America wants to sell 40billion in arms to Saudi

Doom

WTF Americian DOD is seeking approval from the senate to sell 40 billion in arms to Saudi Arabia :eek::eek: things are bad enough over there without arming them to the teeth

Poor Uncle Tom

...sure, what can they do without the legs?...:p

Hande hoche!

Given the trouble the Saudis had with a couple of Yemen based rebels, I wouldn't worry too much.

goose2005

Saudi Arabia has no real need for more arms - importing weapons is mainly a way for the leaders to divert state funds into their own pockets

Doom

Poor Uncle Tom wrote: »

...sure, what can they do without the legs?...:p

er....er...ok

Feeona

Prediction time I think! What's the betting that in ten years time America will suddenly have a reason to go to war with Saudi Arabia? (weapons of mass destruction blah de blah, armed to the teeth, danger to American way of life ad nauseum)

Nodin

Doom wrote: »

WTF Americian DOD is seeking approval from the senate to sell 40 billion in arms to Saudi Arabia :eek::eek: things are bad enough over there without arming them to the teeth

Them and the Brits have been arming them for decades now. This is nothing new.

Corsendonk

Nothing new there, Saudi spends over 8% or nearly 40 billion dollars a year anyway on its military.

The Russians also recently agreed to sell them 150 T-90S MBT and 250 BMP-3 IFV.

old_aussie

It's for the Saudi's to take out Iran.

Arab against mad Arab

Luv it.

Nodin

old_aussie wrote: »

It's for the Saudi's to take out Iran.

Arab against mad Arab

Luv it.

Iranians aren't Arabs. Don't let facts get in the way of your obnoxious ranting though.

pablomakaveli

This isn't really a big surprise. Saudi Arabia is probably Americas strongest ally in the Arab world.

heybaby

Ah what a surprise, the yanks reverting to type and arming regimes in various nefarious locations throughout the world because of their obsession with oil. The yanks will drop the saudis in a heartbeat and withdraw any interest when the oil dries up,but not before they do their utmost to stir the pot in the middle east first. What is it about the yanks and the brits that they cant help but interfere with the affairs of far flung countries? oh i remember, its their genetic arrogance and entitlement.

philologos

It's an awful idea. I don't see why Saudi Arabia merits this kind of deal, or this level of trust. It's an Islamic dictatorship. I'm fairly sure as heybaby pointed out that Saudi Arabia and the US will be enemies when the oil runs out.

MrMatisse

funny thing is they probably dont have enough soldiers to use all these weapons.

johngalway

I wish we had €40bn worth of arms to sell someone! Every little helps yanno

rossie1977

and ALL the 9/11 hijackers were saudis too

speedboatchase

rossie1977 wrote: »

and ALL the 9/11 hijackers were saudis too

One was from Egypt, another from Lebanon and two from UAE. Why would even write 'ALL' without double-checking

Jeboa Safari

This is why we should be allowed to have a proper arms industry, could make some good money out of it and provide jobs.

tricky D

40Bn That'll get a lot of stones and swords. All those adulterers, petty thieves, politicos etc are going to get proper internal oppression now.


Wahabi dhabi dictator doo!!

ted1

some one hi jacked a 911. Are you sure it wasn't a repossession?

sock puppet

rossie1977 wrote: »

and ALL the 9/11 hijackers were saudis too

To be fair to the Saudi Arabian government that's not their fault. It's akin to insinuating the British government were behind the 7/7 bombings because the perpetators were British.

squod

johngalway wrote: »

I wish we had €40bn worth of arms to sell someone! Every little helps yanno

http://www.meathchronicle.ie/news/business/articles/2010/10/20/4000891-gibbstown-company-signs-deal-big-with-german-partnership/

There's at least four military systems exporters over here.

Corsendonk

heybaby wrote: »

Ah what a surprise, the yanks reverting to type and arming regimes in various nefarious locations throughout the world because of their obsession with oil. The yanks will drop the saudis in a heartbeat and withdraw any interest when the oil dries up,but not before they do their utmost to stir the pot in the middle east first. What is it about the yanks and the brits that they cant help but interfere with the affairs of far flung countries? oh i remember, its their genetic arrogance and entitlement.

Actually the French have the worst reputation for arms dealing. They don't care who they sell to as long as they secure orders plus they throw the best bribes in.

Son Of A Vidic

That's what the Americans do, arm everyone. It's a bit worrying though when you consider that the Saudis tolerate the prescence of extreme Wahhabism. But then again, I suppose it balances out really. Billions are pumped in Israels military machine yearly and that's a country with a wonderful history of Zionism and it's extremist ideology.

Nodin

Corsendonk wrote: »

Actually the French have the worst reputation for arms dealing. They don't care who they sell to as long as they secure orders plus they throw the best bribes in.

It would be hard to beat the cash BAE threw at that Saudi prince.....
http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2007/jun/07/bae1

Ulysses Gaze

^^^^^^^^

There are apparently 20,000 members of the Royal 'Family' in Saudi. Even with all their wealth, keeping that number in the lifestyle they're accustomed to is costly (think Lear Jets, multiple sports cars, houses around the World etc.).

There are going to be many kickbacks involved in this deal to members of the Saudi Royal family.

Yakult

Why even bother? I know America's reason, money. But why does SA need so many arms?

kuntboy

heybaby wrote: »

Ah what a surprise, the yanks reverting to type and arming regimes in various nefarious locations throughout the world because of their obsession with oil. The yanks will drop the saudis in a heartbeat and withdraw any interest when the oil dries up,but not before they do their utmost to stir the pot in the middle east first. What is it about the yanks and the brits that they cant help but interfere with the affairs of far flung countries? oh i remember, its their genetic arrogance and entitlement.

Oil is required for plastics, medicines, fertilizers, so you can understand the obsession.

Remember the cold war? If the US didn't arm regimes, the USSR did. Did you know that China is planning a military base in Pakistan and already have troops there defending their interests? Did you know they gave the nuclear bomb to Pakistan? They are currently pilaging Africa for minerals using Chinese companies(and workers) to do the work, doing business with dictators that the West is forbidden to? Would you rather have the Chinese securing oil rights? How would you get your medicines then, eh? You personally benefit from the US's "interfering" as you call it so you are part of that "genetic entitlement", whatever that means.

nacho libre

let's just hope the Chinese don't in 15- 20 years decide there must be a cold war against America and eventually emerge victorious. will we excuse their conduct on the basis might is right, and further excuse it by saying well we could be ruled by the Russians.

Killer Pigeon

Classic ...

"Our arms for your oil"

Manic Moran

Jeboa Safari wrote: »

This is why we should be allowed to have a proper arms industry, could make some good money out of it and provide jobs.

That was my first thought.

$40bn may seem like a lot to the Irish defence budget, but it's not overly massive. Our unemployment levels in the US could certainly do with the help.

NTM

Mike 1972

pablomakaveli wrote: »

This isn't really a big surprise. Saudi Arabia is probably Americas strongest ally in the Arab world.

For now ?

Overheal

you could probably fund a new F-22 program for that kind of mooch. What hardware are we talking about here? Slingshots?

Manic Moran

pablomakaveli wrote: »

This isn't really a big surprise. Saudi Arabia is probably Americas strongest ally in the Arab world.

Egypt, actually. It's interesting how the military relationship seems to fly under the radar.

Egypt is the only foreign country with a production line for M1 Abrams tanks, for example, and the largest regularly scheduled US military exercises in the world are held there (Bright Star, every two years).

NTM