(06-20-2019, 09:08 AM)mikesez Wrote:

(06-20-2019, 08:04 AM)B2hibry Wrote: Oh, I see what you are saying but you contradict what you've said previously in each response. The responses read like a politician trying to not cross the line of no return. There is also an utopia feel.

I'm not sure how interested you'd be, and this is not a dig so much as a push for you to understand, but you should take a course in M.E. studies that includes past and current events. You would be shocked how far off your thoughts are. For me, I'm having a hard time following you because I was forced to go to M.E. studies, as well as study military strategies and tactics based on hundreds of years of conflict and other scenarios. The geopolitical environment has changed drastically and sitting back most times opens the pandoras box of no return.

So in the case of Iran, you'd like us to step back even though their actions have global implications? What is your line for "reaction"? Influencing traffic in international waters, bombing 4 ships, bombing oil pipelines, shooting down drones in international airspace, taking control of a sovereign countries lands, producing nuclear weapons for the sole reason of eliminating a neighboring country, taking over a soveriegn countries ports for economic gain, etc?

One shouldn't presume that a person with different conclusions has been apprised of fewer facts.

The House of Saud came to power near Riyadh by allying itself with iconoclastic, ascetic Imams who followed bin Wahab in the late 18th century.

However, the territory they controlled had neither oil, nor access to the sea, nor holy sites.

All of these things were controlled by the Ottomans.  There was another similarly situated, neighboring desert tribe called the Rashidun at that time.  As Ottoman control collapsed during WWI, the Saudis outmaneuvered all the other Arab players to get most of the territory they control today.  


Now, the Shia are not necessarily good guys, historically.  But neither are the Saudis.  

What history am I missing?

I have assumed nothing. It is what you put to paper so to speak.

Good job Mr. Google. Going to need you to quote from multiple scholarly sources. LOL Now go search for relevant information more closely related to this century and the topic. Not surprising, you still can't clarify your position on the topic. Running out of stamina for those backflips?

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