Saudi rank and file (ie non-royals) are nearly totally brain-washed by the propaganda of the ruling families. A snowball has a better chance in hell than anyone rising up internally. Now export of their extremism into other countries as part of a regional destabilization is a different matter. That chicken has come home to roost.
Saudi Arabia has a lot of oil, and oil gives you a lot of power. Until their oil runs out (I.e. a very long time), they will still have that power. They and their neighbors are predicted to be the last few who will have fossil fuels once the world starts running out of them, which means they will likely have more power at that time.
It sucks that the largest and most powerful country in that region is run by people with that much authority.
[–] Caboose_Calloway ago (edited ago)
According to the Petrodollar agreement of 1973 the Saudis receive "arms and protection" in exchange of trading oil for USD only and no other currency.
So basically the Saudi army is entirely under US control and all the money that changes hands in the country is closely monitored by the CIA.