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$20 Billion Arms Sale Stirs Controversy Advanced Weapons Proposal for Arab Countries Stokes Opposition By JOHN HENDREN,ABC News
WASHINGTON (July 29) - The United States and its Middle East allies are expected to raise the ante this week in an intensifying confrontation with Iran.
As Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice and Defense Secretary Robert Gates make a round of Middle East visits this week, U.S. officials are scheduled to meet on Tuesday with Iranian leaders in Baghdad and with Arab allies in Egypt.
What's Your Take?
At about the same time, the Bush administration is expected to announce a controversial $20 billion arms sale over the next 10 years to Saudi Arabia and five other American allies in the Persian Gulf -- Bahrain, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar and the United Arab Emirates.
A senior defense official told ABC News that the Saudi government unsuccessfully seeks an arms deal nearly every year. This year, the Bush administration is supporting the sale to counter what it sees as a rising military threat from Iran.
"The Iranians have been acting for the last six months like nobody can stop them," Patrick Clawson of the Washington Institute for Near East Policy said in an interview. "Now, the United States and its friends in the Middle East are showing Iran that, in fact they've got lots of resources, which, if need be, they can use to check the Iranian ambitions."
Critics argue that the deal would accelerate a regional arms race in the Middle East -- threatening a precarious three-way balance between Israel, Sunni Arab nations such as Saudi Arabia, and Shiite nations such as Iraq and Iraq.
But administration officials say it is Iran that has sped up the arms race with its alleged pursuit of nuclear weapons.
The deal has been in the works for months. It initially faced objections by Israel, particularly over the first-ever proposed sale of precision-guided Joint Direct Attack Munitions, or JDAMs, to Saudi Arabia.
"There is a worry that a precision strike weapon in Saudi Hands could, in theory, be used against Israel, either by the Saudi Air Force itself or by another Arab state the Saudis might supply that weapon with," said Michael O'Hanlon, an ABC News consultant and a military analyst at the Brookings Institution.
To counter any threat from the Saudis, the United States would deliver an even larger arms package to Israel, worth $30 billion. That would maintain an American policy of giving Israel a military advantage over its Arab neighbors.
Rep. Anthony Weiner, D-N.Y., and Rep. Robert Wexler, D-Fla., said they will introduce legislation to block the deal in Congress. They said Saudi Arabia has aided Sunni insurgents in Iraq and has done little to stop Sunni extremists from crossing over into Iraq to do battle against American troops.
"Saudi Arabia has not been a true ally in furthering the United States interests in the Middle East," Weiner said. "Just this week, Brig. Gen. Kevin Bergner, the top American military spokesman in Iraq, detailed an account of a Saudi Arabian smuggled into Iraq to be a suicide bomber. American officials in Iraq say the majority of suicide bombers in Iraq are from Saudi Arabia and that about 40 percent of all foreign fighters are Saudi. 70 percent of the most-wanted international terrorists are Saudi Arabians."
Administration officials said they have found little evidence of Saudi complicity in Iraq.
Copyright 2007 ABCNEWS.com 2007-07-29 08:27:29
-------------------- Let the world change you... And you can change the world.
Ernesto "Che" Guevara de la Serna Posts: 4669 | Registered: Mar 2004
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posted
Yeah, glass..., but with a modern day shot gun, dickey boy is a proven snapshot.
Posts: 11304 | From: Fort Worth, Texas | Registered: Mar 2005
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Israel is an economically, technologically, and militarily advanced country, with a per capita rate of $14,000, which is higher that that of all neighboring Arab countries, including the oil-rich Saudi Arabia. It is ranked as the world's sixteenth wealthiest country, yet the US aid to Israel constitutes 30% of the total US foreign aid budget Israeli population is 5.8 million, which only constitutes one thousandth of the world's total population. Between the years 1949 and 1998, the US has provided a total of $84 billion in aid to Israel, which exceeds that given to all countries of sub-Saharan Africa, Latin America, and the Caribbean combined, with a total population of about 1.054 billion people.
The Foreign Assistance Act (FAA) of the United States, which provides guidelines for the eligibility of certain countries to purchase US-made weapons and military equipment, states in section 116 that "No assistance may be provided under this part to the government of any country which engages in a consistent pattern of gross violations of internationally recognized human rights." However, Israeli army engages daily in degrading and inhumane treatments towards Palestinians, such as prolonged detention without charges, strip searches at checkpoints, beatings, torture, and home demolitions. According to Amnesty International, Israel is the only country that legalizes torture.
Similarly, section 4 of the Arms Export control Act prevents the US government from selling defense articles to countries that abuse their use for non-self-defense purposes. In 2001, the US State Department described the actions of Israeli army against Palestinians as an "excessive use of force," referring to the use of live ammunition when soldiers were not in a pending danger. This clearly shows that the US does not agree with the way these weapons are being used against Palestinians, yet the US military aid to Israel continues consistently as agreed between both countries.
howcome nobody is saying anything about this? 3 billion in aid to an entire country with the population of the Dallas-fortworth area?
Since the establishment of the State of Israel, Israeli scientists have made important contributions in genetics, computer sciences, electronics, optics, engineering and other high-tech industries. Israeli science is well known for its military technology, as well as innovations in the sphere of agriculture, physics, and medicine.
Four Israelis have won Nobel Prizes in the sciences: Israeli-American psychologist Daniel Kahneman won the 2002 prize in Economics. Biologists Avram Hershko and Aaron Ciechanover of the Technion shared the Chemistry prize in 2004. Robert Aumann of the Hebrew University of Jerusalem won the Economics prize in 2005.
High-tech industries have become central to Israel's economy, particularly over the last decade. With Israel's limited natural resources and emphasis on education, large numbers of young people are joining the high-tech work force. As a result of the country’s success in developing cutting edge technologies in software, communications and the life sciences, Israel is frequently referred to as a second Silicon Valley.[88][89] As of 2004, Israel receives more venture capital investment than any country in Europe,[90] and has the largest VC/GDP rate in the world, seven times that of the United States. Israel has the largest number of startup companies in the world after the United States. Outside the United States and Canada, Israel has the largest number of NASDAQ-listed companies.[91] Israel also has one of the highest percentage in the world of home computers per capita.
Israel produces more scientific papers per capita than any other nation: 109 per 10,000 people.[92] It also boasts one of the highest per capita rates of patents filed.
Israel is ranked third in research and development (R&D) spending; eighth in technological readiness (companies spending on R&D, the creativity of its scientific community, personal computer and internet penetration rates); eleventh in innovation; sixteenth in high technology exports; and seventeenth in technological achievement in Nation Master's list of countries in the world by economy standards.
Israel is working on alternative energy sources that could make a major contribution in this sphere. Ormat, a Yavneh-based company, is a global leader in geo-thermal energy. (reference: The Jerusalem Report, May 28, 2007, "A Hotter Holy Land," Mitch Ginsburg)
does this sound like the kind of country that needs 3 billion in foregin aid? i can think of a few dozen places in REAL need of aid
posted
Israel runs the US foreign policy turbo, so it's normal they get this kind of money.
Posts: 1364 | From: Somebody from Europe | Registered: Sep 2005
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quote:Originally posted by Persia: Israel runs the US foreign policy turbo, so it's normal they get this kind of money.
LOL. sure "they do"... they have a secret club of surgeons that inserts a chip in every new president's butt that is connected to his left ear and convinces the new president that God talks to him personally (with a Yiddish accent no less) .. now? they are worried that if Hillary gets elected she'll get a female doctor, and they haven't infiltrated the ob/gyn branch of the Naval Hospital... they are scrambling to develop a new technology so they can control a female president...
Israel represents our interests better than anybody else in the mideast...
-------------------- Don't envy the happiness of those who live in a fool's paradise. Posts: 36378 | From: USA | Registered: Sep 2003
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posted
Suez Canal? An Arab dictator (Mubarak) sucking US dick for some cash and military equipment and letting oil flow through Suez Canal. Israels position in this? Don't have a clue man, you?
The geographic description of Israel, military important? For what, for who? US has fleets and bases all over the Middle East.
Posts: 1364 | From: Somebody from Europe | Registered: Sep 2005
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Yours is an absolute bias that absolutely blinds you to any conclusion not stipulated by bigotry.
Israel is not perfect and is not a perfect example or either side of that argument. But the advocacy of destroying a Nation and its people is a perfect example of absolute bias and, in this case, is purely and bluntly, a simple minded racial bigotry.
Posts: 11304 | From: Fort Worth, Texas | Registered: Mar 2005
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Israel took a POS corner of the desert and MADE something of it...
then they earned the right to hold it...
we may have sent them the tools, but they put them to work.. and quite frankly? Pakistan is the only other nation in the mideast that has come close to being able to compete...
you want Iran back? go down there and kick the current rulers out yourself.
-------------------- Don't envy the happiness of those who live in a fool's paradise. Posts: 36378 | From: USA | Registered: Sep 2003
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posted
"But the advocacy of destroying a Nation and its people is a perfect example of absolute bias and, in this case, is purely and bluntly, a simple minded racial bigotry."
LOL. Where did the above came from?
Reminder: the only people that killed 6 million innoncent Jews were WHITE CHRISTIANS, don't forget that.
Pakistan? I give Musharaf another 5 years and by that time he'll be killed by some Islamic militants. And then the Pakistani fundamentalist will get the nuclear bombs in their hand. Does the USA have a plan for that?
Iran? Iranians themselves ****ed Iran in 1979, let them suffer some more so they will not make those mistakes again.
Posts: 1364 | From: Somebody from Europe | Registered: Sep 2005
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posted
That claim is from you and your constant hatred of Israel.
No, "the only people that killed 6 million inoncent Jews were WHITE CHRISTIANS" is false. That is the only recently documented such case.
How many innocent Jews (and christians and other non-Muslems ) have died at the hands of the islamic radicals, directly and indirectly . Count them all up, the dead from plane hijackings and pirated ships and indiscriminate bombs and on and on ... and recognize they are being killed for not being Moslem. It's pure bigotry, just like the "Final Solution" was. AND IT'S JUST A WRONG AND EVIL.
Posts: 11304 | From: Fort Worth, Texas | Registered: Mar 2005
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posted
Iran? Iranians themselves ****ed Iran in 1979, let them suffer some more so they will not make those mistakes again.
yes they did and it is sad to see a bunch of narrow-minded dried up patriarchs running what SHOULD/COULD be a vital country...
Israel proved it's ability to use the tools they have obtained from US. i am personally confident that we have been able to provide them because of Jewish contributions to US society.. a fair deal has been made.
-------------------- Don't envy the happiness of those who live in a fool's paradise. Posts: 36378 | From: USA | Registered: Sep 2003
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"How many innocent Jews (and christians and other non-Muslems ) have died at the hands of the islamic radicals, directly and indirectly . Count them all up, the dead from plane hijackings and pirated ships and indiscriminate bombs and on and on ... and recognize they are being killed for not being Moslem. It's pure bigotry, just like the "Final Solution" was. AND IT'S JUST A WRONG AND EVIL."
Certainly not 6 MILLION man.
Check out history bdgee, white christians did more evil to the world than any other race.
Remember the Crusades? The British and French kolonisation of the world? And what they did to Asia and Africa? The US imperialism? First and Second World War? Korea? Vietnam? Iraq?
Posts: 1364 | From: Somebody from Europe | Registered: Sep 2005
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posted
pretty much correct Persia, you actually forgot a few...
on the other hand? the worlds population explosion has only become possible due to the same people... is that good or bad? it depends on how you measure it, doesn't it?
-------------------- Don't envy the happiness of those who live in a fool's paradise. Posts: 36378 | From: USA | Registered: Sep 2003
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quote:Originally posted by glassman: Iran? Iranians themselves ****ed Iran in 1979, let them suffer some more so they will not make those mistakes again.
yes they did and it is sad to see a bunch of narrow-minded dried up patriarchs running what SHOULD/COULD be a vital country...
Israel proved it's ability to use the tools they have obtained from US. i am personally confident that we have been able to provide them because of Jewish contributions to US society.. a fair deal has been made.
Well for one thing Iran does not seem to know how to run a oil business from what I read somewhere though I don't remember where. They are getting so many losses from the oil business and they have one of the biggest oil fields.
As for Jewish contributions to U.S. society. We'll that is where the world gets this Zionist conspiracy theory and that the U.S. is run or controlled or manipulated by jews. Not that I agree with it but it gives fuel to the fire of their theory.
-------------------- Let the world change you... And you can change the world.
Ernesto "Che" Guevara de la Serna Posts: 4669 | Registered: Mar 2004
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quote:Originally posted by glassman: pretty much correct Persia, you actually forgot a few...
on the other hand? the worlds population explosion has only become possible due to the same people... is that good or bad? it depends on how you measure it, doesn't it?
As for the world's population explosion and/or ideals going along with that explosion. I equate it as being a virus. Just keeps spreading and spreading and causing havoc where it spreads. Sort of like in the first Matrix Movie when Agent Smith says about humans being a virus of the earth and such.
-------------------- Let the world change you... And you can change the world.
Ernesto "Che" Guevara de la Serna Posts: 4669 | Registered: Mar 2004
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Theses Iranians (Ahmadinejad and co) not only suck in running an efficient oil business but they just suck in everyway.
Posts: 1364 | From: Somebody from Europe | Registered: Sep 2005
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posted
"Theses Iranians (Ahmadinejad and co) not only suck in running an efficient oil business but they just suck in everyway."
So!
Why let them remain in power? Can't the people control them? Do they even try?
Posts: 11304 | From: Fort Worth, Texas | Registered: Mar 2005
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I have read books on dictatorships and religious dictatorships and I note that, for the most part, every Arab and Muslim country pretty much meets the requirements of being that.
Any nation that succumbs to control by a religion .... ANY RELIGION ..... is doomed to dictatorial control of the people (that does not mean religion MUST be present for a dictatorship to prevail).
Non-Muslim peoples are not immune to such practices, of course, as WWII and its development prove. But the people then did not sit back and attack other parts of the world for being different .... they eliminated the dictatorships. It isn't easy, but it saved more lives than it cost.
Read some books on history, Persia.
Posts: 11304 | From: Fort Worth, Texas | Registered: Mar 2005
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quote:Originally posted by Persia: People control them? How?
They have the oil, thus the money, thus the power thus the weapons. And if the people take it to the streets, it simple , they just get killed.
Read some books on dictatorships and religious dictatorships bdgee.
Persia, please read a book about the American Revolution then critisize US some more...(also see the French Revolution)
alot of people (current US citizens) don't want to know that it wasn't all that popular when it started.. and alot of people just plain did not participate.. those men (the revolutionaries) put their lives on the line...
that's what it takes to overthrow a dictator., and that's what the current Iranian dictators risked to get the power...
welcome to God's (in whatever name) plan for man...
-------------------- Don't envy the happiness of those who live in a fool's paradise. Posts: 36378 | From: USA | Registered: Sep 2003
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posted
Jimmy Carter's novel about the revolution in the deep south is a good one stressing that point, glass.....
I was surprised how well it was written and how much of the actual political environment he managed to include.
Posts: 11304 | From: Fort Worth, Texas | Registered: Mar 2005
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quote:Originally posted by bdgee: I keep hearing Iraqis telling us to leave?????
you sure?
we utterly destroyed their government,
IMO? what's going on is thier politicians are just as "dirty" as ours...they can do nothing and get US$ pouring into their accounts... why build a notion when they can do that?..
besides? it also appears that the oil co's like the status quo too...
-------------------- Don't envy the happiness of those who live in a fool's paradise. Posts: 36378 | From: USA | Registered: Sep 2003
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I do hear crooks wanting us to stay, but not the people.
All we accomplish by staying is to make the crooks more powerful so that when we finally do get out, it will be that much more difficult for the people to clear out the scum.
Posts: 11304 | From: Fort Worth, Texas | Registered: Mar 2005
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quote:Originally posted by Persia: Israel runs the US foreign policy turbo, so it's normal they get this kind of money.
LOL. sure "they do"... they have a secret club of surgeons that inserts a chip in every new president's butt that is connected to his left ear and convinces the new president that God talks to him personally (with a Yiddish accent no less) .. now? they are worried that if Hillary gets elected she'll get a female doctor, and they haven't infiltrated the ob/gyn branch of the Naval Hospital... they are scrambling to develop a new technology so they can control a female president...
Israel represents our interests better than anybody else in the mideast...
even though this was meant as sarcasim, you cant argue with the power of the pro-israel lobby glass. Thats what persia was refering to, anybody not in support of israel is either outcast or does not come into any sort of high position. In some of my earlier threads i posted the names and affiliations of several pro-israel lobby group members, and ironically they are in very powerful positions to dictate foreign policy. Everyone always says they are a strategic friend, i fail to understand how there is a mutual benefit to being allies with israel. This friendship has brough us nothing but trouble. Also, i think Israel is at the point where they can be removed from the proverbial tit, they have enough weapons to completely dominate the entire middle east, and the intelligence to be self sufficient, they no longer need the handouts from us. Its like bill gates applying for foodstamps, it retarded. im not anti-israel, but there comes a time to kick the baby birds out of the nest, ya know? furthermore, before i end my little rant, if it was in americas interest to keep the playing field lopsided why would we be sending arms to other mideast countries, where they could potentially fall into the hands of extremists? anybody remember iraq in the 80's, or the taliban?
high-5 for guaranteeing our future wars...
-------------------- "Gentleman, you have come sixty days too late. The depression is over." Herbert Hoover 1930 Posts: 678 | From: currently in hiding due to investigation | Registered: Oct 2004
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i have Jewish friends that are very senstive to any hint of anti-semitism for very good reasons... even sarcastic ones...
mutual benefit to being allies with israel
i know American Jews that have worked for the US Govt that have done more for US than whole armies can and they aren't politicians, also? i wasn't joking about the Suez Canal..
as for the arms race? you are correct... this is escalation...
but? what if? we really absolutely needed to get the arms to the Israelis but had to make something available to the ohter countries so it doesn't look too bad?
the GAME is never what it appear to be on the surface...
i beleive we (maybe Israel instead) will have no choice but to use surgical strikes on Iran to stop the nuke program there, and the Sauds are NOT Iranian allies either... Sunni VS Shiite...
i don't want to see any more nuke proliferation (even our own) so maybe this deal is a necessary evil? maybe not too... i doubt it's just money...
there are Russian arms available on the open market too...
-------------------- Don't envy the happiness of those who live in a fool's paradise. Posts: 36378 | From: USA | Registered: Sep 2003
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