Quote Originally Posted by rory_20_uk View Post
So, either the populace is scared to even think of deposing their monarch (Saudi Arabia / Bahrain) or who think that this is a reasonable way forward (Jordan). Saudi Arabia even was helpful enough to send their troops into other countries to help settle things down. Coupled with their appalling human rights at the best of times and state of the art firepower (curtesy of the Defenders of the Free) I don't imagine that their populations are keen on the wholesale slaughter that would most likely occur; that and the Saudis are astute enough to bribe their populations with non-jobs and cash from time to time.

Gadaffi had/did all the things the Saudis do, but he suffered mass protests and ultimately full revolt [i]before[/i[ NATO intervention, so did Saddam. Take another look at Saudi Arabia, yes it's oppressive but in the majority of the country the royal family is quite popular. The clue is in the name, the country only exists, and is a regional power, because of the House of Saud.

Bahrain is more complicated, but if you look at the medium term and the short term prior to the protests this spring you will again see a generally upwarded trajectory, and (again) the ruling family is deeply embedded in the identity of the country.