[af_vet_rr]

I call it an artificial reliance because we could provide for our oil needs through other means/countries if we chose to do so. We choose not to, therefore there is a reliance of our own doing. It's dangerous because there are plenty of radicals in Saudi Arabia who would like to depose the royals and cut off oil sales to the US, and even start something with the Shiites directly or indirectly.

As far as the others, if Iraq falls to the extremists, it's bad. We know that Saudi Arabia and Iran are funding opposite sides of what could be a potential civil war in Iraq. Most of us expect Iraq to devolve into civil war, and I don't think we need to be involved.

Pakistan is a much bigger problem. If Pakistan and its nukes fall to the extremists, it's a nightmare scenario. Everybody worries about Iran getting nukes, but Pakistan not only has nukes, but it can't control parts of its territory, and there are known radicals currently in the Pakistani government. If the radicals take over Pakistan's arsenal, they are going to target us and our allies, and they are going to target India and you get the people in there who want their 70 virgins and they'll push the button.

[Munz]

Hate to change the subject from the debate, but on your post a quick word.
the saudi’s regularly play both sides of the fence to protect their own interest. They fund terrorists constantly.
The Pakistanis already said flat out that they would gladly go to war against us should the need arise. Their is an expectation that we are leaving Afghanistan within several months. Not by our design, but because we are being evicted.
Should we ‘interfere’ with Afghanistan again, the Pakistani government will come to the aid of Afghanistan to help protect the ‘sovereign nation of Afghanistan’

How is that for screwing up foreign policy on the part of Obama?

Oh and lets not forget that Iraq .. we were scheduled to leave by Bush before he left that is true. It is also true that there were going to be no extensions because we were evicted there as well. Notice how everything has turned ugly there so fast? it is because it was out of control before we left! Obama had no control for over 6 months there while we had troops in the country.

The man lost control of the middle east a year ago when Egypt was in play. He turned over the middle east to the Muslim brotherhood (IMO so that they could start the caliphate) He turned over Libya illegally and congress did nothing.

Obama did more to help everyone but Israel in Arab lands and destabilize that region than anyone could have in history. he did it all in under three years as well. Very impressive if you ask me.

And Ron Paul would just walk away and leave it as is, boiling and festering ready to blow .... ah well .. back to the debate .. sorry for the interruption.

[kabar]

It's dangerous because there are plenty of radicals in Saudi Arabia who would like to depose the royals and cut off oil sales to the US, and even start something with the Shiites directly or indirectly.

10% of the Saudi population is Shi'a and most of them live in the Eastern Province. The Saudis don't trust them and fear Iranian influence. Moreover, Bahrain is run the by Shi'a. If the Shi'a in Iraq, aided by Iran takeover the country then this will have repercussions in the Kingdom. If the Royal family is overthrown chaos will result in the short term including a reduction in oil production, which will be devastating to the global economy. In the long term, whoever is in charge will sell the oil so that they have the revenue to run the country. The Saudis have about a quarter of the world's proven oil reserves and the world's largest exporter of oil.

As far as the others, if Iraq falls to the extremists, it's bad. We know that Saudi Arabia and Iran are funding opposite sides of what could be a potential civil war in Iraq. Most of us expect Iraq to devolve into civil war, and I don't think we need to be involved.

It is not a matter of choosing to be involved. Depending on who takes over, Iran's possible involvement, and what happens to oil production during such a civil war, we will have a dog in this fight, which will have an impact on us whether we like it or not. We saw what happened when Saddam was in charge. Countries like Kuwait, Jordan, Saudi Arabia and Israel will be impacted.

Pakistan is a tinder box. The Taliban are present along with AQ elements. The ISI is riddled with Islamists and Taliban sympathizers. The public approval rating for the US is about 10%. The biggest danger is that some non-state actor will acquire a nuclear weapon and use it. I don't believe that the Pakistani government would initiate such use against India or us.