Obama's new headaches: Saudi Arabia, Bahrain -- and Iran

A nuclear crisis in Japan, civil war in Libya, and budget battles on Capitol Hill -- a busy time for President Obama.

And, now, a new major headache that's not yet getting much attention because of all the others: Saudi Arabian troops in neighboring Bahrain, seeking to protect the Sunni monarchy there.

Iran criticized what it termed "an invasion," and called the Saudi move "unacceptable" -- basically, in the words of The New York Times, "threatening to escalate a local political conflict into a regional showdown with Iran."

The Obama administration, of course, is also already battling with Iran over its nuclear program.

In the latest twist of Middle East unrest, Iran is a Shiite sect government backing the Shiite majority in Bahrain against its Sunni sect rulers.

Saudi Arabia, which is Sunni, has made it clear it will not accepted a Shiite government next door in Bahrain.

Saudi Arabia, you'll recall, is a large supplied of U.S. oil.

Yes -- a busy time for President Obama.