Saudi armed forces are rather inept and poorly led - best at slaughtering folks who can't fight back - the state would collapse overnight if Iran made a move across the strait.

It's only the US security guarantees and the oil that is stopping this from happening.

Unfortunately, what we can get out of Saudi Arabia is limited at the moment.

why?

"Human rights" would be an issue for the US if the US thought it could invade Saudi Arabia and steal its oil.

You think Saudi Arabia would win?

There isn't a compelling reason yet to invade, they're still willing to sell to us and they aren't mining water preventing us from receiving oil from other people.

It's not that, you would need to HOLD the oil fields and govern the region. Status quo is the only acceptable choice at the foreign policy level. Americans who consider themselves the best of the best work every day to service the kingdom.

Why wouldn't they ? The USA lost in Afganistan, and Saudi Arabia is much more advanced.

I mean the Taliban's leadership was all killed during the Afghanistan wars so if you're MBS I don't think you count that as USA losing.

Obviously that's not true, or they would have lost.

Do you dispute that Steve Jobs died?

Leadership dieing (Steve Jobs / OBL) and an organization (Apple / Taliban) no longer existing aren't always the same thing.

Steve jobs wasn't the only leader at Apple.

Sure and Apple even has even found a replacement CEO for him. But my point is that leadership can be removed (or die) and the organization will still be around.

MBS is well aware of USA using either a coordinated attack (OBL raid) or a targeted strike (cruise missile) to kill high level targets. Perhaps Saudia Arabia will continue to exist as a country after a war with the US; but he won't and the US will be getting the oil.