A Possible Coup in Saudi Arabia Signals the End of US Dominance in the Mideast

originally posted by: Xcathdra

originally posted by: Ksihkehe
a reply to: Xcathdra

This could be a game changer in the ME.

Of course that's if the new boss isn't the same as the old boss.

All the more reason to sink money into R and D and get off oil. If a new energy source is discovered / created and oil goes the way of the dinosaurs whats the reason for remaining engaged in the ME?

Like that's going to happen....

The oil companies and their lobbyists have a strangle hold on Washington and coupled with their allies the Banks, the ME will remain a profitable resource. And there will always be enough US troops in the ME to protect those interests.

a reply to: Xcathdra

World dominance. The middle east is a pivot point in the world and we won't want to let it go. It may just be our downfall if things continue as they have.

I highly doubt you'll see an open civil war, in Saudi Arabia. A Poisoning here or there, would not be suprising ; Nor would some "unexpected" revealing of apostasy in the faith of some who sit in line... But no, I highly doubt there will be any open civil war, or blatant in-fighting. The U.S. won't allow it, and anyone planning to wear the crown won't allow it either.

As to oil production, I saw someone mention earlier, that will remain stable no matter who or what waits for Salman to be removed or abdicate. S.A. is only one nation to the OPEC decision making. I would expect production to remain stable dispite any rumors of a new king, or news of the old king.


As to the U.S. extension of power over the middle east, this is fading for other reasons and unrelated to the Royal family's business.

originally posted by: yuppa
For the house of saud to collapse it will take the entire family dead to do so. IF they get uppity and try to kick out the US and western powers we will remove their Oil production ability since the US and Britain OWN the tech and the equipment that allowwed them to drill in th e first place. ALso stopping water deliveries and food deliveries. good luck eating sand and drinking oil. th e regime would collapse within a few years if not months with the saudi people beheading the royals.

Saudi Arabia is already very near collapse, the price of oil is bankrupting their nation. Between US fracking, and now the Iranian nuclear deal which frees them up to sell oil both Russia and Saudi Arabia are facing some real economic hardship, and OPEC is all but dissolved. If it continues there are going to be some major changes in Saudi Arabia within the next few years. Who knows, with them out of power and no longer relevant we might finally hear about their 9/11 involvement.

a reply to: Xcathdra

I am not familiar with how the Saudi Royal family is set up. I know they have a lot of Royals I just don't know how their line of succession works.

afaik there are no strict succession rules.
If Saudi clan collapses, there are more likely will be something as Al Qaida. Perhaps even some Saudi princess far from the chances to become prominent siding with Al Qaida. As another distant possibility King of Jordan can make a claims on Mecca ( Hejaz), afterall before British meddling it was Hashemite family that ruled there. Third option is Daesh ( so called Islamic State). On principle the difference between Al Qaida and Daesh is concerning monarchic rule from old dynasties. I'm including Saud family as old too. Al Qaida is more flexible on this issue, that is one of the reasons why Daesh was formed, prolly Al Qaida would agree on some renegade Saudi prince.

It does not matter who is in power the Saudis will remain US clients for no other reason than nobody else has anything to offer. The great propaganda made of Russia deploying 50 aircraft to Syria does not impress anyone who is used to the US being able to bring over 80 on carrier. A new leader would be less likely to get directly involved in another conflict like Yemen unless the US was also a party of it. Unilateral action is what the Royal family is not happy about. Letting the US handle things while playing a supporting role has been the traditional Saudi way. And the Saudi fear the US taking on Iran as client state.

In the region the US has Egypt, Saudi Arabia, Israel and Turkey as its 3 separate power bases. It also of course has junior allies like Oman, Jordan, Bahrain, Kuwait, Qatar and the UAE. The Saudis do not want to see yet another added which makes less valuable.

The Saudi's have chosen to keep pumping oil to keep the price of oil down to hurt frackers in the US and of course Iran and Russia whom it has no love for. And they are well positioned to this because they have tons of cash reserves and the lowest public debt in the world. They may have to cut some of the massive public spending on things like new Stadiums for awhile.

Over all the Saudis will stay a US client for same reason most of the World has, their simply is no other power on Earth that can offer any real protection.

a reply to: MrSpad

In the region the US has Egypt, Saudi Arabia, Israel and Turkey as its 3 separate power bases.

US may be have only Israel. And even in Israel about the quarter of population is already against USA

The Saudi's have chosen to keep pumping oil to keep the price of oil down to hurt frackers in the US and of course Iran and Russia whom it has no love for.

Some of the elites in USA dictated this policy to some of the elites in SA. This is hurting SA and there are tensions between and inside SA Saudi
Royal family precisely because of this.

a reply to: Xcathdra

from the article

Images broadcast on al-Jazeera show Saudi Arabia, an outrageously rich country, pummeling Yemen, one of the poorest in the Arab world.

It is an interesting thing, AL Jazeera is a mouthpiece of Qatar.
Let me make a very simple generalization. Qatar supporting Daesh, SA - Al -Qaida.

a reply to: Xcathdra

It will be interesting for sure. I don't see ANY monarchs lasting long. A grab at the crown might signal the average citizens that are already trying to push for changes to start their own uprising.

We could see a serious Arab Spring in Saudi Arabia if the lesser monarchs push for a coup.

a reply to: kitzik

Labeling anything not supported by Iran/Syria/Russia as terrorists just doesn't work. The only people who fall for that propaganda are ones who are incapable of thinking on their own. Those people who for some reason don't think they can disagree and criticize a nation on one issue while supporting it on others.

All or nothing doesn't work as Russia/Iran/Syria/China are finding out.