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[Vilanat]

Small correction:

As opposed to Russia or Iran, Saudi Arabia do get bombed from the Iranians backed Houthis.

[smjjames]

@Sergarr: I swear the only reason Saudi Arabia is an ally is so that we get access to their oil.

[Loud Whispers]

@Sergarr: I swear the only reason Saudi Arabia is an ally is so that we get access to their oil.

It's probably because Saudi props up petrodollar more than anything. Not just access to their oil, anyone else in the world who wants access to their oil needs to buy dollars before they think about buying their oil

A precision bomb strike on a purely civilian object with high casualties - and yet, no calls to regime change Saudi Arabia, and USA will merely "review its support for the Saudi-led coalition in Yemen".
I guess their "strategic ally to USA" status acts as an unlimited-use Get Out Of Jail Free card.

I reckon Saudi regime changing is not out of the question; strategic allies in the ME have been getting regime changed a great deal in modern times

[martinuzz]

@Sergarr: I swear the only reason Saudi Arabia is an ally is so that we get access to their oil.

It's probably because Saudi props up petrodollar more than anything. Not just access to their oil, anyone else in the world who wants access to their oil needs to buy dollars before they think about buying their oil

A precision bomb strike on a purely civilian object with high casualties - and yet, no calls to regime change Saudi Arabia, and USA will merely "review its support for the Saudi-led coalition in Yemen".
I guess their "strategic ally to USA" status acts as an unlimited-use Get Out Of Jail Free card.

I reckon Saudi regime changing is not out of the question; strategic allies in the ME have been getting regime changed a great deal in modern times

Regime change in Saudi Arabia is inevitable. Could be a few more years, but when the old king dies, there's going to be about 250 prince heirs infighting over who gets the throne next. That's what you get for polygamy.

[Loud Whispers]

Regime change in Saudi Arabia is inevitable. Could be a few more years, but when the old king dies, there's going to be about 250 prince heirs infighting over who gets the throne next. That's what you get for polygamy.

It's not that bad, there's only 4,000 princes to deal with

[Grim Portent]

Do the Saudis not have a proper set of inheritances sorted out for all their princes already? Seems like the sort of thing you should really do the moment you have 2 kids or more.

Granted after a certain point the last few hundred heirs would be getting a complimentary fruit basket and a McDonalds coupon since everything else would already be promised to their elders.

[Descan]

IIRC it's fraternal. Brothers inherit before sons.

Which, considering the ages, means that even if everything goes well, Saudi Arabia is going to be going through a LOT of successions soon. I think it's already started in the last few years.

[Antioch]

The only way the siege of Allepo will end is by one side coming out on top.

Bombing the Syrian army is retarded and will only prolong the battle.

Now I know what was the best way to stop WW2 attrocites. We all had to surrender to Hitler.

This is a fight between Assad and Jihadists, they are both Hitler.

[Sheb]

IIRC it's fraternal. Brothers inherit before sons.

Which, considering the ages, means that even if everything goes well, Saudi Arabia is going to be going through a LOT of successions soon. I think it's already started in the last few years.

Yeah, basically they are running out of Princes of the generation of the founder's sons, and no one really know who is going to get it on the next generation.

[martinuzz]

Meanwhile in Isistan, Iraqi troops have begun their big offensive to liberate Mosul. They have advanced to positions at 7km from the city, and heavy bombardments are ongoing. Meanwhile, Kurdish Peshmerga are advancing from the east, and have captured several outlying villages.

Aid oganisations express great concern over the population of Mosul. IS executes anyone trying to leave the city, and it is feared that the 1.5 million inhabitants will be used as human shields.

It's unclear if the Turkish army is participating in the attacks or not. The Iraqi government has charged Turkey with illegal invasion at the UN security council, but Erdogan has said he does not care about what Iraq wants, and the Turkish army will stay in Iraq. Which led to NATO command warning Turkey not to act militarily on it's own, without NATO approval.

Turkish forces supported Syrian rebels yesterday in the capture of Dabiq, a religiously very important Syrian city. Dabiq is mentioned in Islam apocalyptic prophesy as being one of the places were the final battle will take place.
With the capture of Dabiq, Turkish and Syrian forces rebels have nearly completed securing the border area between Turkey and Syria.

[Loud Whispers]

IIRC it's fraternal. Brothers inherit before sons.
Which, considering the ages, means that even if everything goes well, Saudi Arabia is going to be going through a LOT of successions soon. I think it's already started in the last few years.

Yeah, basically they are running out of Princes of the generation of the founder's sons, and no one really know who is going to get it on the next generation.

Yeah we know who's going to get it

King Salman got to where he is now because he was the one managing all the princes, promoting and demoting them as the situation demanded it. Then he appointed Muhammad bin Nayef as crown prince, Muhammad is a 3rd generation descendant of Ibn Saud
Also he did some shit about consolidating power
check this sick youtube vid about it

[feelotraveller]

IIRC it's fraternal. Brothers inherit before sons.
Which, considering the ages, means that even if everything goes well, Saudi Arabia is going to be going through a LOT of successions soon. I think it's already started in the last few years.

Yeah, basically they are running out of Princes of the generation of the founder's sons, and no one really know who is going to get it on the next generation.

Yeah we know who's going to get it

King Salman got to where he is now because he was the one managing all the princes, promoting and demoting them as the situation demanded it. Then he appointed Muhammad bin Nayef as crown prince, Muhammad is a 3rd generation descendant of Ibn Saud
Also he did some shit about consolidating power
check this sick youtube vid about it

Thankyou, I found that educative.

Couldn't help thinking of CKII several times... 

[martinuzz]

Speaking of Saudi Arabia, a few days ago the country accepted foreign loans for the first time in their history, by giving out state obligations. Their petro dollar reserves have dwindled.

Meanwhile near Mosul, Iraqi troops are preparing to advance into the city. They worry about visibility. IS has set fire to all oil sources in the area, blanketing the city in a black cover of smoke. "Walking here is like walking through the inside of a chimney".

[Flying Dice]

If you haven't seen pictures of it, look for some. It's crazy.

[Loud Whispers]

I envisage lung cancer in the future for Mosul's inhabitants