Rhetoric Between Saudi Arabia and Iran Heats Up

[Chance]

A long list of grievances between the two countries was capped off this weekend by Saudi Arabia's execution of a Shiite cleric popular in Iran. The two countries have formally severed relations, and the rest of the middle east is choosing sides. From BBC News (http://www.bbc.com/news/world-middle-east-35222365):


A number of Saudi Arabia's allies have joined diplomatic action against Iran after the Saudi embassy in Tehran was attacked amid a row over the execution of a Shia Muslim cleric. Bahrain and Sudan have both severed relations with Iran, and the UAE has downgraded its diplomatic team. Saudi Arabia on Sunday severed ties and gave Iran's diplomats two days to go.

The market is predictably reacting with a sharp increase in the price of crude oil (http://www.msn.com/en-us/money/markets/saudi-iran-execution-tensions-fuel-oil-price-spike/ar-AAgjKYM), which China and Russia have not appreciated.

[Dagga Boy]

The "cleric" may end up being the Arch Duke....

Additionally......glad we didn't do that Keystone thing if the Straits of Hormuz get closed.

[Glenn E. Meyer]

Just told my wife this might be an Archduke day in the making. Wonder how many college students today would get the reference - they don't take world history anymore.

[LittleLebowski]

Additionally......glad we didn't do that Keystone thing if the Straits of Hormuz get closed.

:D :D

[Glenn E. Meyer]

I have a conspiracy theory mindset that the Administration is against US oil base energy development (not because of green house gas) but because they don't want competition for our 'allies' in the Middle East.

Personally, I would do what it takes to get us off imported oil from that area. Then build an export market. Yes, I don't want the oil companies to wreck the landscape but that could be reasonably controlled. I do remember on South Park where BP's drilling unleashed Cthulhu from dead R'lyeh.

[Peally]

Dirt farm A is getting pissed at Dirt Farm B!

[Chance]

Dirt farm A is getting pissed at Dirt Farm B!

More like oil well A is pissed at oil well B, while the energy sources of superpowers 2 and 3 are in the balance.

[Peally]

If we can play it off so only the dirt farms end up burned I'm happy.

That or just take the dirt farm by force and evict our enemies already. The big kids can divvy it up.

[jess87]

I have a conspiracy theory mindset that the Administration is against US oil base energy development (not because of green house gas) but because they don't want competition for our 'allies' in the Middle East.

Personally, I would do what it takes to get us off imported oil from that area. Then build an export market. Yes, I don't want the oil companies to wreck the landscape but that could be reasonably controlled. I do remember on South Park where BP's drilling unleashed Cthulhu from dead R'lyeh.

I think there may be an unintended benefit if oil supply ever runs out in that we’ll have fossil fuels for ourselves in the future, rather than using it all up now

[GardoneVT]

I think there may be an unintended benefit if oil supply ever runs out in that we’ll have fossil fuels for ourselves in the future, rather than using it all up now

I would not want to be the Saudi oil minister when they realize they've used up their national stock of crude.

[Reload8]

Man, whoever has to deal with Middle Eastern politics, I guess the Secretary of State - got to be the hardest job in the world.

[NETim]

We need a red line in the sand, pronto!

[Drang]

I have a conspiracy theory mindset that the Administration is against the U.S.

FIFY.

[Drang]

The market is predictably reacting with a sharp increase in the price of crude oil (http://www.msn.com/en-us/money/markets/saudi-iran-execution-tensions-fuel-oil-price-spike/ar-AAgjKYM), which China and Russia have not appreciated.

Oil could crash to $10 a barrel, warn investment bank bears - Telegraph (http://www.telegraph.co.uk/finance/oilprices/12094394/Oil-price-could-fall-to-10-a-barrel-warn-investment-bank-bears.html)