THE RUMOR OF A “BLOODY NOSE” FOR NORTH KOREA:

I’m Shifting away from the Middle East to cover the other slice of the world that needs to be addressed. I’ve read a great deal about this “bloody nose” rumor and I will admit the rumor seems to be growing. So, the question becomes, is the rumor growing because the events required to make such operation take place are actually coming together, or is the rumor being spread, effectively I might add, to place even further pressure on the Chinese. Yes, I have not come off my theory of the Chinese having a plan to deal with the little fat guy when the time comes. The problem remains, when does China become convinced that time is here? When do the Chinese truly believe the US is going to pull the trigger? How do they judge the difference between a bluff and true pending action? Is it the movement of military hardware? What hardware would they need to see being put into place to change their mind? Wouldn’t they have to know the tactical requirements of the operation to properly evaluate what is moving? How do they truly judge between a bluff and a pending event? That is the formulary China must hope they can come up with. Given the possible outcomes of this so called, “bloody nose”, how sure must China be as they attempt to gauge the intentions of the US? Just how worried is the Dragon? It seems The Donald is getting the hang of this World Leader stuff. The Donald’s poker face is truly beginning to take shape.

Bloody Nose and the unforeseen partners:

Let’s move onto the issue of this “bloody nose” rumor. If it’s more than a rumor and there really is a plan for a tactical strike, and I would be you there is such a contingency plan, then what are the possible results? Now, there is a topic every so called “expert” is out to make money on as quick as they can. Can a limited strike on North Korea, a nation controlled by a madman, not have repercussions on the civilian population? Can the damage actually be held to a level most people are willing to accept? Can such an event take place on China’s border without the Dragon losing face globally? Would they just sit back and let it happen? If you have read my post for the past few years, then you know what I’m about to say. Yep, back to one of my favorite games.

What If?

What if Bloody Nose had a partner that no one was aware of? What if Bloody Nose had a role for the Dragon? I’ve said it for years now, but I will say it again and again. The Chinese have a plan for dealing with unstable leadership in North Korea. What if the US strikes the nuclear facilities in North Korea not with the intention of making them unusable for years to come, but for the purpose of neutralizing the immediate threat they pose, and this takes place as the Chinese move to replace the North Korean government? Sound outrageous? Not really, at least not to me. Let’s look at a few hard facts that both sides of this problem completely understand.

1.      The ultimate goal of China is to have the US’s excuse for having large military capabilities in the region nullified. Why would the US leave its forces in a unified Korea? How much pressure could China place on the US for wishing to do so? After the North Korean issue is resolved, why would China not strive to solve, peacefully, the issues in the South China Seas? Instead of threating war, just spend money to the point that nations like Japan and the Philippines can’t resist the profit line. Oh, and if you think that is not an approach for the Chinese, then you’ve not done your homework with the One Belt One Road initiative.  Simply put, remove the reason for US forces to be on the Korean Peninsula and at the same time, toss as much money as you can at the other nations in the region.

2.      From the US standpoint, especially the military leadership, how appealing is a plan that doesn’t call for the same mistakes made in Iraq and Afghanistan? A plan that doesn’t require an occupation force or even an offensive ground force. A plan that lets the US utilize the its existing forces inside South Korea to defend South Korea only? A plan that calls for Chinese ground units to move into North Korea, and doing so after the nuclear sights are struck and key North Korean Generals, who are own the Chinese payroll, make their move as well? Yes. A US strike with a simultaneous Chinese manipulated Coup?

The Danger with the Coup idea:

               As outlandish as this concept of mine may sound, stranger things have happened in this world. Yes, there are dangers to this idea. For one thing, the US military, more specifically the US Army, may not agree. I once remember a time when the US Army was absolutely adamant the war in Iraq, this time around ,could not be won with just the Air Force. Why, everyone who ever studied modern military theory knew you cannot defeat your enemy strictly from the sky. Pay no attention to that event called Desert Storm. How in the world could the nation justify a large, modern, standing Army if it’s wars were won from the air? I mean, how could the Army convince Congress to spend money on them?  Why, they might go the way of the Navy’s Battleship theory? Am I being sarcastic here? No. Not really! An Army of occupation is “old think”. Strike your enemy. Neutralize their ability to do you harm and then be prepared to strike them again if needed. That will be the future of the 21^st century warfare. That will be the economic reality of the West. So, you see, in the end, making a Coup plan with a potential rival just doesn’t make good investment sense for those who make BILLIONS on developing and selling military hardware. Yes, there is a danger to finding a smart way to deal with North Korea. The Chinese may end up having a stronger position on the issue of US military presence in the region.  On top of that, how in the world are the companies that depend on military hardware sales going to make money if someone finds a way to defeat a threat without dozens of Divisions of very expensive ground forces. Lives? Yes you may save lives with this new way of thinking, but all those corporate giants know full well brave young men and women will march into battle if called upon to do so. There is a new way for nations to defend themselves and marching patriotic people into a meatgrinder is not the way. A Bloody Nose sounds terrifying for one reason. Those that warn of such an event look at warfare with “old think”! 

THE OTTOMANS MOVE INTO SYRIA.

               Not the first time the Turks have pushed forces into Syria, but this time is different. Now, from day one of the Syrian Civil War I’ve been talking about the one true issue the Turks could not lose sight of. The creation of some version of a territory named, Kurdistan. It was the universal worry for Turkey, Iran, Syria and Iraq. It was the one issue they all had in common. None of them wanted to see a slice of land carved out for the Kurds that would lead the world to using the title of “Kurdistan”. The Ottomans, The Persians and the Arabs may not have the same vision of the future, but they do share the nightmare of a Kurdistan. So, what happened? Why now? What made Egodan drive his forces into Northern Syria in a much large operation than in the past?

The Manipulator:

               If you saw this word and the Tsar didn’t come to mind, then you need to keep studying what is taking place in the region. Okay, now, let me answer the question of, “why now”. What has been the goal of the Tsar from day one of the Russian involvement in the Syrian Civil War? Europe, more specifically, Eastern Europe. Yes, the Middle Eastern fuel scenario is very important to the Russians and its true economic engine, fuel. But, the old “buffer zone” of Eastern Europe is the issue that keeps the lights on in Moscow at night.  Eastern European countries, countries that belonged inside the old Soviet Block and their relationship with NATO, that is THE… issue. That has always been the issue and that will be the issue until the scenario is no longer on the Tsar’s plate. If the West intends to destabilize Russia, something the Russians truly believe, then the counter is and has been to destabilize a region that is important to the West. Mass migrations into Europe. The stoking of a religious Civil War, a Civil War that can involve over a BILLION people across the world, these are just two issues the Tsar is deeply involved in; knowing that both of them have an end-state of endangering the day to day peace throughout the globe. If Mother Russia is not to know safety and peace, then no other nation will, especially those that are responsible for the danger to Russia. So how does the Tsar’s pressure on the West lead to a nutcase like Egodan to move such a large force into Syria? How does the Tsar manipulate two NATO nations into a possible confrontation?

NATO vs NATO:

               If there is one strategic goal the Tsar has had in mind as he attempts to counter the Western advancement on Mother Russia, it’s the idea of damaging the NATO alliance. Now, from day one, both Egodan and the Tsar have set a goal of manipulating the each other. First it was the defiant Ottomans shooting down a Russian fighter. Then it was the great kiss and make up that came a year later. Both men looking to advance their own dreams and both men attempting to use the other to achieve those dreams. From the Tsar’s standpoint, he had the golden opportunity to create a huge fracture in the concept of NATO. He fully understood the unstable relationship that had developed between the US and Turkey. The plan was set in Moscow and the intent was clearly exposed. If Russia could drive a wedge between the US and Turkey, then the result would be a less effective NATO. Sounds simplistic, but the plan to exploit this rift was very……….very complex and the EU’s reluctance to accept Turkey as a partner only added fuel to the fire. Moscow played every card almost perfectly. The Migration event that has led to the destabilization of Europe was seen as an action by Egodan and the Turkish government. In fact, it was the Russian military’s arrival in the Syrian Civil War that started the uncontrollable exodus. It was Egodan who realized that by allowing those fleeing the conflict to enter Europe, he could force the EU to come back to the table of acceptance and thus spur the Turkish economy, and economy that was weak at best. But, in the end, it was and has been the Tsar who has been manipulating the Sultan of Turkey, often without the Sultan even realizing what was taking place. As complex as this whole story actually is, the simple fact of the matter is, Turkish forces are moving on ground held by US backed fighters, Terrorist, take your pick! A major NATO partner is threating / warning  / the leader of the NATO alliance. Who stands to gain from this? Take one guess. Look. I have talked about this time and time again. If you want to know why the Russians are so intertwined in the Middle East, look to Poland, look to Ukraine and you will have your answer. Will the forces of one NATO nation fire upon the forces of another NATO nation? That is a dream come true for the Tsar!   Off in the distance, off in the shadows another set of eyes are quietly watching. The Dragon looks on from its cave! 

IRAN.  WHO IS RESPONSIBLE FOR WHAT IS TAKING PLACE? WHAT IS TAKING PLACE?

               Took two weeks off again, but boy have I been watching the events in Iran. In my last post, just look the post prior to this one, I raised the question of what is taking place in Iran. Why was the IRGC supporting a form a Persian Nationalism, a form that doesn’t mention Islamic Fundamentalism at all? Is the picture becoming clearer now? To quote a good friend, “if you want to know the reason behind one move, you need to wait for the next one”. Persian Nationalism? If that is the goal, the goal of the IRGC, then what else needs to happen, I mean, other than music videos? How do you make a segment of the population you need to influence moving your desired direction? How do you put energy into the change process? Yep. Protest. Protest over a unified issue or issues. Issues that have a common impact on those you need to change. Issues that strike at the core of day to day living. Food, pay, prices! Get a proportion of a population upset over those topics and you are well on your way to change. So is that it? Is this deepening crisis in Iran all part of the IRGC’s grand plan? Is this new drive towards Persian Nationalism the tool needed to remove the latest version of yet another tyrannical government in Iran? Simply put. Is the current crisis fueled by the IRGC?

The Law:

               If you have been following my post for the past several years, you know how much stock I put into the concept of, “The Law of Unintended Consequences”. Persian Nationalism. That is the tool that will bring about stability in Iran. That is how the IRGC and the Old Men in power, planned to bring the youth of Iran back under their fold. That is how they would get the population to stop pulling away from Tehran. Create nationalistic pride and then convince the population that the preverbal “outside threat” is wanting to tear down this new found Persian pride! It sounds feasible to a guy like me. It’s a theory that could be argued over a few drinks and any typical Department of State Cocktail Dinner. The problem is, perhaps it’s not going according to plan? Perhaps it’s not going anywhere near as planned?

               The Iranian leadership designed some process for one reason, to stay in power and to keep control of their population. A plan can only be developed after key assumptions have been made. So, what if the key assumption on just how bad things were becoming on the streets of Iran were extremely underestimated? What if building the theme of Persian Nationalism was not the tool of control, but the fuel that has caused the fire? Are the streets of Iran’s cities beginning to fill with those who took the concept of Persian Pride to mean something very different than what the designers anticipated? Is Persian Pride turning into, Persian anger? “Where did the money go”? That is a question the Old Men in Tehran did not anticipate. Iran’s government needed something to change before the issues of 2009 appeared again. The Old Men who feared the Arab Spring back in 2011 never stopped worrying about that same Tunisian Virus, yes, I still call it that. They were the founders of the backfire they created in Syria. A backfire that was designed to prevent the flames of the Arab Spring from reaching Iran. They were paranoid then and they were period now; so paranoid that they developed the Persian Nationalism project without truly understanding the potential risk that plan might bring to their doorsteps. Syria was a backfire to prevent the true forest fire. Could it be the Persian Nationalism plan is the backfire that has created it’s own forest fire? It’s not the first time that has happened. Firefighters will tell you that is always the danger of using “backfires”!

What is taking place in Iran could soon rival what took place in 2009, but this is not 2009 in Saudi. This is not 2009 in the US and it’s not 2009 in Moscow.

Yep. This is something new and it’s more dangerous that most realize.

You can bet I will be on this one for the foreseeable future. 

PERSIAN NATIONALISM. IS THIS WHERE IRAN IS HEADING?

First off, hats off to Narges Bajoghli for putting this story together. It’s refreshing to see professional opinions, backed by solid investigative research. Dr. Bajoghi is an Academic and we all know my feelings towards most academics who write about the Middle East. Not this time. Dr. Bajoghli nailed this one and I hope someone is taking what she is saying seriously.  A professionally researched story! That’s a concept the US media has forgotten. 

https://www.al-monitor.com/pulse/originals/2017/12/iran-new-nationalism-religion-politics-trump-saudi-isis.html

Now, over the course of this blog, I think I have addressed the issue of possible Persian Nationalism more than once. So, when I came across Dr. B’s story, it convinced me my hunch from a few years ago was correct. You can’t get a nation that’s average age is under 30 to follow fat old men who insist on you not listening to music, not dancing, not drinking and not surfing the internet. The problem for Iran has been, that is exactly what the old men of the so called “Revolution” still think. It’s not working and it’s not working at an every increasing rate. The fat old men may not want to believe it, but it appears “others” do!

THE IRGC:

By the way, if you have to ask, “What is the IRGC”, then you need to go read some other blog site. Sorry, but going backwards is not my style. Alright. If the fat old men in Tehran can’t see the handwriting on the wall, even after the events of 2009, then what? Answer? The IRGC. From day one I argued with my prior workmates that Qasem Soleimani is Nationalist, not a devout follower of a religious cult. Are the Shia a “cult”? Well, according to my Sunni friends in the region, they are worse than a cult, so for now, that’s the label I’ll give them. By the way, I would love to hear Soleimani’s opinion of those old men when nobody is around!

The concept of finding a way to keep the population of Iran loyal to the government, whomever is running it, is not an issue unique to the Persians. Every nation does this, but it’s only the smart ones that find a way to make it work. Music videos placed on the internet? Yep, that is thinking out of the box and the IRGC is on to something. Do the old men agree with the tactic? Well, here comes a very…..very interesting question and one that Dr. B may not have had time to contemplate. Are they? Are the old men really running the country? Hassan Rouhani is a puppet, for now, who is loyal to the bidding of Khamenei. Khamenei is what? Well, he is old, sick and completely out of touch. I mean, let’s face it, the old man can’t keep a lid on Ahmadinejad even after threatening him with prison. Why? Why is the guy who believes in magic carpets still permitted to run amuck in Iran?  How much day to day authority does Khamenei and his band of religious nutcases truly have? Who is the Luca Brasi for Khamenei? Yep. Soleimani. What’s the history of betrayal by the closest confidants in the Mafia? Who’s making the drive to nationalize the youth of Iran? Who is making music videos based on Persian history and not even mentioning the Islamic movement?

Survival:

To the leadership of the IRGC, and trust me, this is Soleimani, what is more important? The survival of the nation of Iran or the future of a concept of government and religion that suppresses the human spirit? What better tool to help hold a nation together than the vision of past glory? A glory that was not based on crushing individual freedoms, although the Greeks may disagree.

Iran is and has been in real trouble demographically. Yes, the average age issue will level out over time as long as they don’t enter into yet another protracted war. The Arab population of Iran, Persian Iran, is growing and if anyone thinks the Arabs don’t remember the Persians, then they need to go focus on some other part of the world. Iran’s future is in doubt, at least that is what the IRGC believes and the number one mission of the IRGC is to secure the future of Iran and if that means moving away from the so called “revolution” then that is exactly what they will do.

Out of the woods:

Is that it? Are we seeing the light at the end of the tunnel on the issue of Iran? I mean, if the IRGC is successful in changing the future of Iran’s youth, doesn’t that mean this whole, Shia / Persian / Sunni  Arab mess might go away? Might Iran become the old Iran again; the Iran of a Secular government?  Remember this old adage. “Be careful what you ask for”! When was the last time a nation went wacky Nationalistic and stayed peaceful? Good old Soleimani. I’ve said it before and I will say it again. Perhaps he has visions of becoming the next God Father!

NORTH KOREA AND CHINESE TIPS ON NUCLEAR WAR

With all the hysteria taking place today over the pending US announcement on the Israeli capital, it’s now wonder a story, like the one I am going to address, is overlooked. By the way, as I stated two days ago, the future King of Saudi could care less about the US decision. Good read his reaction, statements, on line and you will see. It’s about Iran……It’s all about Iran…..everyday….every issue.

Okay. So a state-run newspaper in northeastern China published an article called, “common sense” and this common sense topic is all about how to prepare and respond to the impacts of a nuclear war. Hello? Was that a news story not worthy of coverage in the West? Well, not if you are a low grade, tabloid level political hack machine like most networks in the US. So why did DEBKA pick up on this story? Why did they feel it was at least worthy of placing on their minor events scrolling along the side of their daily page website? I will tell you why. Because the Israelis understand the threat and signs of war. This was not some low level reporters trying to catch the eye of his editor. This was a state run, state controlled newspaper, like all newspapers in China.  Every story published is for a reason. Every word placed in that story is reviewed to insure it meets the needs of the Chinese government. If we understand that, then we have to ask the question, why?

Trends:

Several months ago, the Western media was alert enough to pick up on the movement of Chinese units moving into the area near the North Korean border. Speculation was a hot topic for a few days and then, as always, the news switch to the next big event. Flash forward to December 6^th and the release of this common sense article. Is it just a precautionary measure provided by the cradle to grave government of China? Are the Chinese that worried about such an event in North Korea that they felt compelled to publish guidance? Just how good is the Chinese intelligence when it comes to knowing what is going on inside North Korea? I will tell you this, it’s far better than anything the West has going. Could the Chinese believe a nuclear event is a very real possibility? As a matter of fact, they have even said so in the open press.

So a message, guidance, was provided to the Chinese people who live near the North Korean border. Notice the guidance was not given to the nation as a whole. Does that mean China understands that no matter what takes place in North Korea, it will not lead to a wider conflict or It will not lead to a nuclear war between the US and China? This is precisely the type of analytical work the intelligence agencies work on. Did they see this small bit of news coming out of the region? You bet they did. Is it just another slice of data that helps them predict the future actions in the region? Absolutely.

Yes, on a day when all the talk will be about the capital of Israel, and that is what Jerusalem is to anyone who lives in the world of reality, it will be easy to overlook this small little story from a Chinese Newspaper near the North Korean border. But sometimes, it’s the small things that should be noticed!  

SALEH SAW THE LIGHT……BUT IT TURNED OUT TO BE A “FLASH”.

Well, I’ve been off for the past few weeks catching up on other writing “issues”, but I’m back now.

The topic of the day? Mr. Saleh. It seems Mr. Saleh had yet another change of heart a few days ago. A change of heart as to who should continue to line his pockets! Now, this guy has been out to accomplish one thing from the day he stepped into the spotlight. Saleh for Saleh’s sake. That’s it. It’s as simple as that! Flip flop should have been his nickname, but it seems this time, he flipped right on top of a bomb. Not his fist time by the way! Why did Saleh change his mind? Look to the future King of Saudi for your answer. Did the Iranian backed forces in Yemen blow him up? Yep. Could the Saudi’s have anticipated that event taking place? Yep. What will it change? Nothing. He had called for his followers to “rise up” against the Iranian backed forces, but that speech was nothing more than a way to get paid. How many of his followers jumped ship to fight the forces they had been supported by? You can probably count them on one had. Has his death prolonged the fighting in Yemen? Most likely. His supporters won’t be happy with his manner of death along with his body being displayed.

Speaking of Yemen:

If we step back from the events of Saleh’s death to review what is taking place in the region, we might see a few far more interesting trends. Has Iran become embolden with their advances? Yes. Has the future King of Saudi become more determined to stop these advancements? Yes.  Does this lead to tensions in the region becoming worse? Yes. Is anyone surprised by any of this? No! So, what has changed? What has taken place that could lead anyone to believe things may get better or things may get worse? Here is a hint. What “relationship” seems to be, “coming out of the closet”? If you guessed Saudi and Israel, you are only partially correct. You need to add Egypt into your answer. You need to see the closing of ranks between the Russians and the Turks. You need to see how difficult the task has become for the Russians to hold hands with the Turks and the Iranians at the same time. The short and simple answer is, the sides in the Middle East are continuing to attempt to solidify and I want to stress the word, attempt. Does any partner on either side of the partnerships truly trust any of the others? Of course not. The question becomes, what do you look for? What is the next big event that might push the region to the next level?

The US Embassy in Israel:

The topic is back on the table. Why now? Well, for one thing it’s time for the US to update the legal wavier on the issue. The Donald doesn’t want to do it, but the pressure to do so is high. On top of that rather delicate issue is the rumor The Donald is going to announce the US’s recognition of Jerusalem as the capital of Israel! Contentious issues? Oh ya. Will it pull apart the pro-Western camp? Nope. The target is Iran / the Persians / and all other issue can be addressed at some point down the road. Period. The future King of Saudi is not going to jeopardize his unofficial, undeclared, collation for the sake of the Palestinians, at least not right now. Much large games are underway. Lebanon. Iraq. Syria and Yemen. Those are the primary points of effort, not the Palestinians.

The timing is right. If the US wants to push the issue of Embassies and Capitals, now is the time to do so. The question becomes why? Why make waves with those issues now? The answer takes us right back to the primary topic. Iran! Israel is being told to sit on their hands while the Iranians and Hezbollah creap closer and closer to the “redline”. “Steady Boys…. Steady….Wait to you see the white of their eyes”! That seems to be the message. The undeclared coalition need a little more time before things may get very interesting. They may also allow the undeclared partner to start the event………….Israel!  But. In the meantime, perhaps the US feels it’s time to toss the Israelis a bone. Perhaps it takes a  little open support to keep the whole game plan moving forward.

Look. Let’s face it. The region is a complete mess and is only going to get worse before it has a chance of getting better. Is there a war in the future? Most likely. Is it in the near future? That is the scary question and the answer is even more frightening. As for Salah. It appears the flip-flop Leader saw the light. Unfortunately for him, that light was the flash of a rather large bomb! 

SAUDI ARABIA’S “PURGE” AND HARIRI….. WHAT DOES IT MEAN?

I read one story line this weekend that stated, “The week that shook the Middle East”! Well, that may be a far more profound statement then even the author realized. I read through several “Deep Dives” on what was taking place and most of them seemed to be nothing more than the typical “look how smart I am” diatribes banged out on a keyboard just in time to make a few dollars. So, let’s go. Let’s get real…..real simple on this topic and see if we can come up with a prediction for the region.

Prince Salman:

Was the Saudi event a purge?

Yes!

Was it based on the corruption of those taken into custody?

Yes, but then again, if that was the only criteria for being picked up this weekend, the numbers would have been much………MUCH……….higher!

Was the future King moving on those who are opposed to him?

Yes! Not only opposed to him, but willing to support action against him.

Is he done?

Nope!

Do the ones he may come after yet know they are on the “list”?

Yep!

Are they still in Saudi?

I bet not.

Will it work and will this purge solidify the future King’s position?

 Maybe, maybe not, but the odds just went way up!

Will this purge be seen as a positive event to the people of Saudi?

It will to the youth, and Saudi is a very young country. That is the base Salman is playing to.

 Is the West / US / happy with what happened?

Oh…Hell no!

Is the White House okay with what happened?

Most likely. Those that were rounded up had close ties to “old” relationships. New, far more dynamic events have been taking place for the past year and most of them are driven from Moscow.

Prime Minister Hariri:

Did Hezbollah try to kill Hariri last week?

It looks that way? Remember, they blew up his Father in 2005.

Did Hezbollah take this action on their own?

Hezbollah doesn’t take any action on their own. Tehran calls every shot the Hezbollah takes, no kidding….every shot!

 Why? Why kill Hariri?

Easy. They don’t like him and they don’t trust him.

Why?

 Well there is this thing called the Sunni / Shia divide and he is on the wrong side of the divide.

 Why now, why try to kill him now and wouldn’t that look way too obvious?

 Obvious? Yes….it would be obvious, but when has obvious ever been a stumbling block for Iran or Hezbollah?

 So they would kill him just because he is the wrong side of the faith and they don’t like him?

That’s part of it, but there is also the issue of everything seems to be going Iran’s way right now. Confidence often leads to carelessness and the Persians are becoming very….very careless. Solidifying their hold on Iraq, Syria and Lebanon is their goal; with or without the Russian’s help!

How do the Russians fit into all of this?

The Tsar was in Iran last week. To the Iranians, that like having the Godfather say he is coming to “Visit” you! Visit’s that usually lead to a kiss on the lips and then you sleep with the fishes! He showed up had them sign a deal to basically work the majority of their oil and gas deals through his companies and then he left.

Does he care about the future of Syria….Lebanon….Iraq?

 Only if they are trying to sell oil or gas or if fits his goal of making the West trade for events in Eastern Europe.

Does that lead the Iranians to believe they are free to do what they want with those three nations?

In a nutshell…yes!

The “Link between the Two Events:

So, who is against the Persian takeover of Iraq, Lebanon and Syria?

You guessed it, the future King of Saudi Arabia.

What do the ambitions of Iran have to do with the “purge” in Saudi last weekend?

Saudi, the leadership of the Sunnis. Iran, the leadership of the Shia!  Think about it. In addition, in order to prepare for your next phase of your Master Plan, you must solidify your hold on power. That thought process holds true for both sides.

Is Saudi going to openly confront Iran?

It’s becoming entirely possible.  

Will the West and the Russians allow that to happen?

It’s even more possible nether the US or the Russians can truly prevent it. Lots of very sophisticated weapons in the hands of both groups and the animosity continues to grow. Launch authority does not reside in DC or Moscow. Remember, there was the issue of a ballistic missile being fired towards the Saudi Capital this weekend. How do you think that went over with Prince Salman?

Okay, this story could be told in a far more academic way. It will be explained by those that love to make other nation’s State Departments say, “wow”, that was very well written. He or she is obviously an “expert” on the region. Let them. The story is not an issue of sophistication. It’s a story of danger……real danger!