re: The Problem is the Saudis

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The Royals have always sent their kids to western schools

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And how in the hell does that rebut the modernity argument? You totally whiffed. You might as well have said 'You're wrong because it's Monday.'

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and are still better than most their Arab neighboors

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Most of their Arab neighbors are primitive. Iran is less modern than pre-revolution.

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You are a dumbass Who do you think ISIS, the organization that actually establised a caliphate got most of its money, fights and based its teaching off of.

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ISIS is banned in SA. OBL never went home because they would have killed him on the spot. Or maybe you think he just avoided the country because he didn't like the hotel linen.
You're beyond a dumb arse. You are totally reliant of laughing emoticons as a response which is an indication of retardation.

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We were invited in to protect them from Iraq plain and simple

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Another total whiff. You ignored my argument.

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No thats clearly you

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No, it's you. See how childish that response sounds? That's because you're juvenile.

I'm super busy rn, but I think you and Gnash are actually about 95% in agreement tbh. You guys could probably sit down and come up with a way of characterizing the situation that you both agree with.

To me, I see KSA interests inextricably linked with the interests of Israel and the US, and for that reason, their particular style of foreign policy implementation is very dangerous. They've exploited their access to what amounts to a sociopolitical nuke, and they get to use it because the US and Israel are going to provide necessary top cover for as long as KSA is a crucial player in the energy and finance sectors. This situation is essentially the biggest destabilizing or unbalancing force in the region.

They are so critical to US policy aims that even 911 wasn't enough to force any meaningful policy shifts. They are essentially the retard in the room waving a gun that nobody can stop. I would say that circumstance characterizes the situation decently well.

Whats equally important is how Iran adapted to this, and how that's expressed through their foreign policy tools. But I dont have the time at the moment.

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women allowed to drive (I saw more than a handful. That’s a pretty quick implementation).

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id love to see how bad accident rates rose after this

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They are so critical to US policy aims

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The essential problem is that US support allows them to act more wildly than they would without such support. I don't think other US allies, outside of Israel, could act with so little regard for repercussions. The Iranians are supremely pragmatic in contrast, and the notions that their eschatological aims cloud their judgement is fantasy driven by ignoring how Iran actually behaves.

Setting up a balance of power in the region between Iran, Turkey, Israel, and the KSA would be to everyone's interest, but that won't happen.

I think the biggest example is how the are able to do this and preach hate is in Western Europe.

It's the most vivid example of it, certainly. It's taking advantage of a integration process that is delicate and always with problems.

Life inside the compounds is different.

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I’ve spent more time in ksa than you probably have outside of louisiana, and I’m telling you you’re wrong

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ive spent time in the middle east soooooo..............

that and ive spent almost my entire life outside Louisiana except for a couple trips to NOLA and visiting family.

Yeah haha, which is understandable.

The other side of it is the massive media reach of the Saudi / Israeli propaganda arm. The pro KSA take is popular with establishment foreign policy types and a segment of extremely pro Israel conservstivrs.

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There is no sufficient explanation for the appearance of Wahhabi ideology in places like Indonesia, Kazakhstan, and Tunisia, for example, other than to ascribe blame to where it should go, which is primarily Gulf Arabs funding mosques and madrassas. These countries had various histories, none of them were beaten by Israel, and all have had problems with Wahhabi/Salafi jihadists.

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Brunei (once a British protectorate) has a large financial influence from the "west" (Royal Dutch Shell). The people there have a fairly high per capita income, and their Sultan is regarded as one of the wealthiest people in the world. And yet...Sharia law is being implemented. To be clear, Israel wasn't involved, things have been good, and the relationship with the "west" has generally been regarded as positive by the people of Brunei. Could it be that the Sultan recently made a hard pivot toward Islamic fundamentalism. Sunni driven (usually Shafi based but recently Wahhabi based?) religious extremism at that. I would argue that Brunei is the petfect example of Wahhabi based influence. Then again, maybe the Sultan is just having a "come to Mohammed" moment as he gets older. Either way, I would suggest that at some level KSA has influnced Brunei via clerics.
Just my .02.