Saudi Arabia is flexing its might in the M.E. in a bid to contain the tide of change and expand their influence.

The Saudi's dispensed US$4 billion in aid last week in Egypt, to shore up the ruling military council, and have also invited the rulers of Jordan and Morrocco to join a union of Persian Gulf monarchies.

These are just some of the moves aimed at averting any dramatic shift from the authoritarian model it believs in.

Analist's say these are also attempts to signal to Shi'ite Iran that the Sunni Arab monarchs will defend their interests.

The range of Riyadh's intervention has been extensive.
In Egypt, where the revolution has already toppled Mr. Murabak, a close ally, the Saudi's are dispensing aid and mending ties in part to help head off a good showing by the Muslim Brotherhood in the up-coming parliamentary elections.

Saudi Officials are also concerned that Egypt's forien policy is shifting, with its outreach to the Islamist group Hamas and plans to restore ties with Iran.

Last Defense.

With the fall of other Sunni bulwarks, includeing Saddam Hussein in Iraq and former president Hosni Mubarak in Egypt, saudi Arabia regards itself as the last defence against Iranian domination in the Region.


*Source- AFP

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CHILCUTT~
The secret to a long life. Is knowing when it is time to leave.

Has Iran sent that thank you note to the US yet? American intervention in Iraq was a huge gift to Iran. Slick move, George.

Thank you. That's one argument I've made over the years that most people just can't fathom - that in a strategic sense, Iraq under Hussein was quite useful as a roadblock against Iran. With all the bad blood between them, as long as Hussein and the Ayatollahs were eyeing each other and worried about what the other was doing, they didn't have much inclination or time to screw around with anyone else.

And that's why Hussein continued to run the bluff that he still had plenty of chemical weapons left, even though it eventually lead to the U.S. invasion - if he'd let the inspectors have free reign and proved beyond a doubt he didn't have any left to forestall a U.S. invasion, he would have also been telling Iran that it was now open season on his a$$ - like Bugs Bunny pointing out the "rabbit season" sign to Elmer Fudd, and then painting a target on his backside.

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Just say "NO" to Ethanol - Drive Diesel

Mitchell Oates
Mooresville, NC
'87 300D 212K miles
'87 300D 151K miles - R.I.P. 12/08
'05 Jeep Liberty CRD 67K miles
Grumpy Old Diesel Owners Club

Teheran is not exactly thrilled with the Saudi move.

Saudi Arabia and Iran have been in regional competition for decades.

On friday, Iran started sending trainers and advisors to help Syria crush anti-government demonstrations.

Teheran has been helping Syria with a steady stream of aid-which has included not only weapons and riot gear, but also sophisticated surveillance equiptment that is helping Syrian authorities to track down opponents through their facebook accounts

And then there is Yemen....................

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CHILCUTT~
The secret to a long life. Is knowing when it is time to leave.

I'm sure that is true, with Iraq out of the way Iran is a bigger fish in a smaller pond and a bigger competitor with the saudis. The balance of power in the region is still shifting.

Its still way too early to tell what will happen in the ME once the dust settles.
I would think that the folks in the U.S.,should count their blessings, in that they have a relatively easy life compared to many places in this world.
From the drug cartels of South America/Mexico wreaking havoc..to the sight of police carrying auto-matic weapons in S.E.Asia...to the people starving in India/Bangladesh...to the everyday horrors of war/revolution in the M.E.

America looks like a paradise compared to many places.

Maybee the same folks can think about that, the next time they complain about gas/feul prices.....which is trivial opposed to being in a place where you will be lucky to be alive when the sun goes down.

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CHILCUTT~
The secret to a long life. Is knowing when it is time to leave.

...and I actually had to wait in line for almost a full minute at Starbucks this morning.

Ha !..imagine risking recieving 6 strokes from the 'Rattan cane', if you are found guilty of spraying graffitti.

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CHILCUTT~
The secret to a long life. Is knowing when it is time to leave.

I lived/worked in Riyadh for a period of time during the early 80's.

I did not think taking Saddam out was a good move either. He seemed to be about the only individual that could keep the natives under control.

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Jim

Nobody cares that saddam was a CIA asset who was put in place to assasinate the former Iraqi leader in the late 50's.
Nobody cares that Rumsfeld and the US administration armed Saddam to defeat Iran, prior to the Gulf war 1.
Nobody cares that April Glaspie and Secratary of State Baker gave Saddam Hussein the go ahead to retake former Iraqi lands (Kuwait).
Then the US administration after having set up Saddam, declared war on Iraq...slaughtering the Iraqi army.


Key individual in that whole scenario, is April Glaspie. Google her and locate the recently declassified communication between Saddam and Bush, entitled 'Saddam's message of freindship to G. Bush'...and you should be able to determine that eliminateing Saddam Hussein, really didnt have to happen.

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CHILCUTT~
The secret to a long life. Is knowing when it is time to leave.

Kingdoms, despots, autocrats and totalitarians have been trying to work their magic stemming the tide of democratization for the past 300 years or so. They stop it here an dthere for a time, but they all fall onto the ash heap of history as people or governments who despised liberty and feared their own people.

More please.

Are sitting on a "Pressure Cooker" full of "Under 25s"
(Think Semtex Enema)

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'84 300SD sold
124.128

Humans would like to think they they are special and better than other species, but at the end of the day we are animals too, we evolved from animals, we have animal instincts, and one of those instincts is to ensure the survival of the species.

Morality is a social construct created by a group of people who came to agreement within the group-of what is agreeable and what is not-within the groups social structure.

Hence, morality widely differs from one gruop to other gruops, and because of that there is no such thing as universal morality.

Which takes us to Kings/Heirerarchies/Sultans, and the like. A King (or a queen) have only one thing in mind...'What can the people do for him-and how to fully exploit them' ......




Take it from here Bot.

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CHILCUTT~
The secret to a long life. Is knowing when it is time to leave.

I have also made that argument too. It is also simular to the fall of the Soviet Union. Some other regions lost their restraints. Mainly Yugoslavia.
Iraq also acted as a buffer between Iran and Suadi Arabia. I think the main threat that Iraq posed was an invasion of Suadi Arabia. That would have really ignited the ME.

Tom

Says a religous man. Aren't they anointed by God (Allah). Do you dare to defy those who are favored by him?
Tom