Posted on 10/07/2013 3:38:49 AM PDT by PapaBear3625
Until a few weeks ago, Saudi Arabia was riding high. Its regional policies, based on countering revolutionary fervour and containing Iran, appeared to be bearing fruit. Egypt’s army ousted the Islamist president, to plaudits and generous funding from Riyadh; the Syrian opposition elected a new pro-Saudi leadership; and the US seemed poised to launch military strikes on the regime in Damascus that Saudi Arabia has tried to dislodge.
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As the challenges in Syria grow, there are fears in Riyadh that the war could drag on for more than a decade, draining Saudi coffers and destabilising the region. There are also concerns in Tehran that the proxy conflict between the two countries is getting out of control.
(Excerpt) Read more at ft.com ...
From the perspective of the US's real interests (as opposed to Obama's and State's), letting the radicals kill each other far away from us, is a Good Thing.
Now we need to promote the use of natural gas in this country as a transportation fuel. It would be nice if we could eliminate the need to import 10 to 12% of the worlds oil. Once oil prices drop, Iran for one would need to pump and sell more oil to maintain their domestic programs. More oil on the world market should lead to much lower prices.
I believe this is propaganda. The Saudis are worried about nothing.
correct. Let the Saudis and Iranis fight each other. We should only protect the Christians in Syria (10 to 15% of the population)
Correct. NG, diesel and improved ICEs. also in the big cities congestion taxes (let the NYers pay for democrats)
The petrodollar arrangement has been very good for us but, unfortunately, it's a jesus nut and, as such, we spend a lot of time, money, and energy ensuring that that nut doesn't come off because if it does, it's COMWEC time.
Furthermore, I'm not sure lower oil prices are a good thing for America. If supply is too high and/or demand is too low, prices drop and shale oil extraction becomes cost prohibitive.
This is my present understanding of the situation.
AQ is not a proxie for Saudi Arabia. AQ is a Saudi enemy. Usama fled Saudi Arabia because he was not wanted
Then AQ is a proxy for Iran then.
I think so.
I believe they have common goals and perhaps with the death of Usama bin Ladin have come closer.
I do not believe they are yet one and the same
No, Shiite Hezbollah is associated with Iran, not Sunni al-Qaeda.
Everyone living in the mess that is the Middle East is worried — all the time
The shale plays, even with the low current price of natural gas, are being pursued in areas with wet gas. The money is in the butane, propane and ethane that is being stripped from the natural gas. The oil is a by product in a sense.
Lowering energy costs in this country may provide impetus for economic development. If nothing else, forcing gasoline prices lower would allow families with members that must commute to work to use the money saved for other expenses.
It might open up minimum wage jobs to people that currently can’t afford the commuting costs to get to work.
The only thing the Saudis are worried about is not getting a return on their investment by not being able to run pipe through their client state in Syria. Right now, it’s Russia’s client and not inclined to lay Saudi pipe.
The Saudis aren’t going to spend any more cash than they can afford.
Reagan defeated the Soviet Union by deregulating oil prices in America. We need to do the same with regard to environmental laws that effectively do the same. The problem is how do we assure responsibility while dismantling the government's ability to hold producers accountable? There is a way to do that via tort reform and insurance deregulation in a carefully designed market structure. This is where the laboratory of natural law competition among the states would shine.
... it’s a jesus nut ...
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First time I’ve heard that term in many years!
I’m a retiree after 35 years at Bell, so I suppose you’re also very familiar with choppers. Good on ya!
hmmm....sounds like somebody’s Harvard tuition receipts are about to mysteriously appear on Hillary Clinton’s coffee table...
Saudis fear tide of Syria war turning against their interests.
Translation: Saudis want the US to protect their interests.
Saudis play it close to the vest and generally announce nothing.
The announcement should be taken to mean that they are now free of the binding agreements with the USA that was holding them and their coalition of Turks and other Gulf powers from action in Syria.
Saudis keep their friends close and their enemies even closer.
The "Golden Chain" , a list of financial supporters of AQ, recovered in a raid by US forces. Check out the number of wealthy Saudis.
Osama was not wanted in Saudi, but he was supported as long as he was pissing OUT of the tent, rather than IN.
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