re: I guess we must do whatever it takes to keep the Saudis happy.
"Absent that, I'd like to see a glimmer of understanding that some of the obvious uses of force - even when they serve a short-term end - can prove disasterous in the long term."
And absent that: A glimmer of understanding of the politics, ethnic tensions, history and geography in the region. Something that dosn't read at a bad hackish attempt at alternate history.
DL