And his point is, what?
We should all convert to Islam, or cover our women, or do whatever the Saudis tell us to do?
I think the Saudis cannot get along with American bombs falling on their cities, and American troops occupying the oil fields
ML/NJ
Yup.
If the Saudis decide they must cut off the oil, then we do a few things. First, take some fat old men for helicopter rides. Explain to them the justified anger of the American people over events in New York, and the important mistakes in Saudi oil policy related to those justified concerns. Then let them exit the helicopter, at 1000 feet, over pavement. Be sure to get it on film for CNN.
Next, sell the country to Exxon for a 25% gross royalty. Use 5% of it to pay to wall off all the oil production areas from the rest of the country, with 400 yard belts of mines and razor wire, guarded by (air conditioned) US Marines. Offer half of the remaining royalities to any pro-US government that might arise outside the wire, and otherwise let them pound sand and revert to herding camels.
No more Saudi ownership of oil, therefore no more Saudi oil, therefore no more reliance on Saudi oil. Problem solved. For those in Palm Beach, the point is that military power is trump, and the Saudis own exactly what we say they own, and not one drop more. As long as they are tolerably pro-US, it is in our interest to let them profit from the use of the oil, since it spares us having to run the awful place. If they ever stop providing that service, then we stop needing them, and shortly thereafter they stop owning anything.