First, trust me, Russia will be exporting lots of oil soon. One of Putin's main priorties is to reach Russia's potential on the oil and gas market.

And about Saudi Arabia -

"Follow the money" - Deepthroat.

It's about the war. Remember the war? :) Al Qaeda's main source of funds is Saudi Arabia. Many members of Al Qaeda are Saudis, including the Osama himself, and 15/19 hijackers. The Wahabbi ideology is of Saudi origin, and Wahabbi (or Salafi) sect is the official sect of the House of Saud.

Al Qaeda's money comes principally from Saudi oil revenue. Saudi Arabia has no industry except oil. It doesn't make anything. Large numbers of foreigners are imported from Pakistan, India, Philippenes and the like because the Bedouins don't like to get their hands dirty.

>>Interesting, I didn't think of this as a possibility. I can see where some think tank would see it as a good move, but personally, it would stir up the WHOLE Middle East, and it would lead to world wide chaos.<<

It wouldn't lead to chaos if we payed sufficent attention to the history of the area. I'm certainly not advocating US invasion or occupation of Saudi Arabia. A few airstrikes, maybe, but I fervently hope that won't be the case.

The oil producing area of Saudi Arabia is in the east, along the Persian Gulf. That area is majority Shia. This is important. Sunnis and Shia usually have trouble getting along, but Wahabbis can barely stand them. Wahabbi clerics spread vicious lies about the Shia - how they're in conspiracy with the Jews always, how they aren't real Muslims, how their copies of the Koran are missing parts.

Also, the Saudis are not the traditional guardians of the Hejaz - the holy land. For over 600 years Mecca and Medina were ruled by the Hashemites. The Saud clan was formerly a minor tribe from central Arabia, in and around Riyadh.

When the House of Saud went through it's post-Ottoman expansion, they were aided by their Wahabbi clerics. Wahabbism wasn't an important sect until then. But the clerics had too much control and were too violent. The British got tired of this and told Old Man Saud the put a lid on it. There was a slaughter of the Ikwan (brotherhood), as they called themselves.

Everything old is new again. In the '70s and '80s, the Saudis began devoting large amounts of money to building mosques worldwide. And furnishing preachers. Wahabbi preachers. This is often resented in Muslim lands where Islam has been prevelant for hundreds of years. Suddenly these Arabs show up and say "No, no, you're doing it wrong, and your mosques must be more austere..."

These Saudi-funded mosques are often recruiting points for terrorists, as well as conduits for funds, instructions, what have you.

The Saudis realize they have an al Qaeda problem. Finally, after the recent bombings. But I don't think the Saudis have the wherewithal to fight and win. They've been effectively paying al Qaeda protection money for a decade. Now they're not paying it, but al Qaeda has enough individual sponsors to keep up operations.

When the Saudis first took on the extremists, the House of Saud was young and vital. But the oil wealth has absolutely corrupted Saudi society. Most of the work, including vital defence jobs, are done by foreign guest workers. Sure, the F-15 pilots are Saudis, but you don't fly without a ground crew.

The oil wealth is divied up between the tribes, who also control the Saudi National Guard, and the ever-expanding Royal Roster. The practice of polygamy has certainly proved fruitful, but the royal famliy is huge now. Each prince gets a stipend. In real terms, Saudi Arabia is actually poorer now than it was in the '70s and '80s.

So I don't believe the House of Saud is able to take on al Qaeda in an effective manner.

>>If you think this is already part of an American plan to take over all the Middle East oil, I'd think you'd be over-reaching somewhat. Sounds good on paper, but it's a disgusting thought. If you think it's moral or righteous to steal anothers' goods by force, then you're the type of man I'm certainly not interested in having a dialogue with.<<

This isn't about the oil. It's about the oil revenue. I'm not advocating action to physically sieze the source of the oil. That would be archaic.

But what does concern me, in the case of Saudi Arabia, is what happens to the money. Al Qaeda gets money and not a little backing from Saudia Arabia, and all of Saudi Arabia's money comes from oil.

If the oil stops flowing, the Saudis fall. Riyadh won't be able to dole out the goodies. Al Qaeda comes soon after. Hard for some bored prince to pay his membership dues if the money spigot is turned off. I'm sure King Abdullah would be more than willing to resume his family's title as Sherif.

It's not about the USA taking control of the oil. Let someone else control the Middle Eastern oil - it's not worth the trouble. It's about taking money out of the hands of killers.