“Saudi Arabia and the U.A.E. have also strongly criticized the U.S. backing away from expected military strikes in August against Syrian President Bashar al-Assad’s regime. Arab diplomats believed such strikes could have helped topple Mr. Assad, Iran’s closest ally in the region. Instead, the U.S. and Russia forged a deal with the Syrian government to dismantle its chemical-weapons program, which the Saudis and Emiratis now fear is providing Mr. Assad with new legitimacy………………”

Oh boy. The democratically-elected princes and potentates of Saudi Arabia and Abu Dhabi worry about the legitimacy of Bashar Al-Assad.
FYI: most Arab leaders are illegitimate. I probably mean that only in political terms of governing. After all, when were the last elections, free or otherwise, held in Saudi Arabia and a few other places?

Cheers
mhg