The big question: So if a similar revolt breaks out in Saudi Arabia...

[howard112211]

...will the Obama administration send troops to quell the uprising? Any thoughts?

[cbdo2007]

1. Yep

[pnwmom]

2. And if the revolt is led by the hard line religious right

-- as it was in Iran years ago -- which side should we take?

[Blue Meany]

3. Alas, oil and democracy don't mix in the modern world...n/t

[FrenchieCat]

8. What makes you think the end result will be a democracy?

[Blue Meany]

10. I don't think it will end in democracy...

On the contrary, I think that countries who have the "curse of oil," as I like to call it, will always have outside powers that want to make sure that is remains accessible to them, regardless of what the citizens may want. Thus, there will always be outside support for a dictatorship that keeps the oil pumping. If it isn't the US it would be China or some other power. Tunisia can have a democratic revolution, so perhaps can Algeria. To US policy-makers, Egypt is only a concern because of Israel. But I don't expect to see functioning democracies in the gulf oil states, Iraq or Iran.

[PaddyBlueEyes]

4. Nope

but the oil companies will send in Blackwater or Xe(or whatever they call themselves now)

[GSLevel9]

5. so what makes you think Saudi Arabia or Egypt

can't fight off their own rioters?

[bobthedrummer]

9. Why do you call dissidents "rioters"-it reeks of something that you seem to ignore. These people

want a move towards democracy.

I would like to see the House of Saud sink into the desert sands permanently.

All the "force multipliers" sold to Egypt, Saudi Arabia etc. do not equal the power of a determined people.

Attempts at framing the perception space with key words like "fight" and "rioters" doesn't really work anymore GSLevel9.

[LostInAnomie]

6. No, but I bet we wouldn't make too big of a deal about any measures used...

... to put down the revolt.

[snooper2]

7. no, would never happen

[Recursion]

11. No. If American troops set foot in S.A. again the entire middle east explodes

We might "persuade" Turkey to send troops, though.