The U.S. has become over the last few years one of the biggest oil exporters in the world along with Russia and Saudi Arabia. So, how has this changed things?
The first thing is the U.S. because of all this is less likely to send soldiers to fight anywhere in the Middle East because we now not only have enough oil here to begin with and we are also exporting it. Russia doesn't really see us as an oil competitor yet. However, Saudi Arabia does and this likely concerns them because they sort of expected us to go into Syria and kick out Assad. However, then Russia dug it's heals in and wouldn't stop backing Assad economically or militarily. If you know anything about the Old Cold War politics between the U.S. and Russia you know that if the U.S. is somewhere in the world militarily Russia tends to avoid that place. However, if Russia is somewhere mlitarily the U.S. tries to avoid that place.
This is how we DIDN'T already have a nuclear war already from the late 1940s until the present. So, this still holds true. This is also why we are also avoiding a war with Iran because Russia is not only aligned with Syria they are aligned with Iran. The U.S. is aligned with Iraq because of the Iraq war but that is now problematic for the U.S. because Iraq is now Shia ruled because that is the majority of people in Iraq. But now, Iraq, Iran and Syria are all Shia Muslim ruled which makes this whole thing pretty complicated (at least for the U.S).
Whereas for Saudi Arabia, Syria and Iraq and Iran being Shia ruled is a nightmare. So, Iran's expressed enemy of choice in the world is Israel. Because of this Israel is now Saudi Arabia's best friend because both of them hate Iran and Syria. They are less worried about Iraq because of the U.S. still having an influence there and because the U.S. has sent in drones to fight Al Qaeda in Iraq.
It's really amazing how fast things can change in 10 years time.
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