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Here's the Wikipedia article "Armed Forces of Saudi Arabia" It summarizes Saudi military strength.

Here's the key part from that article:

Shia insurgency in Yemen[edit] "Main articles: Shia insurgency in Yemen and Operation Scorched Earth On November 5, 2009, the Royal Saudi Land Forces launched a sweeping ground offensive against Yemen's Shiite Houthi rebels after they crossed the Saudi border in order to outflank the Yemeni Army, which had launched a military campaign against the Houthis to control and pacify the northern Yemeni mountains, and killed two Saudi border guards. The Saudi forces relied heavily on air power and artillery to soften the rebels without risking their men. The Saudi Army lost 133 soldiers in the fighting against the rebels, with most of the casualties occurring when ground forces tried to move into areas that had been softened by shelling.[27]

At least 133 Saudi soldiers were killed over three months, and the skirmish was described as a "humiliating blow to the Saudis’ well-financed but inexperienced military" that "raised alarms across the Sunni Arab world about the possibility that Iran might be supporting the Yemeni rebels".[28]

I was not aware that the Saudis had undertaken this action a few years earlier, with very bad results. If the same result holds..if the Saudi ground forces are unable to succeed, then what happens next?

1 posted on 03/31/2015 6:12:19 AM PDT by ken5050
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To: ken5050

I would think they are not very good. In general their population has become fat, lazy and disengaged, being able to sit at home and collect the largesse of oil money as foreign guest workers do all of the labor of any consequence.

If the wells ever run dry it will be a populace that is utterly unable to take care of itself.


2 posted on 03/31/2015 6:14:28 AM PDT by Buckeye McFrog
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To: ken5050

Weak at best. The Saudis only fight when backed by U.S. assets.


3 posted on 03/31/2015 6:19:45 AM PDT by Timber Rattler (Just say NO! to RINOS and the GOP-E)
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To: ken5050

There is an article about Pakistan helping the Saudis. Maybe you should look at their military.


4 posted on 03/31/2015 6:21:02 AM PDT by blueunicorn6 ("A crack shot and a good dancer")
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To: ken5050
The only plan of war against ISIS, Taliban, or any occupying Jihad force is to go door to door and street to street to flush them out and have A-10's, and AC-130 gunships flying a perimeter about ten miles outside the zone or town. Then they kill everything headed away from town. Every vehicle, truck, bicycle, and on foot.

The only armed force capable of that is the United States.

5 posted on 03/31/2015 6:22:20 AM PDT by blackdog (There is no such thing as healing, only a balance between destructive and constructive forces.)
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To: ken5050

they probably have some of the sons of their elites willing to perform as pilots, but ground pounders? Nah, this is work for the lower classes and hired hands

I wonder how many are “palestinians” and Egyptians? The perennial migrant laborers of the arab world


6 posted on 03/31/2015 6:22:30 AM PDT by silverleaf (Age takes a toll: Please have exact change)
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To: ken5050

My gunner had been a tank crewman in the first Gulf War. He described landing in Saudi, and trying to do some training while they waited for equipment. One training device is the UCOFT, which is essentially a video game. And the Saudis had several (purchased from the US).

He was struck by how ‘new’ and ‘unused’ the Saudi UCOFT was. Back at home, the UCOFT is literally scheduled 24 hours a day...and I remember getting up to go do 3:00 a.m. shifts in it. In other words, we used the heck out of it. Like a video game, it had progressively harder levels, and a new tank commander/gunner combination would have to reach a certain level together, before the army spent money on training with real rounds.

The Saudis...well, they bought a lot of them...maybe tried them once. And that was it. My gunner described taking some of the equipment out of its original boxes, etc. And that’s the Saudi attitude. They have bought a lot of US equipment...but they never thought they would actually have to use it.

I’m skeptical of their capabilities.


7 posted on 03/31/2015 6:29:11 AM PDT by lacrew
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To: ken5050

I’ve heard that the skills of the NCOs (non-commissioned officers - sergeants) are extremely weak in Arab militaries, resulting in poor performance.


9 posted on 03/31/2015 6:36:58 AM PDT by bagman
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To: ken5050

Check out Global Fire Power website, you can compare the various militaries involved here.

It’s no longer just the Saudis who have an interest in combating Iranian influence in Yemen. The Egyptians, the UAE (small country-comparatively large, new Air Force), Jordan, Sudan, and Pakistan have all either already mobilized or have promised to do so, to come to the aid of the Saudis in Yemen.

We have a new Arab coalition, brought about by the exit of the US from the region.

In attempting to isolate Israel, Obama has succeeded only in the isolation of Iran.

Iran has a comparatively small Air Force and huge land based power. Yemen, due to its geography, is a bad place for Iran to make a stand. The Arab Coalition has the advantage in Yemen.

Look for the Houthis to be defeated, and Iran to back out of Yemen. They cannot win there. The Yemeni President will be back in his palace soon. None of the member states of this new Arab coalition can afford for Iran to control the western side of the strait.


10 posted on 03/31/2015 6:45:34 AM PDT by wayoverontheright
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To: ken5050

They are rich, they’ve been training with the U.S for 30+ years — when I believe Operation Peace Sun was implemented.

They have 150 F15 fighter jets and probably some odd end ones around and they are well maintained.

They are probably trained better than any other non-combat experienced army.


17 posted on 03/31/2015 7:04:27 AM PDT by Usagi_yo (The wealth gap is actually a privilege gap.)
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To: ken5050
I think they will lose. Most dictatorships have difficulties with excessively capable military establishments. One that is strong enough to conquer other countries is also strong enough to remove the existing ruler. Even charismatic dictators like Hitler, Mao and Stalin had to periodically cull the ranks of the military brass to remove potential threats to their rule. The Gulf rulers are anything but charismatic - their rule hinges upon the Divine Right of Kings. Problem is that Islam suggests whomever wins the throne has Allah's support, which means rebellion is legit as long as you win. That's why most Arab countries have half-assed military establishments - it's too risky to improve their effectiveness.

Now, the Saudis not winning in Yemen doesn't mean the Houthis will invade and conquer Saudi Arabia. Uncle Sam is the ultimate backstop for the Saudis. Even under Obama, the US will not allow any state in the region to unify all of the region's oil resources under one regime.

18 posted on 03/31/2015 7:06:01 AM PDT by Zhang Fei (Let us pray that peace be now restored to the world and that God will preserve it always.)
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To: ken5050

Have they really fought any war, small or large? Using modern equipment and tactics?


21 posted on 03/31/2015 7:30:42 AM PDT by SkyDancer (I Was Told Nobody Is Perfect But Yet, Here I Am ...)
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To: ken5050

In a related development, it seems that just yesterday the Obama administration released the armaments and military aid to Egypt that have been frozen since the military coup that toppled Morsi in 2013.

What?

This is a clear and unequivocal message to Iran. A big poke in the eye. I can’t get my head around this. A perfectly sane move at a time when everything else this administration is doing seems insane.

Obama actually spoke with el-Sisi yesterday and the stated purpose of the release is to aid Egypt in aiding the Saudis in Yemen!

The only thing I can surmise is that Kerry convinced Obama that he needed an action to get the Iranians to pay attention. This deal with Iran is going to be a bad deal either way, but this action is totally out of character, or at least the timing is interesting.


22 posted on 04/01/2015 3:29:34 AM PDT by wayoverontheright
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