Arms deal: Saudi Arabia and US put 9/11 behind them
guardian
13-Sep-2010 (one comment)

A new arms deal is likely to be signed between the US and Saudi Arabia. Photograph: Mido Ahmed/AFP/Getty Images

Arms purchases from the US are central to the Saudi kingdom's strategy of asserting its military leadership in the Gulf and confronting Iranian influence. This US deal includes significant offensive capabilities – thus the repeated warnings from Tehran about it being "destabilising".

In public the Saudis and their partners in the Gulf Cooperation Council support using diplomatic means to tackle Iran's alleged nuclear ambitions, but express greater concern behind closed doors, diplomats say. Iran insists it seeks only civilian nuclear power, not weapons.

Relations between Washington and Riyadh were badly damaged by the 9/11 attacks and the identification of the Saudi origins of Osama bin Laden and al-Qaida. But common strategic interests and pressures generated by the arms industry and the recession helped smooth differences. US defence sales to the Gulf doubled from $19bn in 2001-2004 to $40bn in 2005-2008.

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Bavafa

A picture worth a thousand words

by Bavafa on Mon Sep 13, 2010 02:24 PM PDT

While some on IC (i.e Fred, Mahmoud, Seemorgh) are eager to cheer US/Israel attack and invasion of Iran under the guise of US will help democratization of Iran, USA has been busy selling arms to another regime in ME that has been financier of Al Quada and Ben Ladan.

We all know the nature of IRI and its record on human rights violation, but it is note worthy to see the type of regime USA has been supporting for decades and they just don't seem to learn supporting oppressive regime will come and hunt you one day.



Balatarin
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