I'm a contractor selling military equipment to the Saudis for the US government and have a different take on this. Arms sales are a little about national policy, but mostly it is about money and the military industrial complex.

Rosner writes, "If America will not sell them weapons, they might turn to China or Russia." However, the next big seller to the Saudis will be the UK. The Saudis are going to buy over 100 new "Eurofighters". These are the one the UK couldn't afford anymore. The Saudis are working military exercises in Scotland now with the RAF and are planning to have the UK upgrade the Saudi's agging Tornado fighter fleet.

The US does want Saudi's support in the Middle East, but just as much Boeing wants to beat BAE for the next big military contract and lobbies the governmet to make it happen.

Also the Saudi military officers will support the military programs that make them money on the side. That's just the way it works in Saudi....OK everywhere.