eh, you stood firmly with saudi arabia and the region descent into chaos was not much accelerated or hindered by that? I think saudi arabia as a ally just reflects the sympathy of a "autocratic"-democratic-voted-in-presidential model for its non-democratic equals.

Also i think Iran is to similar as a culture to the us-evangelicals, to be ever "a reliable ally". Messianic (and thus innovative?!), having a drug problem and a "unwieldy" youth - and subtle racism. Nobody likes a mirror, when you are not in shape.