Re: Iran has no WMD's
To answer your question: I think the US props up the Saudi Arabian royal family and sells arms to various contingencies over there precisely because it wants to preverse stability, not create instability. But the catch is that the US wants to preserve a kind of stability that is in its own best interests; the last thing the US wants to see is some militant/terrorist factions get into power and possibly doing something nutty with the oil (like play around with output levels to the US's disadvantage). So, the US tries to prop up various players that it thinks are in their own interest but who are "weak" - i.e., in danger of being toppled by extremist factions. I think this fits the Saudi ruling family quite well...this is from back in 2004: http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,128348,00.html
I also doubt that the US is getting some sort of a special deal on oil. Oil is sold through complex global commodity markets with many players in there, and it just isn't anywhere nearly as simple as "hey, give us some weapons and we'll drop ship a few barrels to you". I think the upside to the US of this kind of activity is simply that the groups it likes stay in power and as much stability as possible is maintained.
I'm not saying that what the US is doing is right or just, mind you...this is just my $.02 of what I figure is going on.
To answer your question: I think the US props up the Saudi Arabian royal family and sells arms to various contingencies over there precisely because it wants to preverse stability, not create instability. But the catch is that the US wants to preserve a kind of stability that is in its own best interests; the last thing the US wants to see is some militant/terrorist factions get into power and possibly doing something nutty with the oil (like play around with output levels to the US's disadvantage). So, the US tries to prop up various players that it thinks are in their own interest but who are "weak" - i.e., in danger of being toppled by extremist factions. I think this fits the Saudi ruling family quite well...this is from back in 2004: http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,128348,00.html
I also doubt that the US is getting some sort of a special deal on oil. Oil is sold through complex global commodity markets with many players in there, and it just isn't anywhere nearly as simple as "hey, give us some weapons and we'll drop ship a few barrels to you". I think the upside to the US of this kind of activity is simply that the groups it likes stay in power and as much stability as possible is maintained.
I'm not saying that what the US is doing is right or just, mind you...this is just my $.02 of what I figure is going on.
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