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Besides oil, these days Saudi Arabia's largest export seems to be radical muslim sects that are hell-bent on the destruction of anything Western in idealogy or belief. (Just take a look at the 9/11 terrorists, for starters) The general treatment of women in Saudi Arabia makes the ones that were under Taliban rule in Afghanistan look like a group of miscontented suburban soccer moms at a PTA meeting. Our government looks the other way when they feel it beneficial for business or security interests. It would not surprise me one iota if members of the Saudi Royal Family were supporting Hezbollah.
This should come as no surprise since we did it both with Iran as well as Iraq in the 70's amd 80's, depending on the current circumstances of the day and the US administration in office at the time.
We dragged up the Sultan AB in Saudia Arabia and moved operation to Qatar. This was done for tactical operations as well, I think in the change of Saudi leadership and growing anti-American sentiments within the country. It's a love/hate relationship.
You may not like Israel's current position or their statehood beginnings but you do not see them intializing terrorism around the middle east and world because of their religious ideology and their military firepower (paid by US taxpayers) is the hammer in the region. With Iran's nuclear ambitions, I personally do not mind them as an allie at the moment.
The Israeli Air Force has taken out reactors in Iran in the past when they felt that they were not being used to provide fuel to heat the afternoon tea. This was done with US planning and surveillance.
If I have to pick a country in the region that my taxdollars are going to go to and support, it will be Israel until something better comes along.
BTW- As I'm sure that you are well aware Fabs- oil is a global market commodity. Shutdowns in Iran, Iraq, Saudi, or Venezuela or anywhere else for that matter, hurt both the economy and yes, even our personal portfolios.
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