[robowombat]

Yes and I suspect there is an unspoken but real bargain between the US and Saudi Arabia that allows the Saudis to bankroll the Sunni militias in Syria and in Iraq. The goal in both places is to squelch the pro-Iranian Shia militias in Iraq and to topple the heretical Alawite regime in Syria . The latter is Iran's only ally in the region and the site of the Russians only naval base. The Sunni /Alawite war will unfortunately lead to a lot of Syrian Christians deaths unless there is a side deal that they can get out via Israel and Lebanon and then be settled here and Canada and Australia. The desired end state is a semi Islamist Sunni block in Syria and Iraq with a de facto Kurd state in the north and the Hezbollah isolated in Lebanon with the Israelis ready to pay them back for 2006. The grand strategy is to continue to isolate and contain Iran and create an Islamacist block that does not direct its Jihad at the US.

[arrogantsob]

It is foolish to believe that any such alliance will be the result of all this. Certainly not one which would benefit either the US or Saudi Arabia.

Nor do I believe there is anyone in this administration capable of conceiving or carrying out such a scheme.

[marygonzo]

I am pulling for Assad!! I just hate the Al Queda because they killed 2900 people in my country. Assad is Shia. They don’t suicide bomb and they have never done anything in my country and they hate Sunnis. We should hate Sunnis , like Wahhabi cult sunni Nidal Hassan who to this day is hidden from view after killing 13 and wounding 43 unarmed soldiers and women at Ft Hood. You can’t make it up but his damned trial has never occurred. Last week it was Ramadan (sp?) and the month before he had a damned beard. Kill the SOB!! Kill him NOW!!

[Zhang Fei]

The grand strategy is to continue to isolate and contain Iran and create an Islamacist block that does not direct its Jihad at the US.

That's a lot like trying to create a mako shark that only feeds on seaweed.