Good.

The young king of Jordan is a moderate and has been modernizing. He faces a huge challenge in the form of the Palestinian refugees stuck in his country, but he's been a friend. From various accounts, it sounds as if a lot of the quiet but lethal special ops work that has kept the northern Iraqi oil fields safe -- and put the missiles out of commission in western Iraq -- was due to Jordan's willingness to let us operate across their borders. We don't want his economy to go down the drain over this.

Yes, but what besides money will the Sauds want?

Also...remember that the Sauds and the Hashemites, er....hate each other, historically.

Screw it. Invade them both. Sort it out later.

I know we cut the pipeline to Syria, but when did the Iraqi-Jordanian pipeline get cut off? I agree that the good King is walking a tightrope but he IS working for peace. I have wondered if all the high profile reports about how we have found "Jordanian weapons" in Iraq have been to support the King and take the heat off Jordan from the local crazy crowd.

What will the Saudis want besides money?

My guess: nothing. Once Iraq's oil industry is functioning again, Jordan's oil needs will be met as they have been for years. Besides, there's little that Jordan has that the Saudis might want.

(Assuming Jordan is paying for it, of course. The U.S. leaned on the Saudis to do this, so it might be U.S. money.)

The Saudi's shipped in about 700,000 gallons -- a week's worth -- via tanker into Aqaba.