involved with support of the Sunni side in the Civil War.

If they become involved, it will bring them in direct conflict with Iran.

If they are in conflict with Iran, the flow of 'Spice' may be interrupted.

If they are in conflict with Iran, the system of accepting/holding petrodollars may break down.

Without petrodollar recycling, and a dependable flow of 'Spice', the US economy is screwed.


For all their many shortcomings, the Saudi's have provided some semblance of stability in the world oil market. If, through either a falling out with the US or open conflict with the one indigenous Gulf power (Iran), this stability is lost, the US economy, at a minimum, is screwed.

If the Saudi petroleum reserves are lost along with the balance of the Gulf reserves (if Saudi is gone, it is all probably gone), we have Petrocollapse.

Thanks, GOP Reich.

"The Spice Must Flow!"

[BeFree]

7. It's all about the oil, isn't it?

America needs it, the oil that is. We aren't what we are without oil, and the middle east has the easiest oil to get to in the vast quantities that we need.

So we are there to keep peace in the middle east. We sure went about keeping the peace in a funny way via the "shock and awe" route, eh?

[independentpiney]

8. Syria is not a Shia country

This seems to be a common misconception. As of the 2001 Time Almanac the breakdown is 70% Sunni, 15% Christian, 12% Allawi(shia sect?) and 3% Druze. The Assad family are Druze, and repress all Islamist movements without regard to sect.

[berni_mccoy]

9. Thanks for the info.

[spanone]

10. Cheney had to leak it. Cheney doesn't leak unless he has political gain.

The Saudis own Cheney.

[HiFructosePronSyrup]

11. I'd like not to think so.

But the Ambassador withdrawing is very unsettling.

[Tierra_y_Libertad]

12. It's very conveniently timed. "Can't leave now or bad things will happen."

Perhaps that was the message "Shotgun" was carrying to the bosses in S.A.