White House to offer $20 bil to Saudi.

[SirNitram]

Link

[quote]WASHINGTON, July 27 — The Bush administration is preparing to ask Congress to approve an arms sale package for Saudi Arabia and its neighbors that is expected to eventually total $20 billion at a time when some United States officials contend that the Saudis are playing a counterproductive role in Iraq.

The proposed package of advanced weaponry for Saudi Arabia, which includes advanced satellite-guided bombs, upgrades to its fighters and new naval vessels, has made Israel and some of its supporters in Congress nervous. Senior officials who described the package on Friday said they believed that the administration had resolved those concerns, in part by promising Israel $30.4 billion in military aid over the next decade, a significant increase over what Israel has received in the past 10 years.

But administration officials remained concerned that the size of the package and the advanced weaponry it contains, as well as broader concerns about Saudi Arabia’s role in Iraq, could prompt Saudi critics in Congress to oppose the package when Congress is formally notified about the deal this fall.

In talks about the package, the administration has not sought specific assurances from Saudi Arabia that it would be more supportive of the American effort in Iraq as a condition of receiving the arms package, the officials said.

The officials said the plan to bolster the militaries of Persian Gulf countries is part of an American strategy to contain the growing power of Iran in the region and to demonstrate that, no matter what happens in Iraq, Washington remains committed to its longtime Arab allies. Officials from the State Department and the Pentagon agreed to outline the terms of the deal after some details emerged from closed briefings this week on Capitol Hill.

The officials said Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice and Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates, who are to make a joint visit to Saudi Arabia next week, still intended to use the trip to press the Saudis to do more to help Iraq’s Shiite-dominated government.

“The role of the Sunni Arab neighbors is to send a positive, affirmative message to moderates in Iraq in government that the neighbors are with you,â€

[frigidmagi]

I've had nightmares better then this "Deal." Seriously this only makes sense if you commit to the belief that JR is trying to stir up a regional war in the ME.

[Cpl Kendall]

So what exactly are they selling to them? I suppose this is better than the Israel deal in the sense that the Saudi's are actually paying for it rather than just being given it, like the Israeli's are. Must be nice to get billions in arms for next to nothing.

[frigidmagi]

To be blunt with you Kendall, I trust the Israelis with nukes. I don't trust the Saudis with sharp sticks.

[Cpl Kendall]

To be blunt with you Kendall, I trust the Israelis with nukes. I don't trust the Saudis with sharp sticks.

Yes but I fail to see why the US must continue to just hand the Israeli's free arms and money while the rest of the world must pay for it. Let the fucking Israeli's buy their weapons like everyone else. What makes them so special?

[Comrade Tortoise]

To be blunt with you Kendall, I trust the Israelis with nukes. I don't trust the Saudis with sharp sticks.

Yes but I fail to see why the US must continue to just hand the Israeli's free arms and money while the rest of the world must pay for it. Let the fucking Israeli's buy their weapons like everyone else. What makes them so special?

A) it is in our bes interests to give them those weapons
B) their ability to have those weapons keeps them from suffering a second holocaust

[SirNitram]

A) it is in our bes interests to give them those weapons
B) their ability to have those weapons keeps them from suffering a second holocaust

A) How is it in America's best interest to be continually seen channeling advanced weapons to the most hated state in the ME?

B) was kinda dealt with in the war which only lasted a few days and was a total failure for the ME powers.

[Cpl Kendall]

A) it is in our bes interests to give them those weapons
B) their ability to have those weapons keeps them from suffering a second holocaust

A) Why? The US backing of Israeli is constantly cited as a reason for many grievances by Muslim powers and groups. The US is fueling the hatred of itself by backing Israel.

B) Israel is more than capable of building it's own arms and buying them on the open market with money generated by it's economy. The Merkava MBT is merely one example of home grown tech that they have. Besides they've proven many times that the IDF is capable of smacking around their neighbors.