Posted on 06/07/2019 11:28:54 PM PDT by Cronos
Generally I agree with that. however in this case I say - the USA should stop supporting the Saudis and also not support Iran. a pox on both their houses. We gain nothing by supporting the Saudis. Instead supporting them for the past 40 years has led to nothing but bad things for the USA
He was arrested at age 13 for alleged actions carried out at age 10. And these were for protests in the Shia dominated areas that were conquered by the Al Saud family in 1924 and forcibly added to the Saudi empire
Correct. And by putting US troops in danger we abet the Saudis
The problem with MBS' vision is that his army is a flop - as witnessed in Yemen. The real military powers in that region are the Egyptians, Turks, Pakistanis and Iranians. And all 4 are different ethnicities and different opinions on who should dominate. We should encourage a punch-up instead of dying for the Sauds
Iranian-backed Shiite militias in Iraq killed hundreds of U.S. service members and civilians. Iran provided training and material support for repeated attacks on U.S. personnel with conventional weapons and missiles, as well as sophisticated improvised explosive devices (IEDs) and explosively formed projectiles (EFPs).
I think that counts.
Saudis sent terrorists to attack your children. The Iranians funded militia that attacked US personnel IN Iraq - while I still mourn the American lives lost in Iraq, there is a difference
Iran will attack Saudia. the US should not interfere - let the Pakis come to their paymasters aid
Why are they a lesser evil than Iran? Who were the 9-11 terrorists? Who are funding radical mosques all over the world? Which strain of Islam is related to ISIS, the Taliban, Al-Qaeda and mroe?
US strategic national interests are served by maintaining a close bilateral relationship with the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. Your comment that Iran is the lesser evil demonstrates a total ignorance of history and reality.
What’s the problem?
CNN lies, always
No US strategic national interests are served. The alliance with Saudias has brought nothing but misery to the USA. Misery and thousands of American lives lost.
You have a very good point regarding Saudi Arabia’s military.
Although Saudi Arabia’s military budget is 2.5 times as large as those of Egypt, Iran, Pakistan, and Turkey COMBINED, its military capability is severely hampered by the sheer amount of radicalism and militancy which exists among the populace. The royals are forced to play politics when it comes to organizing the military, because one bad move could result in (a) a coup that replaces the monarchy with an even worse regime; (b) a revolt among the Shiite population; or (c) civil war, probably prompted by events (a), (b), or even both.
For this reason, as long as it’s confined to its current territory Saudi Arabia has no choice but to rely on the blood and treasure of other countries whenever it goes to war. Any attempt to go to war on its own would be suicide.
Meanwhile, now that you’ve mentioned other military powers in the region (Egypt, Iran, Pakistan, and Turkey), out of those four the one I would pay attention to the most is Turkey.
Not only is Turkey in the best position to be come a major power (see George Friedman’s ‘The Next 100 Years’ for more info), its regime is unique because it combines Islamism with ethnic nationalism, specifically Turanism. Islamism and Turanism make an extremely dangerous combination because the latter ideology has the potential to cause countries like Estonia, Finland, Hungary, Japan, Mongolia, North Korea, and South Korea to form alliances with a Turkish caliphate... WITHOUT being taken over by Islamists! Such alliances would be based on racial solidarity instead of religious solidarity.
I lived in the Kingdom for five years including during the entire Gulf War, i.e., Desert Shield/Storm. I lived two years in Iran including during the fall of the Shah and the entrance of Khomeini. If you are foolish enough to believe that the removal of the SA Royal family will not cause a huge vacuum that will be filled by someone far worse to our interests, then you have lost touch with reality.
OBL hated the Saudi Royal family and wanted to take them down. He said so in his two fatwahs, especially the 1996 fatwah, "Declaration of War against the Americans Occupying the Land of the Two Holy Places"
The youths hold you responsible for all of the killings and evictions of the Muslims and the violation of the sanctities, carried out by your Zionist brothers in Lebanon; you openly supplied them with arms and finance. More than 600,000 Iraqi children have died due to lack of food and medicine and as a result of the unjustifiable aggression (sanctions) imposed on Iraq and its nation. The children of Iraq are our children. You, the USA, together with the Saudi regime are responsible for the shedding of the blood of these innocent children.
Thousands killed in Iraq, many by Iran-sponsored groups. I was against the Iraq War and am against a war on Iran. Saudi Arabia is more complicated, as Al Qaeda was against the leadership, as well as the USA. The whole Mid East is a cesspool, save for Israel.
Their country, their laws, we need to stay out of it. In our country, unless a minor commits murder, first degree felonies and/or misdemeanors, rape, sexual battery, sexual imposition, or serious weapons charges, when they turn 18 their record is cleaned and they can walk the streets. This is why there is such hooha about the trying of a minor under 18 as an adult. In Saudi, they just do it, that’s their law. Not our business. We can’t be everyone’s savior. And we’re not doing a very good job trying to be our own.
rwood
“There is definitely an agenda at play here. The Left and its Iranian allies are trying to drive a wedge between the US and the Saudis.”
+1
Some of us can remember the same agenda at work when it successfully overthrew the Shah of Iran and gave the world Radical Shiite Iran.
and the USA doesn't need that
Better yet the USA should go in and grab the eastern provinces and give it to Kuwait, a US ally
The counterweight to Iran is Pakistan and Turkey
Iran funds only the Hizb'allah
The Houthis are an offshoot of the ZAyidis who ruled North Yemen until the 1990s. They are way too far away from Iran to get any materiel help - the sea ports are controlled by the Saudi-Emiratis and the only land border is with Saudia
The Saudis deserve to fall - there will be a vacuum and what will happen is that
1. the Hejaz will return to the Hashemite dynasty, the traditional rulers for over 1000 years
2. The eastern provinces, the oil, will fall to Kuwait or Iraq
3. The rest is desert - let it go to the Omanis or to the other tribes
3. Osama Bin Laden was a product of the Saudi-Wahabbi alliances
Thousands of Americans killed in the USA by Saudi-sponsored Al-Qaeda on 9/11
with the Central Asians yes - as Turkey is the only country standing up to Chinese persecution of uighurs.
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