[Bonaparte]

You can always rely on those screaming Guardian headlines to misrepresent the facts. "Saudis tell U.S. Forces To Get Out" is a far cry from "Senior Saudi officials have privately complained that the US has 'outstayed its welcome' and that the kingdom may soon request that the American presence - a product of the Gulf war - is brought to an end." Headline says its happened, article says it hasn't. Business as usual. And the implication that Saudi's economy is in the toilet is pure rubbish. The fact is that the royal family, for all their wealth, is incredibly weak and cowed by the islamic militants within its own borders and without. They would fall if we left.

[connectthedots]

The fact is that the royal family, for all their wealth, is incredibly weak and cowed by the islamic militants within its own borders and without. They would fall if we left.

Carter abandoned the Shah of Iran. The House of Saud can't possibly be so stupid as to volunteer for the same outcome. If the U.S. left, the first thing Saddam would do is take out the Islamic religious leaders because they would be his biggest threat.

[dread78645]

You can always rely on those screaming Guardian headlines to misrepresent the facts.

. . . and that the kingdom may soon request that the American presence . . .

Spot on. The Guardian is trying to spin the future.

My 5 year prediction:

US forces in Saudi Arabia, Iraq, & Kuwait.
House of Saud in Switzerland sharing quarters with Saddam Hussein.
An Iranian counter-revolution. New government modeled on the Turkish system.
Israel still the target of Arab hate (and so it goes). . .