[Paul R.]

I thought it was Qatar (among many others) that wants
to build a pipeline through Syria.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Qatar-Turkey_pipeline

Saudi has gas, but it’s underdeveloped, and S.A. is not likely to significantly exceed internal demand for a long time. They (SA) are more interested in developing their own petrochemical industries (plastics, etc.) than in exporting gas.

In any event, the whole idea is to have an alternative or alternatives to gas supplies to Europe, avoiding purchase from Russia and transit through Ukraine, making whomever is in power in Kiev relatively unimportant. This (depending on the proposal) would make the suppliers (Iran, Qatar, Azerbaijan, etc.) richer too, of course.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Southern_Gas_Corridor

This is not to say Saudi doesn’t have other reasons to depose Assad (and also oppose Qatar, among other things. The ME is like a 20 ring circus, sometimes...)

[Paul R.]

The ME is like a 20 ring circus, sometimes usually...)

Fixed it.