US preparing massive arms deal for Saudi Arabia, defense official says
Washington ((CNN) – The Obama administration is preparing to notify Congress of plans to sell $60 billion of military equipment to Saudi Arabia, according to a U.S. defense official.
The official, who would not be identified because the proposal has not yet been sent to Congress, described the deal as “enormous.”
“We believe this is the largest of its kind in history,” the official said.
Congress would have to approve the deal.
The proposed package includes 84 newly manufactured F-15/SA fighter aircraft; 70 upgraded aircraft, 70 Apache helicopters, 72 Black Hawk helicopters, and 36 AH-6 Little Bird helicopters. A number of bombs and missiles also are in the deal, including the Joint Direct Attack Munition, a satellite-guided bomb, as well as a laser-guided Hellfire missile variant and some advanced targeting technology.
The Saudi arms effort is in large part directed at providing a modernized capability against Iran.
“This gives them a whole host of defensive and deterrent capabilities,” the official explained.
The official emphasized that nothing in the sale would change the qualitative edge that Israel seeks to maintain. A point reiterated by State Department spokesman P.J. Crowley.
“Suffice it to say that at the core of our policy is making sure that, you know, there is stability in the region and part of that stability is making sure that Israel has what it needs … to be able to provide for its own security,” Crowley said Monday. “So the United States would do nothing that would upset that – the current … balance in the region.”
The Obama administration hopes to send the proposed package to Capitol Hill no later than next week. The official emphasized it’s not clear yet whether the Saudis would follow through to buy all of the weapons and aircraft in the package because they are continuing to evaluate their own financial concerns.
Boeing Corp. has told the administration that if the entire package is sold, 77,000 company jobs would be “involved,” but there was no calculation on how many new jobs might be created over the five- to 10-year period of potential delivery, according to the official.
The official also indicated the United States is discussing with the Saudi government additional sales of a ballistic missile defense system and more modern warships.
Re: US preparing massive arms deal for Saudi Arabia, defense official says
You didn’t mention the actual amount of the deal, it is expected to be as high as $60 billion!
So now we get the point of all the propaganda against Iran. Its just a hoax scare to justify selling of weapons to Arab countries to get their share of the oil money that they made from rising oil prices. Not to mention Americans already get 50% of earnings from whatever oil comes out of Saudi Arabia.
The “modern” weapons they are giving to Saudis are old F-15 aircraft that are too old and are useless for Americans and any other nation. They recently agreed to sell F-35 aircraft to Israel, F-35 is the latest and the most advanced fighter aircraft in US inventory And Israel will probably not pay a penny for them and these F-35s are to be used against Arabs only.
Given the number of Arabs killed by Israelis and even more number of them by Americans in Iraq and how many more they want to kill, it seems arabs have been paying for their own massacre and they have no plans to stop it.
Re: US preparing massive arms deal for Saudi Arabia, defense official says
why does it bother you guys? Saudis have the money and US has the technology ...and needs the money! how else can we keep doling out billions to our 'front line state in the war on terror' which takes the money and goes around and collaborates with Taleban!
Re: US preparing massive arms deal for Saudi Arabia, defense official says
Pointless deal the saudis will never use these expensive toys to protect the people who need protecting i.e palestine.
2nd point is these billion dollar machines are computer controlled and there software contain codes which don't allow them to attack america or its allies so if war breaks out between saudi and israel guess what lol............
Re: US preparing massive arms deal for Saudi Arabia, defense official says
So now we get the point of all the propaganda against Iran. Its just a hoax scare to justify selling of weapons to Arab countries to get their share of the oil money that they made from rising oil prices. Not to mention Americans already get 50% of earnings from whatever oil comes out of Saudi Arabia.
Surely the Saudi authorities wouldn't be spending money (it could otherwise use to build more mansions) unless they really needed to bolster their military. They must see Iran as a potentiol mini super power in the region and want to counter it.
I was quite surprised when discussing Irans nuclear capability with a Pakistani friend. He felt that although Iran is an Islamic country many Pakistanis would feel threatened by a nuclear Iran. What are the sentiments in this matter of Pakistanis here. Is nuclear Iran good, bad, or neither for Pakistan?
Re: US preparing massive arms deal for Saudi Arabia, defense official says
why does it bother you guys? Saudis have the money and US has the technology ...and needs the money! how else can we keep doling out billions to our 'front line state in the war on terror' which takes the money and goes around and collaborates with Taleban!
Re: US preparing massive arms deal for Saudi Arabia, defense official says
Once again its proven two things :
US economy is a war economy now, nothing more than that. They can and will only earn from this side.
Saudis are the best friends(a.k.a slaves) of US to bail them out with huge money in the times of crisis..
Everybody knows saudis will take a written permission from US before using any of these, so yes, a very good deal for US. Instead of keeping it within US, why not keep it somewhere else and also get a huge money as well! :k:
Re: US preparing massive arms deal for Saudi Arabia, defense official says
Agreed. As for “written permission”, I don’t think that is even necessary. I don’t think Saudis have skilled/trained manpower of their own to operate this advanced aircraft/machinery so these jobs will be outsourced back to US probably.
