[robowombat]

Yes. Moreover it is dismaying to see US policy in such complete disarray. Even the normally strong Arabist influence in the State Department appears at a loss as to what to propose to protect the Saudis and the Gulf oil sheikdoms if nothing else. The level of drift and disorganization is pretty unprecedented and ,IMHO, exceeds that of the Carter Administration during and after the fall of the Shah. The State Dept did pull things together Carter in an unusually strong and cogent address to the nation announced what was called the ‘Carter Doctrine’ which basically made the US the guarantor of stability in the Persian Gulf region. For better or worse it was a clearly stated policy formulation. Today we have those who initiated the “Arab Spring’ milling about in disorder and confusion. They hope the Iran deal will give the Arab states time to sort things out. But hope is not a plan. Truly we are watching the Sorcerer’s Apprentices in action and there is no Sorcerer to rescue them or the mid-East or the US.

[Trumpinator]

Excellent analysis. Well stated. It has not been this bad since Carter lost Iran.

[dfwgator]

We’re going to find out the huge mistake we made is backing the Wahhabists in Saudi Arabia.