"We have presented a way for them to get out of the hole that they have dug for themselves"

This type of talk should really take the "royals" very far! Oddly, the serenading did not start after the elections in Lebanon, when Saudi royal 'benefits' charmed voters, BUT it started after the May 2008' swift takeover of Beirut, when Damascus' allies charmed the capital's residents.
WSJ, here

"We are reminding [the Syrians] of the natural links that we share," said a Saudi royal adviser. "We have presented a way for them to get out of the hole that they have dug for themselves" with their alliance with Iran, the adviser said.....

Government statistics are difficult to come by, but anecdotal evidence suggests investment is headed back up again. A Saudi construction firm this month announced the opening of a $110 million industrial park in Syria. Saudi tourists are filling Damascus cafes and hotels, giving a needed boost to the country's services and real-estate sectors.
The biggest potential beneficiary of the warmer ties is Lebanon, which has long served as a proxy battleground for bigger regional powers. Last month, a coalition of Western-leaning politicians, backed by Saudi Arabia, beat back an opposition slate led by Hezbollah and backed by Iran and Syria, in parliamentary elections.
Lebanese Prime Minister-elect Saad Hariri, from the Saudi-backed front, sat down Wednesday with parliamentary speaker Nabih Berri, a leader seen as close to Syria. At the end of their meeting in Beirut, Mr. Berri declared that a Lebanese government should be formed by the end of the month, the clearest sign yet that political patrons in Riyadh and Damascus are getting along.
The Saudi royal adviser said the planned bilateral meeting between King Abdullah and Mr. Assad will seek to cement the two leaders' cooperation in forming the Lebanese government."