Saudi Military Question

[NobleSavage]

There is a meme going around Facebook to the effect that the Saudis are #3 in military expenditures in the world so they should go fight ISIS. I looked up the rankings and it's #4. Granted, spending != ability, but what are the other problems with this idea? It has to be a stupid idea or it wouldn't be on Facebook. (I think this started with Bernie Sanders, but who the fuck knows.)

 

[Ford]

(I think this started with Bernie Sanders, but who the fuck knows.)

Google knows.


http://thehill.com/policy/defense/234907-sanders-blast-saudi-arabia-for-suggesting-us-troops-against-isis

Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) ripped Saudi Arabia Friday after the nation’s top diplomat suggested the U.S. would have to deploy ground troops to ultimately defeat the Islamic State in Iraq and Syria (ISIS).

“I find it remarkable that Saudi Arabia, which borders Iraq and is controlled by a multi-billion dollar family, is demanding that U.S. combat troops have ‘boots on the ground’ against ISIS. Where are the Saudi troops?” Sanders, a potential 2016 presidential candidate, said in a statement.

“With the third largest military budget in the world and an army far larger than ISIS, the Saudi government must accept its full responsibility for stability in their own region of the world,” he added.

So there's that.

what are the other problems with this idea?

Off the top of my head, I'm gonna say that the biggest exporter of Sunni extremism isn't going to get their very shiny military equipment dirty fighting their own progeny.


Come to think of it, when was the last time the Saudi military got involved in anything beyond defending their kingdom?

 

[barbos]

Nice allies US have got.

 

[tupac chopra]

There is a meme going around Facebook to the effect that the Saudis are #3 in military expenditures in the world so they should go fight ISIS.

You'll probably notice, if you haven't already. that most of what is going on makes no sense at all.

"Madness in great ones must not unwatched go "(Claudius in Hamlet)"

I mean, if you were insane and you acted on your insane thoughts, what would you do? You might give more weapons to some people you didn't know ..because who knows, maybe they don't like someone you don't like?

How can Saudi Arabia fight ISIL when...
The enemy of my enemy is my friend ..or in Arabic...عدو عدوي هو صديقي'

 

[untermensche]

Come to think of it, when was the last time the Saudi military got involved in anything beyond defending their kingdom?

The purpose of the military is to protect the oil.

The imperialism done by the Saudi's is done with money not their military.

While the US of course has a two pronged approach.

 

[Togo]

I guess the matching question is, why is the US pursuing a policy of bombing ISIS when they know that is insufficient to defeat them? In all seriousness, is there a plan here?

 

[Jason Harvestdancer]

During the first gulf war there was a joke common among US soldiers.

What is the Saudi army's anthem? Onward Christian Soldiers.

 

[Axulus]

Come to think of it, when was the last time the Saudi military got involved in anything beyond defending their kingdom?

The purpose of the military is to protect the oil.

The imperialism done by the Saudi's is done with money not their military.

While the US of course has a two pronged approach.

Why would the US military need to protect foreign oil? The oil is valuable and will be sold on the market regardless of who controls it.

The Saudi-US alliance is generally more about business relationships, a counter-balance to Iran that threatens Israel and our other interests in the region, and a historical opposition to Communism. Oil plays a key part but it isn't the sole reason.

 

[untermensche]

The purpose of the military is to protect the oil.

The imperialism done by the Saudi's is done with money not their military.

While the US of course has a two pronged approach.

Why would oil need military protection? The oil is valuable and will be sold to US and the rest of the market regardless of who controls it.

Oil needs protection from any potential force that may want to take control of it.

The Saudi royals want to keep things the way they are.

It is nice to live in extravagance.

 

[Axulus]

Why would oil need military protection? The oil is valuable and will be sold to US and the rest of the market regardless of who controls it.

Oil needs protection from any potential force that may want to take control of it.

The Saudi royals want to keep things the way they are.

It is nice to live in extravagance.

They want to maintain their wealth and power, true. But they also want to maintain protection from other influences in the region (namely Iran/Hezbollah/Assad alliance, and Turkey/Qatar/Egypt alliance).

 

[Horatio Parker]

The Saudis are building a 600 mile East Berlin type wall along the Iraqi border. That's gotta cost.

 

[Nexus]

Why would the US military need to protect foreign oil? The oil is valuable and will be sold on the market regardless of who controls it.

The US military needs to protect oil that it wants sold in American dollars. When people say fighting for oil what they really need to say is fighting for the petro-dollar.

 

[Togo]

Why would the US military need to protect foreign oil? The oil is valuable and will be sold on the market regardless of who controls it.

So there's no chance that it will be kept in the ground to increase the commoidty price overall? Or sold via a dedicated contract to a non-US entity in return for political favours, private kickbacks, or similar?

Not all oil goes into the commodity markets.

 

[Canard DuJour]

Why would the US military need to protect foreign oil? The oil is valuable and will be sold on the market regardless of who controls it.

So there's no chance that it will be kept in the ground to increase the commoidty price overall? Or sold via a dedicated contract to a non-US entity in return for political favours, private kickbacks, or similar?

..or out of sheer anti-US spite, as I believe ISIS have explicitly stated if they ever gain control of it. Or as a secular arab nationalist gov't might do in Saudi if the House of Saud, which represents everything America is supposedly against, weren't propped up by America.