WI: Nixon invades Saudi Arabia, 1973

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Deleted member 67076

I recently learned that Nixon considered invading Saudi Arabia as a response to the Oil Shock but decided against it.

So what would have happened if he sent in troops for regime change and/or to seize the oil?
 
Global panic, oil prices become 'volitile'. Oil fields, & ship loading facilities damaged. Anti US activities escalate globally, Islamic fundamentalists gain traction and support earlier.

I remember folks talking about this that year & my father, a retired career USAF officer telling me it would a incredibly stupid move.
 
Before invading the land of Mecca and Medina, Nixon would probably have to purge every Jew from any visible position in his foreign-policy entourage.

And bomb Israel, just to make it clear that they're not on side.
 
Maybe a more measured response would still be hard enough to cause them to throw in the towel? Saudi Arabia's never been a model of stability.
 

Ak-84

Banned
The US military suffers embarrassing setbacks as equipment and troops designed for Europe fail in the desert environment. A classic insurgency develops with the US being hit by freedom fighters, who are supported by the USSR and China and every evening the telecast of news in the US ends with "another 3 US soldiers have been killed in Jeddah/Riyadh/ Dammam". The US faces diplomatic isolation from Turkey to India and Indonesia.

In short, not well.
 

CalBear

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Before invading the land of Mecca and Medina, Nixon would probably have to purge every Jew from any visible position in his foreign-policy entourage.

And bomb Israel, just to make it clear that they're not on side.
Huh?

Nixon's SecState, Henry Kissinger, was Jew. He was Nixon's right arm.

He went to DEFCON 3 as part of his SUPPORT for Israel, as well as stripping Reforager supplies from the European depots to send to Israel. He also positioned a CGB in the Eastern Med as part of an effort to interdict Soviet reinforcement of the Syrians (and to a slightly lesser extent, Egypt) The entire 1973 Oil Crisis was BECAUSE of American support for Israel during the October War.
 
This might actually save the Soviet Union by keeping OPEC and the SU having aligned interests. The great equalizer could well be expensive oil being able to keep the Soviets afloat while the US stagflates to death.

Essentially you get an artificially created peak oil situation.
 
Huh?

Nixon's SecState, Henry Kissinger, was Jew. He was Nixon's right arm.

He went to DEFCON 3 as part of his SUPPORT for Israel, as well as stripping Reforager supplies from the European depots to send to Israel. He also positioned a CGB in the Eastern Med as part of an effort to interdict Soviet reinforcement of the Syrians (and to a slightly lesser extent, Egypt) The entire 1973 Oil Crisis was BECAUSE of American support for Israel during the October War.
I think he was making a (tongue-in-cheek) point that such a move (invading SA) would be seen as a Jewish invasion of the Holy Cities and cause the whole region to go up in smoke.
 

nbcman

Donor
I recently learned that Nixon considered invading Saudi Arabia as a response to the Oil Shock but decided against it.

So what would have happened if he sent in troops for regime change and/or to seize the oil?
Probable invocation of Section 4 of the 25th Amendment.
 

nbcman

Donor
By Spiro Agnew and Kissinger? Fat chance, that.
You mean Kissinger who saved his own neck during the wiretapping and other scandals? And Agnew who Nixon considered removing from the VP slot in 1972 would be glad to gain some domestic cred to throw off the investigation on his improprieties in Maryland? You bet.
 
You mean Kissinger who saved his own neck during the wiretapping and other scandals? And Agnew who Nixon considered removing from the VP slot in 1972 would be glad to gain some domestic cred to throw off the investigation on his improprieties in Maryland? You bet.

I mean Kissinger who wasn't a moderating influence in this matter, and without whom you wouldn't expect something this momentous to happen, and Agnew who by late '73 would be too radioactive to contemplate as a replacement to Nixon. And also James Schlesinger, who seemed to support force in the matter as well. If this were approved at all, then it's hard to imagine Nixon's Cabinet removing him.
 
CIA standard practice would see the USA backing some disident Arab tribe by arming them to the teeth.
Simultaneously, the USA would deprive the Saudi Army of ammo and spare parts for their fanciest weapons ......
After a couple of years, the disident tribe could march over the Royal Saudi Army.
 
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King Thomas

Banned
Or/and become violent jihadists.

How about bombing the sea with a warning that it could be the oil wells next? Or taking the King's favourite son as a hostage for his good behaviour?
 
How serious was Nixon thinking about this? He was known for going into rages and declaring that he was going to do something, only to calm down and realize how stupid it was. There's a big difference between that and ordering the invasion plans drawn up.
 

nbcman

Donor
Nope.

25th wasn't passed until 1992 (Dicky Nikison was one of the best reasons to support it)

No, the 25th Amendment was adopted on 10 February 1967. Source: https://www.archives.gov/founding-docs/amendments-11-27

EDIT: It was in effect in the early 1970s as it was used three times during the Agnew-Nixon scandals. Once to appoint Gerald Ford as VPOTUS (Section 2), again to appoint Gerald Ford as POTUS (Section 3), and finally to appoint Nelson Rockefeller as VPOTUS (Section 2).
 
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