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Occupying the oil fields might be easier, short term, than it might sound. Locals in the east are mostly Shi'ites, no fans of the House of Saud.

Iran might decide to demand AQ earn it's keep by hitting a critical pumping station or two in Saudi. Will increase Iranian oil profits handsomely.

Warning in red on DRUDGE right now re leaving Saudi!

Haven't thought through the implications of actually doing it, but occupying the oil fields would be child's play. Much of Saudi production is offshore just south of the Kuwaiti border.

It is easy to see why Saddam's invasion of Kuwait was such a threat to the Saudis, most of their production is within an hour's drive south from the border. Saudi Arabia is a huge landmass, but the part that counts is all right there. There is no Saudi Army worthy of the name; the US Army is the Saudi Army.

The refineries and shipping terminals are all right there on the east coast, as well. The thing about a desert kingdom is that the population is sprinkled like islands on a sandy sea. As Saddam found out, it is very easy to control the few highways that connect the population centers. Air superiority equals control of the entire territory. Saudi Arabia would be much easier to control than Iraq.

The refineries and oil fields are operated and maintained by foreign workers, primarily philipinos, with western supervision, mostly American and Brit. So taking control would not be difficult at all. In fact, almost all technical work, and all labor of any kind, is done by foreigners. Technical work by philipinos as I say, and the heavy lifting by South Asians; Pakistanis, Sri Lankans, Bangladeshis, and so forth. The Saudis themselves are essentially an irrelevance in their own country.

The people would not be thrilled at a US occupation, but they would not fight for the Sauds, either. The mullah's would be out of work, causing trouble, though.