Saw on MSNBC that the Saudis will send troops into Iraq if the surge fails

[Roland99]

*if*???


Why do I get ever-worsening feelings about all this?

[roamer65]

1. It isn't "if", its "when".

The Saudis would not be able to defend themselves against Iran...unless...

[King Coal]

11. Unless what?

[roamer65]

13. US/Israel involvement to "even" the tables.

[Norquist Nemesis]

That's what they reportedly told Cheney a few weeks ago. n/t

[shadowknows69]

2. I hope this is starting to become clear to some of the morans finally

our country has been sold out to Bush family buddies the Saudi royal family and now they're preparing to hand them all the oil in Iraq as well. The game for all the marbles (ie oil control) is about to begin.

[Blue_In_AK]

3. The Saudis, our "allies," will be backing the Sunnis, I presume,

since we seem to backing the Shias, even though they receive support from Iran, which is supposed to be the enemy. This is all much too confusing, but I don't see how anything good can come of it.

[Darkhawk32]

6. Yes, they need to quell internal Sunni strife. n/t

[Liberal OIF Vet]

4. This is not good....

This would set up a huge Islamic regional war. Sunni -vs- Shiites.

[Marie26]

5. Do they even have troops, really? nt

[Captain Hilts]

7. That was my question. An Air Force, yes. A teensy-weensy navy, yes. An army, no. nt

[Shipwack]

14. Yes, they do have an army...

From website GlobalSecurity.org

Royal Saudi Land Forces

The army's strength of approximately 73,000 in 1992 was greater than the other three services combined, and somewhat in excess of the national guard's active complement. The principal combat units were eight brigades: two armored, five mechanized, and one airborne. There were five artillery battalions. A separate Royal Guard Regiment consisted of three light infantry battalions. According to Norman Friedman's Desert Victory: The War for Kuwait, the Saudi land forces had deployed two armored brigades and two mechanized brigades on the Kuwaiti border in December 1990 prior to Operation Desert Storm. The disposition of the remaining ground units included a mechanized brigade on the western Iraqi border, a mechanized brigade on the Yemeni border, the Royal Guard Regiment in Riyadh, and the airborne brigade in reserve. The location of one mechanized brigade was not given.

There's several more paragraphs there, as well as information on its other services...

That being said, I highly doubt they would get their own hands dirty... I see them sending in mercenaries, or paying another country to go in harm's way for them.

[bullimiami]

16. the saudi army is around 200,000 troops.

their national guard is around 25,000 + 40,000 reserves + 25,000 tribal militiamen

[roamer65]

18. Like the US?

As they did in Gulf War I. I predict Saudi Arabia will take on responsibility for Al-Anbar and the western part of Iraq, since it is predominantly Sunni. Turkey will probably step in and occupy northern Iraq and the US will continue to occupy southern Shi'a Iraq. Mainly to antagonize the Iranians. Saudi Arabia would not last long against Iran in a battle at present troop and munition levels.

[roamer65]

8. ...and why are the Saudis defying OPEC and feverishly continuing to pump oil...

despite falling prices. They're bolstering the world oil supply because they know what's coming.

http://www.bloomberg.com/apps/news?pid=20601087&sid=aIiB8M3WlO1k&refer=home

[sabra]

9. vid here:

http://video.msn.com/v/us/msnbc.htm?f=00&g=f73bf32e-1f84-4997-b7ef-39eb601c36e2&p=hotvideo_m_edpicks&t=m5&rf=http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/3032507/&fg=

[King Coal]

10. They have troops?

[stonecoldsober]

12. Oh don't worrry!

I'm sure it will be completely minor....:sarcasm:

[TahitiNut]

15. Followed by Syria, Iran, Turkey, ...

:puke:

[fooj]

17. Col. Jack Jacobs certainly had a chilling message.

"If we think the Americans are under fire NOW, wait until the Saudi's get there."

Fuck.:cry:

[A Simple Game]

23. Wait until they get the order from the CIC that they

can't return fire if fired upon.

[fooj]

24. .

:mad:

[Jeffersons Ghost]

19. will they send BOTH of their guys or only one?

[KharmaTrain]

20. And They Haven't Been Coming Across The Border Already?

The BBC reported quite a while ago about the large number of "jihadists" and "terrirsts" who were coming across the large open border in the south...right next to Al Anbar province. This is the same desert that Schwartzkopf came charging around...open, flat and poorly guarded...if at all. Add that to reports of many coming across from Jordan. Plus there's sabre ratting from Turkey...the stage is set for a a real "mess-o-potamia".

The Saudis don't have soldiers, but they sure have money. They need Iraq as a buffer from "the Persians" and the Turks...but would rather pay others to do ther fighting. The longer our military remains, the longer it gets drawn in the crossfire of a situation taht has long gotten out of control.

A great line I heard prior to this invasion was that starting a war is easy...it's ending it that's never what one expects.

[Supersedeas]

21. To support the Sunni insurgency.

[roamer65]

22. Yup and they'll bring all those petrodollars and petroeuros as well...

to fund the Sunni "insurgents". Yay.