[meanie monster]

The Saudis are between a rock and a hard place, imo. Do they appease the U.S. or the terrorists. Time will tell.

[No Blue States]

They should think with their wallets, who buys their oil?
But if they crack down on the thugs will they become target and be overthrown?
Indeed a rock and a hard place.
A bed they made.

[bonesmccoy]

They need us more than we need them.

If the US can work with the Russians to develop either Caspian Sea or Siberian petroleum reserves, it will lead to sales of oil in North America and Asia (Japan, Taiwan, South Korea).

There is a win-win... as the Russians become more capitalistic, you gain international allies (coalition of the willing).