Not quite the case. The House of Saud are "The Protectors of the Holy Places", by which are meant Mecca and Medina. As such, they get a cut of all income generated by "the Hadjj", or pilgrimage to Mecca. Literally millions of Islamic pilgrims go to Mecca anually. This generates far more income than you may think. As I understand it, it can rival oil revenues.
Remember back in 1975, when an armed group "took over" the Kaaba complex in Mecca? That was a direct challenge to both the title "Defender of the Holy Places", *AND* the income derived from that title.
There is a great deal of not just prestige, but money at stake in who controls Mecca and Medina, and the dominoes are rapidly falling into place for a conflict over the city, the title, and the income, all in one fell swoop. Look at a map of the Arabian Peninsula, and consider the following...
There has never been much love lost between the Mullahs in Iran, and either the House of Saud, or the Wahabbi Sunni religious establishment. They are separated from one another solely by the Persian Gulf, and I believe that in a naval engagement between the two, Iran would be more likely to prevail. The Iranian Navy also has assets stationed within the Red Sea, off the other coast of the Arabian Peninsula, which have been supporting the Houthis in their takeover of Yemen. That takeover is not complete, as yet, but after a period of completion and consolidation, those same Houthi fighters *could* road march the 600 or so mile to Mecca (there is a highway from Yemen to Mecca), embark on Iranian naval vessel in the Red Sea to affect an amphibious assault on the port city of Jeddah (fairly close to Mecca), or both simultaneously.
Further complicating things is ISIS, which while Sunni, has stated that *THEIR* goal vis-a-vis Saudi Arabia, and Mecca, is the complete destruction of the Kaaba (as not being in the spirit of 'pure' Islam, yeah, I know, go figure...)
Another 'player' in the game which is developing on the Arabian Peninsula is Turkey whose government is departing from the more secular Ataturk mold which was developed post WWI, to something far more Islamist, and envisions a return to the Ottoman Empire. How far will Ergodan go? I don't think even he knows at present.
A perfect storm is brewing, and where it will end is anybody's guess at present. Most folks are concerned about the oil, and it is important, but most assuredly *NOT* the only factor in play here....
Mecca and Medina ARE Tourism,....regardless of whatever anyones motive is for traveling there. And you cannot export either city for trade nor use them for leverage on the International Stage. So their siginificance is only with Muslims and the Saudi leaderhip.
I understand the entire set up in the ME and their centuries of War.....but none of them will be a “Perfect Storm”, as you mentioned, without a more powerful nation leading//assisting them. Perhaps Russia and or in time China but they will not act alone.
Ergodan will always side now with Russia. Just as Assad has.
Iran will not go into Mecca....via Yemen....not as long as we have bases on the coastline...and in the Gulf. That’s not going to happen
Yep. That's a growing market for them, and they've been investing in the expansion of Mecca in particular to accommodate more muslim pilgrims, because they said they can't continue to rely on oil revenue. There was a documentary about that on tv a few yrs ago, interviews with a couple of Saudi royals too. -- travel and toursim info
There is a great deal of not just prestige, but money at stake in who controls Mecca and Medina.....those same Houthi fighters *could* road march the 600 or so mile to Mecca (there is a highway from Yemen to Mecca), embark on Iranian naval vessel in the Red Sea to affect an amphibious assault on the port city of Jeddah (fairly close to Mecca), or both simultaneously.
hmm, am not so sure the Iranians want to control Mecca. Yemen is a different story and Houthis are Shia Muslims. The House of Saud became Custodians of Mecca and Medina after agreement by the majority of Muslim nations, who are Sunni. Sauds are Wahhabis but also Sunni.
I very much doubt there will be religious consent by Sunni nations/muslims who constitute some 85% of the muslim world and the M.E. in particular. It will actually work to the detriment of Iranians if Mecca was taken by force by the Iranians.
But I think the Iranians want to keep the Saudis weak, and Yemen/Arabian Peninsula are key locations, especially since 2009 and AQ presence there too, which the Iranian Mullahs and Houthis (shias) believe is backed by Saudi Arabia, and apparently many were/are Saudi nationals - some released from Guantanamo Bay.