How to Pick and Choose Friends, Allies, Potential Enemies
The Bottom Line is the Bottom Line
(Friend of All: The Need for Oil)
(Friend of All: The Need for Oil)
(With fleet of Toyota trucks and a body nearby)
First Update: In time of war and
in combat, not being vigilant or being complacent are killers that every
military man and woman knows. It is drilled in their heads 24/7. Complacency in
combat can kill as sure as a bullet to the head.
I wonder therefore, and based on the Saudi King's recent warnings about ISIS
and the threat to us, just how would ISIS come to our
shores armed the way they are to do great harm? Would they arrive in their fleet of Toyota
trucks; by ship; by plane; by submarine; or, by parachute? How about inside
cargo containers shipped in from Mexico
or off shore?
How would they bring all their firepower and flags with them
to display as they parade down 5th Avenue ?
These
are critical questions that I am pretty sure our security folks are asking
themselves.
I want to be clear: Caution and being well-prepared to
defend the homeland are essential these days. I am hopeful that all the places
of entry into the U.S.
are watched well and are protected from any ISIS thugs trying
to enter with their gear.
At the same time, we cannot be overly cautious either. Unnecessary
hype and fear are not good motivators.
Everyone does not need to dash
for cover under their bed.
Is the Saudi King over reacting, just guessing,
or does he have intelligence that we do not? It would be nice to know. That is especially
true given the Saudi record against terrorism themselves (recall that 15 of the
9/11 hijackers were Saudi citizens). Being well prepared is the most-important thing; but being
scared out of our wits is entirely different.
Original Post from here: This headlines caught my eye and triggered this post:
Saudi King Warns West Will Be Jihadists Next Target
JEDDAH, SAUDI ARABIA (AFP) - King Abdullah of Saudi Arabia has warned that the West will be the next target of the Jihadists sweeping through Syria and Iraq , unless there is rapid action.
The King said in part: “If we ignore them, I am sure they will reach Europe in a month and America in another month. Terrorism knows no border and its danger could affect several countries outside the Middle East.”
His remarks were part of his welcoming ceremony for new ambassadors, including a new envoy from Saudi ally the United States .
Related Stories
The Saudis are excellent at playing everyone against everyone else. Why is that? — Oh yeah. It's the O I L * O I L * O I L * O I L. Did I mention the oil? And, what exactly is their involvement in the fight in Iraq , Afghanistan , and Syria , um?
The U.S.-Saudi relationship is very complex. There are no simple answers or solution for improvement while not harming that relationship. Some historical data is here from the Hoover press (about 92 pages) with this short summary (my editing):
“The United States should avoid superficially appealing policies toward Saudi Arabia that will redound to our disadvantage. In particular, Washington should suppress its natural tendency to believe that more democracy will make things better in foreign countries.”
This cartoon kinda points this all out: "We welcome the United States, but only up a certain point" (my editing):
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