[blanknoone]

Saud's biggest stick is OPEC..they use their production (and threat of more) to limit the production of other oil producers. They face a problem though...more and more countries are becoming significant producers because the prices are held artificially high. If Iraq produces as much as it can...it could well mean the death knell of OPEC within the decade. OPEC's share of the world oil market is steadily shrinking...and is likely to continue to do so. I for one am very much looking forward to Russian Siberian oil piped to the far east in great quantities. West Africa may also become a big player with a little regional stabilty.

[blanknoone]

I left out one pair of statistics tells it all...the Saudis used to sell $12,500 per capita of oil. Now they sell $2,500 per capita. The masses can no longer be bought off for so little.