US Secretary of State John Kerry is in Saudi Arabia, the second stop of his Mideast Tour – America's top diplomat is attempting sooth irritation over the America’s recent outreach to Iran, the Saudi’s archrival in the region.

Kerry’s got a lot of work to do.  Last month, Prince Bandar bin Sultan had reportedly threatened a “major shift” away from the United States.  Frustration had already been building over what the Saudis perceived as “dithering” over Syria, and for not backing Bahrain when it crushed an anti-government revolt in 2011.

Prior to landing in Riyadh, Kerry made an officially unannounced stop in Egypt, although he hinted at it a few days ago.  It’s his first visit there since the ouster of former president Muhammed Morsi, who will go on trial for abuses during his ill-fated regime this week.  Publicly, Kerry did not mention Morsi’s trial, but vowed to back Interim President Adly Mansour and all-powerful minister of defense general Abdul-Fattah el-Sisi, and their route back to Democracy.

“The road map is being carried out to the best of our perception,” said Kerry, referring to the plan to conduct a national referendum on a new Constitution and hold parliamentary and presidential elections by next spring.

“There are questions we have here and there about one thing or another.  I think it’s important for all of us, until proven otherwise, to accept that this is the track Egypt is on and to work to help it to be able to achieve that.”