re: #4 aagcobb

Well that’s all right then. How can there be so many insane people allowed to wield power over others’ lives?

The money we pay them for their oil probably doesn’t hurt.

Saudi Arabia has an oil-based economy with strong government controls over major economic activities. It possesses about 17% of the world’s proven petroleum reserves, ranks as the largest exporter of petroleum, and plays a leading role in OPEC. The petroleum sector accounts for roughly 80% of budget revenues, 45% of GDP, and 90% of export earnings. Saudi Arabia is encouraging the growth of the private sector in order to diversify its economy and to employ more Saudi nationals. https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/geos/sa.html

Although Far East Asia is received an estimated 54 percent of Saudi Arabia’s crude oil exports in 2012, Saudi Arabia still ranked second after Canada as a petroleum exporter to the United States. http://www.eia.gov/countries/country-data.cfm?fips=sa