* to sell advanced weapons to Saudi Arabia and others (worth billions of dollars)

[draft_mario_cuomo]

==WASHINGTON — The Bush administration has decided to supply billions of dollars in advanced new weapons to Saudi Arabia , other Arab allies of the United States and to Israel , senior State Department officials and congressional aides said Friday.==

==The officials, who spoke on condition of anonymity because the package has not yet been announced, said it would include selling Saudi Arabia advanced weapons known as Joint Direct Attack Munitions, or JDAMs. JDAMs convert simple gravity bombs into accurate "smart" weapons.==

==Although it's likely to be controversial, the administration has decided to proceed with the sale and will compensate Israel — which seeks to maintain a "qualitative military edge" over its Arab neighbors— with military upgrades of its own, the officials said.==

==The weapons sales, however, are almost certain to be criticized by democracy and human rights advocates.

President Bush and Rice have criticized the lack of democracy in some of the countries— particularly Egypt — that Washington will now help re-arm.==

Read the rest at http://news.yahoo.com/s/mcclatchy/20070727/wl_mcclatchy/20070727bcmideastarms_attn_national_foreign_editors_ytop

[WCGreen]

1. Good for them...

Just what that neighborhood needs...

More Guns...

[draft_mario_cuomo]

2. How much of a cut are *'s buds in the defense industry getting from this? nt

[babylonsister]

3. Yes but it's not a big deal:

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_mesg&forum=389&topic_id=1455902&mesg_id=1455902

[PetrusMonsFormicarum]

4. Billions for princes . . .

hundreds of millions more in surplus military gear is being destroyed (see link). Why? A snub to Iran and its air force of jalopy F-14s, purchased from the US during . . . happier . . . times. A great deal of the 330 million in waste takes the form of spare parts for F-14s.


http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20070723/ap_on_go_ca_st_pe/military_surplus_shredding

[struggle4progress]

5. House Members Say They Will Try to Block Arms Sales to Saudis

By Robin Wright
Washington Post Staff Writer
Sunday, July 29, 2007; Page A06

The Bush administration's plan to sell $20 billion in advanced weaponry to Saudi Arabia and five other Persian Gulf countries is running into congressional opposition and criticism from human rights and arms control groups.

Members of Congress vowed yesterday to oppose any deal to Saudi Arabia on grounds that the kingdom has been unhelpful in Iraq and unreliable at fighting terrorism. King Abdullah has called the U.S. military presence in Iraq an "illegitimate occupation," and the Saudis have been either unable or unwilling to stop suicide bombers who have ended up in Iraq, congressional sources say.

Human rights groups warned that new U.S. arms meant to contain Iran's rising influence could backfire, allowing President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad to rally greater support for his hard-line faction in the run-up to parliamentary elections next spring.

And arms control groups said Bush's strategy would accelerate an already-dangerous trend that could increase tensions rather than generate a greater sense of security. ~snip~

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/07/28/AR2007072801172.html

[draft_mario_cuomo]

6. Thanks for the info. nt

:hi: