PRAY FOR BOTH OF THEM TO LOSE – AT 11:56 A.M. ET:   Lots of hot stuff between Mideast rivals Iran and Saudi Arabia, those two great democracies.  From CNN: 

(CNN) Since Saudi Arabia executed 47 people in one day, exasperation has poured in from human rights activists and sectarian anger has spread in the Middle East -- over the death of one man.

Shia Muslim cleric Nimr al-Nimr was a fervent dissident against the Sunni Muslim Saudi royal family and called for their deposal during the Arab spring uprisings in 2011.

He died on Saturday alongside 46 terrorism convicts. Later that night, in predominantly Shia Iran, Molotov cocktails smashed into the Saudi embassy in Tehran. Protesters shouted as it caught fire. Some went inside and ransacked offices.

Police donned riot gear and arrested 40 people. Embassy staff was not present during the fire attack.

Iranian President Hassan Rouhani condemned al-Nimr's execution in Saudi Arabia, and he also blasted the attack on the Saudi embassy in Tehran and on a Saudi consulate in another Iranian city.

"In no way is this justifiable & foremost disrespects #Iran. All Iranian officials are fully committed to confront these illegal acts," he said in a tweet.

COMMENT:  Yeah, right.  An attack on a foreign embassy in Iran wouldn't happen without a wink and a nod from the Iranian government.  Our own embassy was attacked in 1979, and hostages taken.

Saudi Arabia, which has a huge lobby in Washington, is a crude monarchy with no human rights to speak of.  Iran is a growing regional power that is being courted by Field Marshal Obama, despite its sponsorship of terrorism and its regular cheating on agreements.  Our influence in the region has declined dramatically. 

I would not be shocked to see Russian influence increase, as Russia offers to "help settle things peacefully."  The new president in 2017 will have his or her hands full.

January 3, 2016