What's up with Saudi Arabia?

[FluffyMcDeath]

The US and Saudi Arabia are going through a bit of a lovers spat. Will they kiss and make up or will they go their separate ways?

The Saudis have been backing "Al-Qaeda for Freedom" in Syria, and they were very helpful to the royal family of Bahrain crushing the pro-democracy movement there. There seems to have been a bit of a falling out with the US over those things because the Saudis didn't get the backing they'd hoped for. But there is more than just that going on. The balance of power is shifting. China has just surpassed the US as number one oil importer. The petrodollar is losing its lustre.

Keep your eye on Saudi Arabia.

 

[Robert]

Things could get a little chaotic if that relationship breaks down but perhaps that might not be a bad thing in the long run.

 

[Glaucus]

Yes, Saudi Arabia is the problem and always has been. The problem is that they have what everyone not only wants but needs. If the US doesn't work with them someone else will.

Btw, I still hate how you like to paint the Syrian rebels as al-Qaeda. The problem is that al-Qaeda is helping them and we're not. If you don't want al-Qaeda to be the dominant force in Syria there's an easy fix for that. One way to ensure al-Qaeda grows in strength and numbers is to allow the war to continue and the best way to do that is to do nothing and watch them fight.

 

[FluffyMcDeath]

Btw, I still hate how you like to paint the Syrian rebels as al-Qaeda.

You know, I've said before, there is a legitimate Syrian opposition - but they aren't the guys with guns. Anything gunny you put in there ends up in Al-Qaeda hands because when it comes to Al-Qaeda on Syrians Al-Qaeda will win the guns. If you want to stop Al-Qaeda you have to stop Saudi Arabia funding them. Even the Syrian opposition (the original opposition) supports that. The guys that were protesting in the first place want a political solution and they were never in favour of foreign mercenaries.

 

[FluffyMcDeath]

Things could get a little chaotic if that relationship breaks down but perhaps that might not be a bad thing in the long run.

Part of the problem, I suspect, is that Saudi Arabia doesn't have as much oil as they keep telling everyone and they are going to need to look at other ways of maintaining their influence and revenue.