So France apparently did play a role in creating the monetary crisis that lead to the Great Depression. Live and learn.

However two major things do not fit the parallel that you're trying to draw betweeen France then and the Saudis now.

First of all, France had no idea that it was going to cause the effect that it would cause. Unlike the leadership of Saudi Arabia who presumably do understand what destroying the US economy would do to them. Unless you know that pulling the trigger will result in personal injury, the real threat of holding a gun to your head is not a deterrent from pulling the trigger.

Of course that is key for your thesis - if France knowingly acted against its own economic self-interests then it would destroy your thesis that people can be relied on not to knowingly do that. They acted, but they didn't know so it isn't a counter-example.

More importantly, France's actions came from motivations that bear no useful parallel to the motivations of current Saudi leaders. But this is a point which you refuse to acknowledge, and therefore cannot be the basis of useful conversation.

Cheers,
Ben