Biggest Geo-Strategic Blunder Ever, but I Guess Dr. Pipes is Right to be Optimistic
Reader comment on item: Riyadh Reorients to Moscow

Submitted by Alex (United States), Dec 3, 2007 at 15:14

The possibility of Saudi Arabia, former American-allied anti-Communist linchpin during the Cold War, even to the chagrin of both leading Arab states like Egypt, Syria and (formerly) Iraq, and of its own Ikhwan internal shock troops, and a fully financially independent oil exporter, allying with the also oil-rich ex-Soviet Kremlin--and during a time of obscenely high gas prices--is a strategic blunder that, even theoretially, should not be able to happen.

Rather than President Bush's supposed aggressiveness pushing our allies into the arms of our adversaries, it is his compacency that has done this.

Nonetheless, I share Dr. Pipes' sense of relief that the Saudi yoke could begin to be lifted from this country as a result of this development, although the Saudis are wily enough to stick their bearclaws into everyone's honeypot at the same time.

(also remember that Prince Sultan's faction, centered around Princes Salman and Naif, as well as Bandar, is the chief rival to King Abdullah, who retains ultimate power)

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