cloudmountain, what did you see there? Would you recommend an overthrow of Assad for the beheaders?
Damascus was fabulous. It became so important in the middle east because it had/has TWO independent FRESH WATER wells. Other settlements had one but Damascus had/has two.
The shopping there was FABULOUS!!!
The Arabs have been fighting with each other ever since there have been Arabs. They fought over water, land, women and status. NOW, since the Saudis have more money than God, THEY are the kings of the Gulf area. There's no more fighting now as the King of Saudi Arabia doles out $$ to those poorer nations who need it.
The king has so much money that he gives to Christian countries.
The King personally owns all the petroleum and natural gas. He bought it back from ARAMCO in 1980, as his predecessors had sold all the mineral rights to ARAMCO.
Now the king earns one billion U.S. dollars every two and a half days. THAT was 1983 money. WHO KNOWS what the profit is now.
I say: LET THOSE GULF COUNTRIES ALONE. They are still needed for our gas guzzling economy.
The Saudis WILL run out of petroleum and natural gas, the geologists predict, in another 200 years.
Travel? Go to Hawaii! AloooooooooooooHA!!!