The other crisis (not AA - IS)

[Scoular1]

Don,t forget,that the Saudies own most of Marbella(ok maybe slight exageration)

[TurktownAnt]

Yeah but do we wait until an event in the Med happens or do something about it now?
All it would take is a few crazy's to get into some fast boats & you could have a helluva bloodbath in areas popular with Brit/ German tourists.
The problem with the likes of Saudi etc as i see it are that you have a ruling Royal Family, but underneath you probably have organizations there that would love to go down the militant route, so the Royals are probably loathe to kick up too much in case they get kicked out.

[TurktownAnt]

[quote="TurktownAnt"

Agree that we are responsible. No question. I actually think because of that responsibility we need to do a lot more with aid. I just think with all of the combined military power of some of the richer Gulf states they should start using the weapons we've been selling them for the 30 years. And, in terms of Cyprus and the closer Med theatre, we would be totally justified in unleashing NATO activity.[/quote]

Yeah but do we wait until an event in the Med happens or do something about it now?
All it would take is a few crazy's to get into some fast boats & you could have a helluva bloodbath in areas popular with Brit/ German tourists.
The problem with the likes of Saudi etc as i see it are that you have a ruling Royal Family, but underneath you probably have organizations there that would love to go down the militant route, so the Royals are probably loathe to kick

[pompeygun]

TT, apparently the US are having a lot of success from the air without resorting to boot on the ground. But as i said earlier we are part responsible for this problem, ultimately those countries that took down Sadaam & openly encouraged Arab Spring are now duty bound to help sort this mess out.

[TurktownAnt]

TT, apparently the US are having a lot of success from the air without resorting to boot on the ground. But as i said earlier we are part responsible for this problem, ultimately those countries that took down Sadaam & openly encouraged Arab Spring are now duty bound to help sort this mess out.

OK. Yes. I can't argue with that.

[betalucky]

TT, apparently the US are having a lot of success from the air without resorting to boot on the ground. But as i said earlier we are part responsible for this problem, ultimately those countries that took down Sadaam & openly encouraged Arab Spring are now duty bound to help sort this mess out.

OK. Yes. I can't argue with that.[/quote]

It goes back a lot further than that, we and the Yanks (and the French and the Saudis) have been making a mess of the area ever since oil was discovered in 1908. And in the end those four countries have been the greatest beneficiaries of the oil, and associated contracts (including arms sales of course). Not forgetting the fact that 50% of the world's "proven" oil reserves are still sitting there waiting to be extracted.

That, when all's said and done, is why we keep sticking our noses in. But we do seem to make an awful mess of things.