US accused of fuelling arms race with $20bn Arab weapons sale (Guardian)

[Eugene]

Source: The Guardian

Middle East

US accused of fuelling arms race with $20bn Arab weapons sale

Dan Glaister in Los Angeles
Monday July 30, 2007
The Guardian

The Bush administration is facing claims that it is fuelling
an arms race in the Middle East following the disclosure of
a plan to sell $20bn (£9.8bn) of advanced weaponry to
Saudi Arabia and other Gulf states.

The plan, which will be announced today, will be balanced
by a 25% increase in US military and defence aid to Israel.
A further $13bn will be pledged to Egypt.

"This administration does not have an arms sales policy,
except to sell, sell, sell," said Daryl Kimball of the Arms
Control Association. "That approach in the Middle East can
be like throwing gasoline on a brush fire."

The plan, which Pentagon officials outlined to members of
Congress last week, more than doubles what officials had
estimated when the plan first became public in the spring.
The $20bn, spread over 10 years, aims to provide Saudi
Arabia, Bahrain, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar and the United Arab
Emirates with advanced satellite-guided bombs, upgrades
to its fighters and new naval vessels.

-snip-

Read more: http://www.guardian.co.uk/usa/story/0,,2137576,00.html

[AntiFascist]

1. I can't post the following article in enough places....

I don't know if Saudi Arabia really intends to ally with Iran or to defend against them, but to the Arabic News audience it certainly sounds like they are interested in uniting all of Islam "against the enemies of Islam":

http://www.arabicnews.com/ansub/Daily/Day/070515/2007051502.html

Saudi - Iran ties to foil enemy plots: Rafsanjani
Saudi Arabia-Iran, Politics, 5/15/2007

Regular consultations between Iran and Saudi Arabia would prevent enemies of Islam from achieving their goals particularly on creating discord among Shiite and Sunni Muslims, Iran's Chairman of the Expediency Council Akbar Hashemi Rafsanjani said yesterday.


Rafsanjani made the remark in a telephone conversation with Saudi King Abdullah. The two sides exchanged views on ongoing developments in the region particularly the latest situation in Iraq.

They discussed problems of the Islamic world and expressed hope that cooperation between Iran and Saudi Arabia would lead to settlement of such issues.

Rafsanjani said cooperation among officials of the Islamic world would resolve problems in Iraq, Lebanon and Palestine.

King Abdullah said Iran has established a consolidated bond among Islamic nations and governments through its wisdom and farsightedness.

[jmp]

2. Bush can want ...

Whatever he wants ... but our Democratic Congress would have to approve it. Hopefully they reject this along with the increase in handouts to Israel and Egypt.

[Supersedeas]

3. some stockholder has VIP status

[Peace Patriot]

4. The Bush Junta fueling an arms race? Surely not.

nt