Saudi Arabia Is Stuck Between A Rock And A Hard Place...Oh Well!

Saudi Arabia's security and territorial integrity are inviolable, Prince Faisal declares at BRICS Summit

Foreign Minister Prince Faisal bin Farhan emphasized that Saudi Arabia’s security, territorial integrity, and resources are inviolable. Addressing the 18th BRICS Summit meetings at Bharat Mandapam in New Delhi on Sunday, the foreign minister emphasized that Saudi Arabia and other Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) states will not accept targeting of their territories or vital facilities, under any pretext or justification.
Prince Faisal said that the ongoing escalation in the region is contributing to an expansion of the scope of confrontation and increasing the risks threatening regional and international security and stability. He emphasized that priority must be given to de-escalation and to paving the way for political and diplomatic efforts.

Except...None of that is true. The Saudis have been unwilling to do what is necessary to end the Houthi attacks on Saudi Arabia and the petroleum and other commerce that moves through the Gulf of Aden. They have punted again and again, and even in the face of attacks on Saudi Arabia itself has been curiously reticent, no doubt because they want someone else (read: the USA) to deal with the problem.

They have a large active-duty armed forces, modern weaponry, and the backing of the world. Yet they can't manage to tamp down the Houthis?

Why is that?

First...The Saudi armed forces are long on weaponry and short on fighting spirit. Second...Saudi Arabia loves to talk and negotiate and play the typical Arab long game. But the Houthis don't do any of that. Third...The Houthis are supported by Iran, and Saudi Arabia is ambivalent about Iran. Yes, they are afraid of Iran's nuclear and regional ambitions, but direct confrontation is not in their DNA. Fourth...The Houthis are tough fighters who are good at guerilla warfare and are holed up in the mountains. Beating them requires well-trained troops and the political will to complete the job...neither of which is in evidence in KSA.

And now there have been attacks from Iraq (probably on Houthi authority) on the alternative pipelines that bypass the Strait of Hormuz and send oil to the Red Sea. KSA has shut down those pipelines temporarily, but the attack sends a message that Saudi Arabia is no longer fighting on one front.

Years of accommodation to the various Islamist factions, both inside and outside of Saudi Arabia has created a massive network of quasi-government actors that have no fear of KSA, and are willing to act in their own best interests, knowing that Saudi vacillation, negotiation, and ultimately settlement will protect them.

And it couldn't have happened to a worse country. Remember, Saudi Arabia was the source of 15 of the 19 9/11 terrorists, and there is ample evidence of internal involvement.

So...man up Saudi Arabia! It's your problem, and it is my most fervent hope that President Trump tells them to deal with it, because we won't!

Posted by: CBD at 12:05 PM

Comments

(Jump to bottom of comments)

1 Good afternoon everyone

Posted by: Skip at September 13, 2026 12:09 PM (Ia/+0)

2 Buy popcorn

Posted by: Skip at September 13, 2026 12:11 PM (Ia/+0)

3 Most of the 9/11 hijackers were Saudis. As was bin-Laden. Let them suffer.

Posted by: Cosda at September 13, 2026 12:12 PM (/TnVC)

4 The Saudis have not yet mastered crowd control for the Hajj. A modern military campaign is probably well beyond their abilities.

Posted by: Cicero (@cicero43) at September 13, 2026 12:14 PM (wpRMV)

5 This is what a (bizarre analogy) Byzantine royal family creates: everyone is afraid of what another branch of the family might be up to and nobody wants the military, probably under a particular branch of the family but too lazy to do the research, to have a seat at the table. Not sure it's fighting spirit or a short leash.

Posted by: Nazdar at September 13, 2026 12:14 PM (NcvvS)

6 Something else last night Mohammed bin Salman making some kind of 'other' arrangements that undermine instituting the Abraham Accords.

Posted by: Braenyard - some Absent Friends are more equal than others _ at September 13, 2026 12:15 PM (3oLMy)

7 The saudis are fat, lazy, oversexed bastards. Half of their country's population is imported labor, tells you all you need to know about them. Peacocks. Between them and the kuwaitis, I would not piss on them if their were on fire. Saddam was right to stomp a mud hole in the kuwaitis.

Also, why have the saudis gotten away with being a monarchy all these years? It's 2026, where is the call for democracy and elections in the kingdom?

Posted by: Saudis Are Dirt Bags at September 13, 2026 12:18 PM (cCXR+)

8 >>Saudi Arabia Is Stuck Between A Rock And A Hard Place...Oh Well!

Purely for humour: worked with a bunch of guys who could spit out a sarcastic 'Oh well!' with the best of them. One fine day, an older lady who worked with us, sorta, said, 'I hate it when you say 'Oh well'!' The two of us who were just outside her office looked at each other, grinned, turned to her, and said, 'OH WELL!'.

She was a little pissed about it.

Posted by: Nazdar at September 13, 2026 12:19 PM (NcvvS)

9 The Saudi armed forces are long on weaponry and short on fighting spirit.
Sums it up nicely.

Posted by: Diogenes at September 13, 2026 12:20 PM (2WIwB)

10 One would think that the Grand Mufti might have learned a thing or two about military organization from his buddy Adolph and passed it on to his successors.

Posted by: Cicero (@cicero43) at September 13, 2026 12:22 PM (wpRMV)

11 Saudi Arabia ain't gonna do squat.

Their entire world view is to use slave labor to take care of the dirty work.

Also, the Arabs are raiders and thieves.

Sure, they can be fearsome when they want to be--they conquered a lot of the Middle East and North Africa at one time--but they really don't embrace the "warrior ethos" that the United States military does.

(The Europeans used to have a similar ethos, but not so much any more.)

Posted by: "Perfessor" Squirrel at September 13, 2026 12:22 PM (FZ29D)

12 ...
“The Houthis called us, and they don’t want to fight with us,” Trump told reporters. “They don’t want us to go after them.”

He added that “everything’s gonna work out fine and dandy” in the region.

According to US outlet Axios, bin Salman called Trump twice on Thursday to request US strikes on the Houthis, but the American president declined.
...
“They would much prefer not having us involved, and they’re letting most ships go ⁠through. There’s just one country that they’re not too happy with, and we’ll get ⁠that straightened out,” Trump said.
_timesOfIsrael

Posted by: Braenyard - some Absent Friends are more equal than others _ at September 13, 2026 12:23 PM (3oLMy)

13
I read that during the recent Houthi advance to the Red Sea in Yemen, the Saudis did not embed Saudi forward air controllers with the Yemeni government forces, rendering Saudi air power largely irrelevant. Their fancy expensive military planes just sat it out. The Saudis kill act like they really don't want to win.

Posted by: Semi-Literate Thug at September 13, 2026 12:23 PM (lsrsS)

14
The Saudis will fight to the last drop of someone else's blood.

Eurotrash sneer at Americans as trailer trash that won a billion dollar lottery prize. But, of course, we worked and built what we had. Without foreigners to develop anything, MENA would remain a wasteland populated by left-hand ass wipers.

Posted by: Leon Trotsky at September 13, 2026 12:25 PM (eRlcH)

15 Morning all! Took alleve last night, nearly overslept, just got back from church and grocery shopping.

The Saudi armed forces are long on weaponry and short on fighting spirit.
Sums it up nicely.
Posted by: Diogenes

Indeed. No loot, no courage. Perhaps that is too dismissive but it seems to track with history to a point.

Posted by: RandomDave (if you can spare a bit, please click!) at September 13, 2026 12:25 PM (aJQbY)

16
/sock

Posted by: Hadrian the Seventh at September 13, 2026 12:26 PM (eRlcH)

17 This is not good.. Add in the rise in fuel prices and the threatened rise in Interest rates and our Mid-term prospects are not looking too promising....

Posted by: It's me donna at September 13, 2026 12:26 PM (+gK6I)

18 The saudis are fat, lazy, oversexed bastards. Half of their country's population is imported labor, tells you all you need to know
-----
Now do the U.S.A.

Posted by: Common Tater at September 13, 2026 12:27 PM (uozx9)

19 Can we ban the export of crude oil and force the seven sisters to build more light sweet refineries?

Posted by: Boss Moss at September 13, 2026 12:28 PM (5Go8e)

20 17 This is not good.. Add in the rise in fuel prices and the threatened rise in Interest rates and our Mid-term prospects are not looking too promising....

Posted by: It's me donna
---

Cheer up, we're winning.
Don't be downa donna.

Posted by: Braenyard - some Absent Friends are more equal than others _ at September 13, 2026 12:29 PM (3oLMy)

21
Took Her Majesty to the airport this morning, then proceeded directly to church for the 8:30 Mass. Very different congregation than my usual 7:00, younger and with more kids.

I actually sat up toward the front today - on a chair on the side, since I can't kneel any longer - whereas I usually sit on a bench in the back.

Posted by: Hadrian the Seventh at September 13, 2026 12:29 PM (eRlcH)

22 19 Can we ban the export of crude oil and force the seven sisters to build more light sweet refineries?

Posted by: Boss Moss
---

Counter productive

Posted by: Braenyard - some Absent Friends are more equal than others _ at September 13, 2026 12:30 PM (3oLMy)

23 A new Houthi social-media campaign features fighters overlooking the strategic Bab al-Mandab Strait while threatening Saudi Arabia and boasting of control over Red Sea shipping.

One fighter declares that no Saudi ship — “not even a Saudi nail” — will pass until the siege on Yemen is lifted

Posted by: Braenyard - some Absent Friends are more equal than others _ at September 13, 2026 12:32 PM (3oLMy)

24 I don't trust the Arabs one bit. But then I don't trust half of my own country either. And Canada is right out. At least some Mexicans are good people.

Posted by: Case at September 13, 2026 12:32 PM (xJpuh)

25 BRICS is who... Brazil, Russia, Saudi Arabia, India, or something like that? Have I got that wrong?

Posted by: dantesed at September 13, 2026 12:34 PM (Oy/m2)

26 I don't trust them at all..we could do without Mecca and all it means

Posted by: night lifted at September 13, 2026 12:34 PM (kJmLc)

27 The Saudi Royal Guard is an exception, but small.
Protection >> power projection.

Posted by: NaCly Dog at September 13, 2026 12:35 PM (u82oZ)

28
BRICS is who... Brazil, Russia, Saudi Arabia, India, or something like that? Have I got that wrong?
Posted by: dantesed at September 13, 2026 12:34 PM (Oy/m2)

Brazil, Russia, India, China, South America.

Posted by: Hadrian the Seventh at September 13, 2026 12:35 PM (eRlcH)

29 Not so easy for Iran and Saudi to get at each other.

Posted by: Boss Moss at September 13, 2026 12:36 PM (5Go8e)

30
Sorry, South Africa. Now also includes Egypt, Ethiopia, Indonesia, Iran, and the United Arab Emirates.

Posted by: Hadrian the Seventh at September 13, 2026 12:37 PM (eRlcH)

31 The only reason Saudi Arabia mattered for decades is the geological accident that they were sitting on top of huge amounts of oil reserves. Because of fracking and other technologies we have more now than they do…. If they had any brains they’d be fighting Iran. I don’t much care if they’re uncomfortable

Posted by: LinusVanPelt at September 13, 2026 12:37 PM (M+uMR)

32 Posted by: Hadrian the Seventh at September 13, 2026 12:35 PM (eRlcH)

Thanks for the info.

Posted by: dantesed at September 13, 2026 12:37 PM (Oy/m2)

33 They are all moslems! Their favorite saying is something like, "Me and my brother against our cousin; me and my cousin against the world." Of course the saudi moslems aren't going to war with their houthi moslem brothers. They aren't going to war with their iranian moslem cousins, either. They'll let that dirty job for the infidel dogs, the kuffars, viz., us, if we're stupid enough to oblige. Bush played that game as did Obama (boy, did he ever!) and even now, Trump is going along with it to the extent necessary to smash iran. But he has seen that the saudis have no gratitude and he has scaled back his support for them.

Posted by: Steve (Retired/recovering lawyer) at September 13, 2026 12:37 PM (nq64t)

34
In short, those nations that are Countries of the Future and always will be.

Posted by: Hadrian the Seventh at September 13, 2026 12:38 PM (eRlcH)

35
Also, the Arabs are raiders and thieves.

Sure, they can be fearsome when they want to be--they conquered a lot of the Middle East and North Africa at one time--but they really don't embrace the "warrior ethos" that the United States military does.

Posted by: "Perfessor" Squirrel

==============

This is what puzzles me a little. Raiders and thieves may be true, but someone sure expanded from that crummy peninsula across North Africa, up the Iberian Peninsula, up the Caucasus, all over the Sasanian Empire, etc etc. They grow up learning about "the openings," with their little history books full of drawings of guys brandishing their sabers as they ride horseback.

Oh well, if we're talking about the loss of some ancient fighting spirit, I could say similar things of a few European countries.

Posted by: Blonde Morticia at September 13, 2026 12:38 PM (mmrXZ)

36 Brazil, Russia, India, China, South America.

Posted by: Hadrian the Seventh
---

How many people were saying, BRICS were going to break the American Petro Dollar; that Benjamin would no longer be reserve currency? Boo Hoo.

Posted by: Braenyard - some Absent Friends are more equal than others _ at September 13, 2026 12:39 PM (3oLMy)

37 Above all, the Saudis, just like the rest of the Arab world, are a bunch of lazy assholes that expect everyone else to do their work for them, as has been their custom for centuries.

"Inshallah."

Posted by: ballistic at September 13, 2026 12:39 PM (oqH4h)

38 >>> 28
BRICS is who... Brazil, Russia, Saudi Arabia, India, or something like that? Have I got that wrong?
Posted by: dantesed at September 13, 2026 12:34 PM (Oy/m2)

Brazil, Russia, India, China, South America.

Posted by: Hadrian the Seventh at September 13, 2026 12:35 PM (eRlcH)

South Africa iirc.

Posted by: Helena Handbasket at September 13, 2026 12:39 PM (+fdRY)

39 Saudis foster Wahhabism, they are their own and the normals issue.

Posted by: AZ deplorable moron at September 13, 2026 12:40 PM (NnhvP)

40 Hello?

Posted by: Boss Moss at September 13, 2026 12:40 PM (5Go8e)

41 Saudi Arabia is worried about their long term security and financial health?

Oh no!

Anyway. Fuck them.

Posted by: nurse ratched at September 13, 2026 12:41 PM (XNYK+)

42 >>>Oh well, if we're talking about the loss of some ancient fighting spirit, I could say similar things of a few European countries.

Posted by: Blonde Morticia
---

It's possible that it was another group of Islamist's not Arabs.

Posted by: Braenyard - some Absent Friends are more equal than others _ at September 13, 2026 12:41 PM (3oLMy)

43 The Saudis fought the Houthis before during the civil war in Yemen that started when Obama was in office.

They launched a bunch of airstrikes, even sent in some troops at one point, IIRC.

The Saudis have launched strikes against the Houthis several times over the course of this war with Iran, every time the Houthis launch missiles at Saudi oilfields, etc.

The Crown Prince is worried about things getting out of hand and he’ll have to get involved in a real war instead of tit for tat rockets & missiles.
Thats’s what it looks like to me, anyhow.

Posted by: SpeakingOf at September 13, 2026 12:42 PM (6ydKt)

44
why have the saudis gotten away with being a monarchy all these years? It's 2026, where is the call for democracy and elections in the kingdom?
Posted by: Saudis Are Dirt Bags

================

There are calls, but... what do you think they (and the world) would get if there were elections? Princes elbowing each other out of the way is probably cleaner politics than what we've got in California.

Posted by: Blonde Morticia at September 13, 2026 12:42 PM (mmrXZ)

45 .... and I'm slow.

While I think our shit-for-brains bureaucrats have overused "sanctions" and such, I also think BRIC should have left off that last letter - it sounds *so* much less impressive when you have All These Guys and then... South Africa.

Really???

Posted by: Helena Handbasket at September 13, 2026 12:42 PM (+fdRY)

46 11 member states 10 partners. Fingers Crossed.

Member States: Brazil, China, Egypt, Ethiopia, India, Indonesia, Iran, Russia, Saudi Arabia, South Africa, and the United Arab Emirates.Partner Countries: Belarus, Bolivia, Cuba, Kazakhstan, Malaysia, Nigeria, Thailand, Uganda, Uzbekistan, and Vietnam.

Posted by: Boss Moss at September 13, 2026 12:43 PM (5Go8e)

47
It's possible that it was another group of Islamist's not Arabs.

Posted by: Braenyard

================

The first big expansion ended about 750. They were Arabs.

Posted by: Blonde Morticia at September 13, 2026 12:43 PM (mmrXZ)

48 31 The only reason Saudi Arabia mattered for decades is the geological accident that they were sitting on top of huge amounts of oil reserves. Because of fracking and other technologies we have more now than they do…. If they had any brains they’d be fighting Iran. I don’t much care if they’re uncomfortable
Posted by: LinusVanPelt at September 13, 2026 12:37 PM (M+uMR)
------

Great point! I'd much rather our resources go to developing our petroleum industry stateside than having to go play Daddy to a bunch of tribes that have been at war with one another and with everyone else for centuries just so the monarchs can keep their private jumbo jets and cocaine/hooker habits funded.

Posted by: ballistic at September 13, 2026 12:43 PM (oqH4h)

49 When you've lost Uganda.

Posted by: Boss Moss at September 13, 2026 12:44 PM (5Go8e)

50
I see the Houthis are getting ready to become a nuisance. Ones the US Marines in theater can eradicate, esp. on that island they took over.

Can we flood the area with broadband jamming?

I prefer a stealth approach led by Marine Force Recon and SEALS, then get all the electronic data, Make sure there are only two survivors for rigorous interrogation, followed by removal of all our forces.

Without publicity. Let the world wonder. Better that way.

Posted by: NaCly Dog at September 13, 2026 12:44 PM (u82oZ)

51 40 Hello?
Posted by: Boss Moss at September 13, 2026 12:40 PM (5Go8e)

Is it me you’re looking for?
https://youtu.be/mHONNcZbwDY

Posted by: SpeakingOf at September 13, 2026 12:46 PM (6ydKt)

52
How many people were saying, BRICS were going to break the American Petro Dollar; that Benjamin would no longer be reserve currency? Boo Hoo.

Posted by: Braenyard - some Absent Friends are more equal than others _ at September 13, 2026 12:39 PM (3oLMy)

Brazil will never amount to anything. Russia is going down the tubes. The future of China is gloomy. A good chunk of South Africa's blacks wish the whites were still running things. Among them, only India has a chance but they have a long way to go to break through their social and moral morass.

Posted by: Hadrian the Seventh at September 13, 2026 12:46 PM (eRlcH)

53 Hey Salty!

Posted by: SMH at God's mercy at September 13, 2026 12:46 PM (Rln0i)

54
Brazil, Russia, India, China, South America.

Posted by: Hadrian the Seventh

Brazil, Russia, India, China, South Africa, Egypt, Ethiopia, Indonesia, Iran, and the United Arab Emirates

wrong south...

Posted by: AZ deplorable moron at September 13, 2026 12:47 PM (NnhvP)

55
So the lifeblood of the civilized world has to either flow past the Iranians (ships) or under the Saudis (pipeline)? Now there's a predicament.

Posted by: Blonde Morticia at September 13, 2026 12:47 PM (mmrXZ)

56 Posted by: Hadrian the Seventh

Sorry as well I see you caught it.

Posted by: AZ deplorable moron at September 13, 2026 12:47 PM (NnhvP)

57
wrong south...
Posted by: AZ deplorable moron at September 13, 2026 12:47 PM (NnhvP)

*huffs indignantly*

I corrected it!

Posted by: Hadrian the Seventh at September 13, 2026 12:48 PM (eRlcH)

58 Resource surveys done in the 1960s showed the U.S.A. has proven reserves of coal, oil, gas, etc to last for centuries.

Why not use our own resources? The government ran out of gold by 1968 trying to defend the $35 currency peg, I think the middle east arrangements making the dollar the "reserve currency" for worldwide oil transactions, aka petrodollar was part of the deal with purchasing Saudi oil, and certain defense agreements. I think that's what Nixon and Kissinger and that gang accomplished.

Posted by: Common Tater at September 13, 2026 12:48 PM (uozx9)

59
Without publicity. Let the world wonder. Better that way.
Posted by: NaCly Dog

=================

Do we get to keep something?

Posted by: Blonde Morticia at September 13, 2026 12:48 PM (mmrXZ)

60 Hello?
Posted by: Boss Moss at September 13, 2026 12:40 PM (5Go8e)

Is it me you’re looking for?
https://youtu.be/mHONNcZbwDY
Posted by: SpeakingOf at September 13, 2026 12:46 PM (6ydKt)
___

lol

Posted by: SMH at God's mercy at September 13, 2026 12:48 PM (Rln0i)

61 The Umayyad Caliphate's forces, led by the general Tariq ibn Ziyad and later Musa ibn Nusayr, conquered most of the Iberian Peninsula in the early 8th century, establishing Muslim rule known as al-Andalus.
---
GPT-5.6Luna
They were Muslims of more than one ethnic background, mainly:

Berbers (Amazigh) from North Africa—Tariq ibn Ziyad, the commander who led the first major invasion in 711, was probably Berber.
Arabs from the Umayyad Caliphate—Musa ibn Nusayr, Tariq’s superior, was Arab, and later reinforcements included many Arab troops.
So they were not a separate religion “from Islam.” Islam was their religion; Arab and Berber described their ethnic or cultural origins. The conquest was carried out under the Arab-led Umayyad Caliphate, but a large portion of the soldiers were Berbers from North Africa.
---

So it was the Berbers. Same one's our Marines fought in Tripoli.
Same one's that enslaved white Europeans and Americans.

Posted by: Braenyard - some Absent Friends are more equal than others _ at September 13, 2026 12:49 PM (3oLMy)

62 Thx CBD.
You'd think that with their money the Saudis would hire a mercenary force to deal with the Houthis.
Oh , wait. Would that be us?

Posted by: Smell the Glove at September 13, 2026 12:49 PM (N2HNb)

63 South America, South Africa.
Tomatoes, Tomahtos.

Posted by: SpeakingOf at September 13, 2026 12:49 PM (6ydKt)

64 {{{Smh}}}

May you get a slightly used M-1 AFV in you front yard for Christmas. Plus needed parts and a passel of ammo.

Posted by: NaCly Dog at September 13, 2026 12:49 PM (u82oZ)

65 So the lifeblood of the civilized world has to either flow past the Iranians (ships) or under the Saudis (pipeline)? Now there's a predicament.
Posted by: Blonde Morticia at September 13, 2026 12:47 PM (mmrXZ)

Mostly the lifeblood of Europe and parts of Asia.
Which both sucks for them and is a profit for oil producers that are not transiting Hormuz, the Gulf of Aden or Saudi Arabia

Posted by: Kindltot at September 13, 2026 12:49 PM (rbvCR)

66 There are calls, but... what do you think they (and the world) would get if there were elections? Princes elbowing each other out of the way is probably cleaner politics than what we've got in California.
Posted by: Blonde Morticia at September 13, 2026 12:42 PM (mmrXZ)

I have no great love for the House of Saud - but it's probably one of the most well run and stable governments in the Arab World. The tribalist societies cannot manage democratic structures in any form, so the only chance of stability is some kind of autocratic regime. I think Monarchy is a bit more stable and respectable than dictatorship, such as in Algeria and Egypt.

Our greatest long term mistake in Iraq and Afghanistan was convincing ourselves that the people there were capable of western political institutions.

Posted by: Tom Servo at September 13, 2026 12:50 PM (edUvp)

67 Most Americans have no idea what that meant. One thing it has done, is give the ability for the government to "export" monetary inflation, as historically there was a huge demand for dollars outside the US, that circulate permanently outside the US. If you think inflation is bad, it would, and could, be exponentially worse.

If say, Peru wanted to purchase oil from Elbonia, they used US dollars to settle the trade. Oil was denominated in and traded or settled in US dollars.

Posted by: Common Tater at September 13, 2026 12:51 PM (uozx9)

68 Smell the Glove

Guess who paid for a lot of GW 1?

Posted by: NaCly Dog at September 13, 2026 12:51 PM (u82oZ)

69 So the lifeblood of the civilized world has to either flow past the Iranians (ships) or under the Saudis (pipeline)? Now there's a predicament.
Posted by: Blonde Morticia at September 13, 2026 12:47 PM (mmrXZ)
___

It does make it easier to understand why Jesus Christ was born in the Middle East.

Posted by: SMH at God's mercy at September 13, 2026 12:51 PM (Rln0i)

70 @68 yup, the Bushes have to keep their oil money coming

Posted by: Smell the Glove at September 13, 2026 12:52 PM (N2HNb)

71 lol
Posted by: SMH at God's mercy at September 13, 2026 12:48 PM (Rln0i)

They’d put Lionel Richie in jail for stalking a blind woman today.

Posted by: SpeakingOf at September 13, 2026 12:52 PM (6ydKt)

72 Brazil will never amount to anything. Russia is going down the tubes. The future of China is gloomy. A good chunk of South Africa's blacks wish the whites were still running things. Among them, only India has a chance but they have a long way to go to break through their social and moral morass.
Posted by: Hadrian the Seventh at September 13, 2026 12:46 PM (eRlcH)

I recall someone important said decades ago that Brazil is the Great Country of the Future - and always will be.
And I'll start thinking more highly of India when they finally master the Great Mysteries of modern sewage systems.

Posted by: Tom Servo at September 13, 2026 12:52 PM (edUvp)

73 no Saudi ship — “not even a Saudi nail” — will pass until the siege on Yemen is lifted
---

That's an interesting statement. Houtis preceeded the Saudis.
Is it possible that, if the Saudis left Yemen undisturbed and Iran stopped funding fools, that the Houthi problem would disappear?

Posted by: Braenyard - some Absent Friends are more equal than others _ at September 13, 2026 12:53 PM (3oLMy)

74 May you get a slightly used M-1 AFV in you front yard for Christmas. Plus needed parts and a passel of ammo.
Posted by: NaCly Dog at September 13, 2026 12:49 PM (u82oZ)
___

lol

As someone who had to maintain all the test equipment just to run diagnostics on the Abrams, mush less the actual parts just for the turret alone...yeah, don't think Santa will be that generous this Christmas.

But a girl can dream.

Posted by: SMH at God's mercy at September 13, 2026 12:54 PM (Rln0i)

75 True, Saudi Arabia has a lot of influence because of the petrodollar.

Posted by: SpeakingOf at September 13, 2026 12:55 PM (6ydKt)

76 "Everything that guy just said is bullshit." Thank you Joe Pesci in My Cousin Vinnie.

Posted by: Hokey Pokey at September 13, 2026 12:55 PM (wxsGM)

77 They’d put Lionel Richie in jail for stalking a blind woman today.
Posted by: SpeakingOf at September 13, 2026 12:52 PM (6ydKt)
___

I was never a fan of the video, and that kinda tainted my view of the song, to this day.

Definitely creep vibes then, and now.

Posted by: SMH at God's mercy at September 13, 2026 12:55 PM (Rln0i)

78 And I'll start thinking more highly of India when they finally master the Great Mysteries of modern sewage systems.

Posted by: Tom Servo
---

Interesting country; it's got 2 official languages 2 unofficial languages and 23 other languages. It wasn't a country until Britain got hold of it.

Posted by: Braenyard - some Absent Friends are more equal than others _ at September 13, 2026 12:56 PM (3oLMy)

79 I suspect Trump is going to slow walk any move by the US to do anything about the Houthi. What they have done is a huge problem for Europe and the Saudi's, but not so much for the US. And they're supposedly trying to damage Israel, and it doesn't hurt them at all.

I think Trump has been pretty pissed at the way the Saudi's to set their obviously worthless Mecca Accord with Turkey and Pakistan, while ignoring the Abraham Accord that Trump was trying to get them to sign on to. Well, now they can twist in the wind and ponder the error of their ways while Trump kicks back and whistles dixie. And the pain that the Euro's are going to feel is just sweet icing on the cake.

Posted by: Tom Servo at September 13, 2026 12:57 PM (edUvp)

80 @44. "Cleaner politics than we have in California."

Any politics anywhere is cleaner than California. That whole state needs to be in jail

Posted by: Case at September 13, 2026 12:57 PM (xJpuh)

81 Interesting country; it's got 2 official languages 2 unofficial languages and 23 other languages. It wasn't a country until Britain got hold of it.

----------

Alexander would have whipped it into shape had he lived longer.

Posted by: Cicero (@cicero43) at September 13, 2026 12:58 PM (wpRMV)

82 I was never a fan of the video, and that kinda tainted my view of the song, to this day.

Definitely creep vibes then, and now.
Posted by: SMH at God's mercy at September 13, 2026 12:55 PM (Rln0i)

I liked Lionel, and the Commodores. It is a nice little love song, but that video was weird to me even as a kid. Dancing on the Ceiling was much better.

Posted by: SpeakingOf at September 13, 2026 12:59 PM (6ydKt)

83 We've already made a deal to let all of the somali pirates into our country, maybe we should make a deal with the Houthi and give them a stake in wisconsin. Democrats could make that happen.

Posted by: Rev. Wishbone at September 13, 2026 12:59 PM (5C90x)

84 Tom Servo

Only the Polish have a large enough military to win against the Houthi's, even for the island in the Red Sea.
Alas, the entire EU does not have enough lift and logistics to move against north Yemen.

Posted by: NaCly Dog at September 13, 2026 01:01 PM (u82oZ)

85 The Crown Prince is worried about things getting out of hand and he’ll have to get involved in a real war instead of tit for tat rockets & missiles.
Thats’s what it looks like to me, anyhow.
Posted by: SpeakingOf at September 13, 2026 12:42 PM (6ydKt)

It's commonly said that the Monarchy loves to buy fancy weapons and to create a palace guard that looks great on paper, but they're terrified of actually creating an effective Army. Because a talented general with a truly effective army could sweep away the Monarchy in an afternoon.

Posted by: Tom Servo at September 13, 2026 01:01 PM (edUvp)

86 Why not use our own resources? The government ran out of gold by 1968 trying to defend the $35 currency peg, I think the middle east arrangements making the dollar the "reserve currency" for worldwide oil transactions, aka petrodollar was part of the deal with purchasing Saudi oil, and certain defense agreements. I think that's what Nixon and Kissinger and that gang accomplished.
Posted by: Common Tater at September 13, 2026 12:48 PM (uozx9)

Yes, that was the agreement that allowed the end of Bretton-Woods agreement. It moved the collateralization of international trade from Gold to debt backed by the industrial capacity and ability to pay back debt by the US economy. Note, if Bulgaria or Burma had tried this it would not have worked since no one thinks the Rupee or Dinar had any real support.
The Petro-Dollar is faltering because foreign exchange is getting so fast and complicated the current Dollar system is not settling debts fast enough through central nodes.
The chances are that there will be the stablecoin that everyone is predicting, backed probably by Treasuries and Bitcoin, but all on chain and worked peer to peer

Posted by: Kindltot at September 13, 2026 01:01 PM (rbvCR)

87 I think Trump has been pretty pissed at the way the Saudi's to set their obviously worthless Mecca Accord with Turkey and Pakistan, while ignoring the Abraham Accord that Trump was trying to get them to sign on to. Well, now they can twist in the wind and ponder the error of their ways while Trump kicks back and whistles dixie. And the pain that the Euro's are going to feel is just sweet icing on the cake.

Posted by: Tom Servo
---

It's almost as if gamed a probability.

Posted by: Braenyard - some Absent Friends are more equal than others _ at September 13, 2026 01:01 PM (3oLMy)

88 Reminds me of the circa 1990 joke: What is the name of the Saudi battle anthem? "Onward Christian Soldiers."

Posted by: PabloD at September 13, 2026 01:02 PM (B7yLN)

89 Well, now they can twist in the wind and ponder the error of their ways while Trump kicks back and whistles dixie. And the pain that the Euro's are going to feel is just sweet icing on the cake.
Posted by: Tom Servo at September 13, 2026 12:57 PM (edUvp)

I think you’re right.
Trump is taking names over Iran and the way countries are reacting.

That pact with Turkey, KSA, and Pakistan came out of nowhere. I wonder if it’s worth anything or just a statement piece.

Posted by: SpeakingOf at September 13, 2026 01:03 PM (6ydKt)

90 Only the Polish have a large enough military to win against the Houthi's, even for the island in the Red Sea.
Alas, the entire EU does not have enough lift and logistics to move against north Yemen.
Posted by: NaCly Dog at September 13, 2026 01:01 PM (u82oZ)

For all of Yemen, yes. But islands are easier - you cannot carpet bomb an entire country, but one island - not that difficult to erase everything on it and cut all supplies. It's a similar situation to Hormuz; in both cases I think it's a solvable problem to open the water way without having to completely take over the offending country.

Posted by: Tom Servo at September 13, 2026 01:03 PM (edUvp)

91 We've already made a deal to let all of the somali pirates into our country, maybe we should make a deal with the Houthi and give them a stake in wisconsin. Democrats could make that happen.
Posted by: Rev. Wishbone at September 13, 2026 12:59 PM (5C90x)

Send both to China. I hear they like Muslims.

Posted by: Hour of the Wolf at September 13, 2026 01:04 PM (qx7Zg)

92 Our greatest long term mistake in Iraq and Afghanistan was convincing ourselves that the people there were capable of western political institutions.
Posted by: Tom Servo

Don't include me in your definition of "our".

Posted by: Dark Lixtiquatal at September 13, 2026 01:04 PM (Fv808)

93 It pisses on the Abraham Accords.

Posted by: Braenyard - some Absent Friends are more equal than others _ at September 13, 2026 01:05 PM (3oLMy)

94 That pact with Turkey, KSA, and Pakistan came out of nowhere. I wonder if it’s worth anything or just a statement piece.
Posted by: SpeakingOf at September 13, 2026 01:03 PM (6ydKt)

Over the last 3 days, Turkey and Pakistan to the Saudi's - "Yeah, I know we said we would support you militarily, but we didn't mean Militarily!"

Posted by: Tom Servo at September 13, 2026 01:05 PM (edUvp)

95 At mu parents again, sister and niece are here too

Posted by: Skip at September 13, 2026 01:05 PM (qEb4U)

96 All of Yeman is like the Forbidden Zone from the Planet of the Apes.

Nuke it and no one will miss them.

Posted by: General Urko, Chief Of Security at September 13, 2026 01:05 PM (cCXR+)

97 Don't include me in your definition of "our".
Posted by: Dark Lixtiquatal at September 13, 2026 01:04 PM (Fv80

It would have been more accurate if I said "cultures".

Posted by: Tom Servo at September 13, 2026 01:05 PM (edUvp)

98 Don't include me in your definition of "our".

Posted by: Dark Lixtiquatal
---

You are American, gringo.

Posted by: Braenyard - some Absent Friends are more equal than others _ at September 13, 2026 01:06 PM (3oLMy)

99 Because a talented general with a truly effective army could sweep away the Monarchy in an afternoon.
Posted by: Tom Servo at September 13, 2026 01:01 PM (edUvp)

I guess that’s why you get a lot of prince’s playing general & admiral, too.

I don’t know much about MBS but he doesn’t seem like the army type.

Posted by: SpeakingOf at September 13, 2026 01:06 PM (6ydKt)

100 If say, Peru wanted to purchase oil from Elbonia, they used US dollars to settle the trade. Oil was denominated in and traded or settled in US dollars.
Posted by: Common Tater at September 13, 2026 12:51 PM (uozx9)

The nicest thing about it is that the two countries don't have to settle in either their own currency, which has a cost because one or both of them will generate foreign exchange costs converting it to useful currency, or have to trade into a third party currency to settle the debts. Everyone has Dollar reserves.
There is still "friction" in settling, and that is an extra accounting cost.

Posted by: Kindltot at September 13, 2026 01:06 PM (rbvCR)

101 A complete aside to the thread topic, if the date in the IMDB.com database is correct, Barbara Bain is celebrating her 95th birthday today.

Congrats, Cinnamon Carter and Dr. Helena Russell.

Posted by: Additional Blond Agent, STEM Guy at September 13, 2026 01:07 PM (iIyc0)

102 One thing I'm not smart enough to figure out is if, or when all those petrodollars could somehow return to the U.S.A. competing for goods and services. They've been deficit borrowing and spending since the early 1970s. That's a long time. If that happens, katy bar the door. Can you afford $300 a pound for coffee? I can't.

Posted by: Common Tater at September 13, 2026 01:08 PM (uozx9)

103 Tom Servo

Even for an island. The Brits have SBS, Royal Marines, but no lift. Same with the French, Polish, and Italians. They need a nearby base for staging. I say Djibouti is not a solution.

Posted by: NaCly Dog at September 13, 2026 01:08 PM (u82oZ)

104 Over the last 3 days, Turkey and Pakistan to the Saudi's - "Yeah, I know we said we would support you militarily, but we didn't mean Militarily!"
Posted by: Tom Servo at September 13, 2026 01:05 PM (edUvp)

“Sorry! Look in the fine print under ‘Grace Period’. We have until 2030 until we have to actually help you. See if you can get Trump to help.”

Posted by: SpeakingOf at September 13, 2026 01:09 PM (6ydKt)

105 Posted by: NaCly Dog at September 13, 2026 01:08 PM (u82oZ)

Israel or Jordan.

Posted by: CharlieBrown'sDildo at September 13, 2026 01:12 PM (k5CNB)

106 Even for an island. The Brits have SBS, Royal Marines, but no lift. Same with the French, Polish, and Italians. They need a nearby base for staging. I say Djibouti is not a solution.
Posted by: NaCly Dog at September 13, 2026 01:08 PM (u82oZ)

Isn't Djibouti run by Sheik Yerbouti?

Posted by: Tom Servo at September 13, 2026 01:12 PM (edUvp)

107 Victory has a million mothers.

Posted by: Bertram Cabot, Jr. at September 13, 2026 01:12 PM (Cqx++)

108 See if you can get Trump to help.”

Posted by: SpeakingOf
---

The Houthis actually called Trump on the phone and asked him not to interfere. We haven't.

Posted by: Braenyard - some Absent Friends are more equal than others _ at September 13, 2026 01:12 PM (3oLMy)

109 The nicest thing about it is that the two countries don't have to settle in either their own currency
-----

It's "nice" for US politicians, which for the most part have no idea how any of this works. They think this "exorbitant privilege" will last forever, and/or there are no limits. There's a reason they felt comfortable allocating millions to interpretive transexual dance lessons to Peruvian farmers.

There is no way even a tenth of all this financial jiggery-pokery would have been possible over the years without the dollar reserve currency status. That which can't go on won't, but ... it's taking longer than we thought. When it all goes Tango Uniform it will likely be overnight, or at least "slowly at first, then all at once."

Posted by: Common Tater at September 13, 2026 01:12 PM (uozx9)

110 Djibouti may not be a solution but it sure is fun to say under the right circumstances.

Posted by: SpeakingOf at September 13, 2026 01:13 PM (6ydKt)

111 The lazy, dirty, corrupt Oil Ticks can go squeeze a breeze. May the fleas of a thousand camels infest their concubines!

Posted by: Next Generation Carnac at September 13, 2026 01:13 PM (Fn+3X)

112 Fat chance the Brits or French staging out of Israel.

Posted by: Braenyard - some Absent Friends are more equal than others _ at September 13, 2026 01:14 PM (3oLMy)

113 Fracking has been a game changer for Geopolitics, no?

George P. Mitchell is the Father of Fracking. Few Americans know of him.

Posted by: Ignoramus at September 13, 2026 01:14 PM (fYaXJ)

114 The Chines have a base near to it. Let the Chines face off against the Muslims.

It’s not like the Chinese are getting a lot of oil from Iran anymore.

Posted by: NaCly Dog at September 13, 2026 01:14 PM (u82oZ)

115 Ok, that's enough rain.

Posted by: JackStraw at September 13, 2026 01:15 PM (viF8m)

116 “The Chines,” is about as much respect as I can muster.

Posted by: Hokey Pokey at September 13, 2026 01:16 PM (wxsGM)

117 George P. Mitchell is the Father of Fracking. Few Americans know of him.

Posted by: Ignoramus
---

Subdivided the land where Exxon's campus resides.

Posted by: Braenyard - some Absent Friends are more equal than others _ at September 13, 2026 01:16 PM (3oLMy)

118 We don't need oil. We ride the bus!

Posted by: Hary Tattooed Hipster Doofus at September 13, 2026 01:16 PM (Fn+3X)

119 Headline (Just The News):

"New York Gov. Hochul's pardon ends Supreme Court case concerning bond rights for noncitizens"

Hochul pardoned a felon just as the US Supreme Court was about to hold a hearing on the case.

Excerpt:

"In late August, Hochul pardoned Keisy Guerrero Mariano, who had pleaded guilty to second-degree assault, a felony. Mariano was identified in court documents as "Keisy GM.""

Hochul hates her own subjects, and uses her pardon powers to prevent the extradition of illegal felons.

Posted by: mrp at September 13, 2026 01:17 PM (rj6Yv)

120 What a rancid wench

Posted by: Common Tater at September 13, 2026 01:19 PM (uozx9)

121 I left and did a load of laundry.

Posted by: Boss Moss at September 13, 2026 01:19 PM (5Go8e)

122 They need allies. Know anybody?

Posted by: Eromero at September 13, 2026 01:20 PM (DXbAa)

123 Wait. BRICS has been around since 2009?

I feel older than my 29 years.

Posted by: mikeski at September 13, 2026 01:20 PM (VHUov)

124 When it all goes Tango Uniform it will likely be overnight, or at least "slowly at first, then all at once."
---

The machines will stop running, the pumps will stop pumping
We're All Going to Die!

Posted by: Braenyard - some Absent Friends are more equal than others _ at September 13, 2026 01:20 PM (3oLMy)

125 The Houthis actually called Trump on the phone and asked him not to interfere. We haven't.
Posted by: Braenyard

We called him and asked him to keep not doing what he's already not doing, and he's still not doing it.

We're somebody! We're really somebody!

Posted by: The Houthis at September 13, 2026 01:21 PM (VHUov)

126 None of the good countries joined BRICS.

Posted by: Boss Moss at September 13, 2026 01:21 PM (5Go8e)

127 Saudi called Trump and asked for immediate military help. Trump listened carefully...and sent half a dozen of advisors. lolol . BTW , what happened to the Arab NATO? ? the usual ?

Posted by: runner at September 13, 2026 01:21 PM (AKptf)

128
What about Turkiyay or whatever they call themselves?

Didn't they, the pakis and Saudis just sign a blood-oath alliance to the death to defend each other?

Posted by: Auspex at September 13, 2026 01:22 PM (Y8DZL)

129 *huffs indignantly*

I corrected it!

It's just a know problem with a half-duplex, high latency comms channel. Packets get out of order.

Posted by: Oddbob at September 13, 2026 01:23 PM (vTZFs)

130 That which can't go on won't, but ... it's taking longer than we thought. When it all goes Tango Uniform it will likely be overnight, or at least "slowly at first, then all at once."
Posted by: Common Tater at September 13, 2026 01:12 PM (uozx9)

Well, the globalists would like to fall back on the Euro or Yuan, but they’re both up to their necks in debt, too, along with the UK and Japan.

Eventually something will happen, war, debt collapse, hyperinflation, that will give them the chance to make an international currency, or at the least a new currency backed by the world bank, UN, and all the other acronyms. Like the BANCOR that Keynes wanted after WWII that was ignored in favor of the dollar.

It’s not always good to be the reserve currency.
It requires taking on debt, trade deficits, and inflation, to an extent, to be the reserve currency.

Posted by: SpeakingOf at September 13, 2026 01:23 PM (6ydKt)

131 They were training Egyptians Saudis etc how to use the good weapons back in the early 90s.

Posted by: Boss Moss at September 13, 2026 01:24 PM (5Go8e)

132 127 Saudi called Trump and asked for immediate military help. Trump listened carefully...and sent half a dozen of advisors. lolol . BTW , what happened to the Arab NATO? ? the usual ?
Posted by: runner at September 13, 2026 01:21 PM (AKptf)

It's really quite comical how the final scene in Lawrence of Arabia, where the Muslims try to unite and collapse into complete incompetence and chaos, is replayed in real life over and over again.

Posted by: Tom Servo at September 13, 2026 01:24 PM (edUvp)

133 Didn't they, the pakis and Saudis just sign a blood-oath alliance to the death to defend each other?
Posted by: Auspex at September 13, 2026 01:22 PM (Y8DZL)

Somebody wanted to change a comma into a semi-comma and so they had to renegotiate the whole deal.

Posted by: Kindltot at September 13, 2026 01:24 PM (rbvCR)

134 The King and the Kingdom have proven they are less than worthless.

They will stab us in the back the minute it serves their interest.

Posted by: San Franpsycho at September 13, 2026 01:24 PM (RIvkX)

135 I usually ask " who is this we your talking about?"

Posted by: Skip at September 13, 2026 01:25 PM (qEb4U)

136 Mecca should have been glassed September 12, 2001.

Our world today would be more peaceful and stable.

Posted by: San Franpsycho at September 13, 2026 01:25 PM (RIvkX)

137 It's really quite comical how the final scene in Lawrence of Arabia, where the Muslims try to unite and collapse into complete incompetence and chaos, is replayed in real life over and over again.
Posted by: Tom Servo at September 13, 2026 01:24 PM (edUvp)

That film is brilliant.

Posted by: runner at September 13, 2026 01:26 PM (AKptf)

138
Saw where Trump is asking the Ukes not to go after diesel refineries.

When Russian tractors can't run and the harvest rots in the field shits' gonna get real.

Posted by: Auspex at September 13, 2026 01:26 PM (Y8DZL)

139 Tariff grain exports.

Posted by: Boss Moss at September 13, 2026 01:27 PM (5Go8e)

140 Can a governor pardon a felon? I guess if she says so.

Posted by: fd at September 13, 2026 01:28 PM (MWfyi)

141 They will stab us in the back the minute it serves their interest.
Posted by: San Franpsycho at September 13, 2026 01:24 PM (RIvkX)

Yes, Alex, "What is an Arab?"

Alex: "Correct! For $400!"

Posted by: Tom Servo at September 13, 2026 01:28 PM (edUvp)

142 The Bedouin are basically nomadic, sand, pirates, so it’s to be expected.

That they’re sitting on some of the richest oil fields on the planet was either Allah’s blessing or God’s biggest joke on the rest of us.

Posted by: SpeakingOf at September 13, 2026 01:29 PM (6ydKt)

143 Counter productive

Posted by: Braenyard - some Absent Friends are more equal than others _ at September 13, 2026 12:30 PM (3oLMy)

Should be possible to get a gallon or two of Diesel out of every Houthi you render down.

Posted by: Alberta Oil Peon at September 13, 2026 01:30 PM (1z8ji)

144 Arab is also a verb.

Posted by: Boss Moss at September 13, 2026 01:31 PM (5Go8e)

145 Saw where Trump is asking the Ukes not to go after diesel refineries.

When Russian tractors can't run and the harvest rots in the field shits' gonna get real.
Posted by: Auspex at September 13, 2026 01:26 PM (Y8DZL)
===

It's impacting world prices. Russia is not the one with burned out fields, rotting harvests, bombed out cities and collapsed capital, begging for a frontline freeze (reject by Russia at the moment, until they get certain guarantees..)

Posted by: runner at September 13, 2026 01:31 PM (AKptf)

146 fd

For state charges. ICE can still export his sorry ass.

Gov H’s move was to stop an adverse legal ruling in the SC.

Posted by: NaCly Dog at September 13, 2026 01:31 PM (u82oZ)

147 "You are a silly people." - T. E. Lawrence

Posted by: no one of any consequence at September 13, 2026 01:31 PM (36x1j)

148 Any serious or sustained conflict will wipe away the Saudi and Hashemite dynasties, and those states will become Syria writ large. Violent, tribal, fractured, and perpetually mired in internal squabbles.

Sounds like a win to me.

Posted by: San Franpsycho at September 13, 2026 01:33 PM (RIvkX)

149 You gotta be quick with the diesel extraction because those Houthis spoil easy under the desert sun.

Posted by: SpeakingOf at September 13, 2026 01:33 PM (6ydKt)

150 Fat chance the Brits or French staging out of Israel.

Posted by: Braenyard - some Absent Friends are more equal than others _ at September 13, 2026 01:14 PM (3oLMy)

Public vs. private contact is very different. Israel provides a huge amount of intelligence to UK and France.

Posted by: CharlieBrown'sDildo at September 13, 2026 01:34 PM (k5CNB)

151 It's really quite comical how the final scene in Lawrence of Arabia, where the Muslims try to unite and collapse into complete incompetence and chaos, is replayed in real life over and over again.
Posted by: Tom Servo at September 13, 2026 01:24 PM (edUvp)

That film is brilliant.
Posted by: runner at September 13, 2026 01:26 PM (AKptf)
====

It reminds me of the final scene in Network with the communists arguing over shares and ratings.

Posted by: San Franpsycho at September 13, 2026 01:35 PM (RIvkX)

152 Diesel $6/Gallon.

Posted by: Boss Moss at September 13, 2026 01:36 PM (5Go8e)

153 I thought it was against AoS style guide to use the word ‘intelligence’ in the same sentence as UK and France?

Posted by: SpeakingOf at September 13, 2026 01:37 PM (6ydKt)

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