Saudi: Why do they get away with it?

Gassage

Worst human rights record ever, supporters of ISIS.

UIntouched by USA.

Discuss.

JezWynd

Oil, money and influence.

Completely agree it's shameful. It's not only the US that bows down, we have history in the region.

Gassage

Agreed.

But, so what?

mart

http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/p02gyz6b

hugbot

oil

CHRISB50

mart said:

http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/p02gyz6b

Beat me to it. 

ICBM

1. Because they're sitting on the world's largest oil reserves.
2. Because they use some of the money they get for it to buy military hardware from the US and the UK.

Personally I would rather more happily deal with Russia and even Iran.

Jalapeno

There is good intel that they've got more than a finger in the Jihadi rebels based in Syria (they also bankrolled Al Queda for quite a while).

The fact that we have history (with Egypt/Jordan/Israel/Iraq & Syria more so than Saudi, but with the French a long track record of lies & double dealing) is probably why the US has more influence than we do.

cacophony

we only have to pretend to like them until the oil runs out. then we'll settle a few scores.

CHRISB50

Their FM on the TV this morning saying that if Assad doesn't clear out, they'll get involved in Syria is a pretty fucking scary prospect. Anyone for WWIII?!

Babones

Why don't Iran and Saudi Arabia just have it out and we can grab some popcorn.

ICBM

CHRISB50 said:

Their FM on the TV this morning saying that if Assad doesn't clear out, they'll get involved in Syria is a pretty fucking scary prospect. Anyone for WWIII?!

I wouldn't worry too much. They only use their expensive Western military hardware on people who don't fight back.

Gassage

CHRISB50 said:

Their FM on the TV this morning saying that if Assad doesn't clear out, they'll get involved in Syria is a pretty fucking scary prospect. Anyone for WWIII?!

I can only thank the Lord that Trump will be in power by then to calm things down and show a calming influence. 

xSkarloey

Bastards though and through.

I think we should declare war on them, and bomb them back to the dark ages...

Oh...hang on...

CHRISB50

ICBM said:

CHRISB50 said:

Their FM on the TV this morning saying that if Assad doesn't clear out, they'll get involved in Syria is a pretty fucking scary prospect. Anyone for WWIII?!

I wouldn't worry too much. They only use their expensive Western military hardware on people who don't fight back.

You never know. Once they're finished with the Houthis in Yemen, they might get bored. I'm sure a bit of Western backing might give them some confidence. Then we'll be allied with 2 of the main nation states sponsoring ISIS, while fighting ISIS. What a fucking mess. 

Gassage said:

CHRISB50 said:

Their FM on the TV this morning saying that if Assad doesn't clear out, they'll get involved in Syria is a pretty fucking scary prospect. Anyone for WWIII?!

I can only thank the Lord that Trump will be in power by then to calm things down and show a calming influence. 

Haha indeed. Another scary prospect. Although it would be interesting to see in some ways which side of the fence he would fall on. He seems to be doing a bit of mutual back slapping with Putin at the moment. Who is obviously backing, and would continue to back the Assad / Iranian coalition. 

Winny_Pooh

In a sane world not run by sociopathic aristoctrats this would be more reason to move to renewable energy and subsidise the crap out of it (create jobs etc) and have independence from and less meddling in the Middle East over oil.

scrumhalf

And now we have this: http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-middle-east-37287434

Well, that's going to end up well, isn't it?

JezWynd

scrumhalf said:

And now we have this: http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-middle-east-37287434

Well, that's going to end up well, isn't it?

They may not be Muslims according to the Saudis but they are 'Sons of  the Maji', so it's not all bad.

It's a good thing that someone is calling out the Saudis, there's nothing much to disagree in anything Khamenei says -

"The world of Islam, including Muslim governments and peoples, must familiarize themselves with the Saudi rulers and correctly understand their blasphemous, faithless, dependent and materialistic nature. They must not let those rulers escape responsibility for the crimes they have caused throughout the world of Islam," he added.

But no, it won't end well.

Unless perhaps it's just a bit of managerial argy bargy at the height of the Hadj.

Gassage

They may not be Muslims according to the Saudis but they are 'Sons of  the Maji', so it's not all bad.

Phew, that's a real relief.

HAL9000

Skarloey said:

Bastards though and through.

I think we should declare war on them, and bomb them back to the dark ages...

Oh...hang on...

Nah, carpet bomb them until the place resembles a desert...

Oh... hang on...