It seems a rather unheadlined situation over the past couple of days, the movement of troops from Saudi Arabia into Bahrain.

This has been at the behest of the current 'leadership' but opponents see it as an invasion. clicky.

The only country who seem to have a problem with it, and talking sense about it, is Iran clicky. The West doesn't seem to give a toss. No doubt because our petrol is pretty high...

The Iranians care because the rioters are Shiites like them, and the government are Sunnis like the Saudis.

I recall a few years ago when there was a terrorist / hostage situation in Saudi Arabia, they released video of their special forces leaping into action from a helicopter. This wasn't SAS style rappelling action, they just had to step off a very mildly wobbly ramp, but they made it look so incredibly difficult, that I dread to think what it's like when they have to fire guns and do other real army stuff.

My point is that they look really badly trained, and rubbish soldiers should never be placed anywhere near angry, rock throwing civilians. If they end up firing on crowds of Bahraini Shiites they risk causing a backlash among the already angry Saudi Shia.

This will get nasty as it will mean that they end up with a seriously divided society and eventually the Iranians will feel compelled to rescue their Shi'ite brothers and sisters and in the process shut down the straits of hormuz which most of the oil leaves through. Then expect $300 a barrel oil as a possibility. Higher if it becomes an all out regional war. The Iranians have some rocket powered torpedos that would decimate the US navy, unless they are protected by submarine nets. If they used their domestically designed and build missiles against the Saudi oil terminals then oil prices will climb much higher and then the coalition will have serious problems.