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The US pulled the vast majority of US troops out of Saudi Arabia last year in recognition of the unpopularity of their presence there, but you are correct in saying that the Saudi Royals are comforted by US military might. However, anyone who remembers the fall of the Shah of Iran should understand how precarious a position the Princes are in. They are in a "damned if you do, damned if you don't" type of situation. Maybe that explains why they didn't allow US planes to flyover their territory during the invasion of Iraq.
Israel is a another matter. Both sides have too many bad memories...optimism and compromise seem to have disappeared.
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