[CROSSHIGHWAYMAN]

Time to redraw some boundaries in the middle east.

I'd like to see the southern oil fields of Iraq joined with the eastern oil fields of Saudi Arabia and renamed Bush-arabia.

[bloggerjohn]

Wonderful thought. The rotten Wahabbis are the ones who funded, manned, and inspired 911. Let them have all the $#@! sand.

[B-bone]

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Intelligence sources believe that Saudi Arabia is quietly helping the establishment of al-Qaida in northern Iraq and nearby Syria, according to Geostrategy-Direct, the global intelligence news service.

Saudi princes are desperate to ensure the status quo and that means keeping Saddam in power, Geostrategy said.
*****

Somehow I fail to see the logic that introducing al-Qaida into Iraq and Syria will keep Saddam in power. This is essentially a guarantee that Saddam will not remain in power.

[RightWhale]

in northern Iraq and nearby Syria

It would be tough for Alqaida to do anything there at all without being spotted. It's not remote, like Afghanistan used to be. The base is being whittled down daily.

[operation clinton cleanup]

All your base are belong to us.... step into the 21st century.

[river rat]

The House of Saud is a diseased whore that gave birth to and sustains radical/militant Islam...

The two faced lying bitch has earned our hatred, and deserves to feel the wrath of a brutal American vengence.
Semper Fi

[river rat]

But the other Saudi princes are concerned that they will never ever see the results of such a gas project should Washington target the royal family."

Too late, for the House of Saud -- you have all gone too far..
You have "messed" in your bread basket --- YOU now, are already among the ultimate targets.
Semper Fi

[Valin]

Intelligence sources believe that Saudi Arabia is quietly helping the establishment of al-Qaida in northern Iraq and nearby Syria, according to Geostrategy-Direct, the global intelligence news service.

The Kurds might have a thing or two to say about this.

[Billthedrill]

An interesting analysis, but I'm a bit skeptical. First, the only "wolf" that has threatened Saudi Arabia seriously in the past thirty years or more is the same fellow they're ostensibly now trying to keep in power. Second, the Iraqi oil supply presents no more of a threat under a new regime than it does now once the embargo is lifted - Saddam is no friend of the Saudis, see point (1). And third, the greatest threat to the Saudis isn't in Iraq or in the United States either, it's right there at home should the Wahabbis decide to take sides in the coming internecine warfare within the royal family.

But if I'm wrong it's not all bad - setting al Qaeda up in the desert in Iraq strikes me as the Saudi contribution to a target-rich environment. We may end up thanking them, or what's left of them, for that little favor.