Record U.S. Arms Deal With Saudis Advances

[Gerald]

Obama administration is taking the next step in a sale of F-15 fighter jets and helicopters to Saudi Arabia worth up to $60 billion — the largest sale of U.S. weapons overseas ever.

http://www.foxnews.com/politics/2010...deal-advances/




Note:Published September 13, 2010

[Zachstar]

We need this. Badly. A 60 billion infusion into the industry will cause a ripple effect that may help many states recover.

[Gerald]

extra money, if you can spare them so that their defense does not suffer.

[Skybird]

In congruency with Obama'S attempt to relativise Western-Israeli superiority in the region and to appease a potent oil-supplier who gives a rat's a$$ for human rights. This 30 + 30 billion dollar deal will shift the strategic powerbalance in the region.

Preventing iranian nuclear weapons it will not. It will just let them look more acceptable, because "one has prepared for them in advance", hasn't one...!?

[AngusJS]

So much for human rights. The Saudis don't deserve so much as a pop gun.

[Bilge_Rat]

There have been many US-Saudi arms deal in the past, it won't affect the balance in the region.

You guys are seeing this all wrong. It is not a favour the US are doing the Saudis, but the other way around. The Saudis are choking on Oil dollars, they know they have to do the occasional bit to help out the US economy. They are always buying stuff they don't really need to buy some goodwill.

[TLAM Strike]

Let them have the aircraft. Their pilots barely get any flying hours to begin with less they become skilled and threat to the regime.

This is a 60 billion dollar airbase decoration deal.

The only troops in Saudi Arabia that are any good are the Counter Terrorist forces.

[Bilge_Rat]

Year's ago, I read "every man a tiger", the biography of gen. Chuck Horner who was the Air commander in the 1991 gulf war.

In it he says the RSAF is mainly a playground for saudi princes who think it's cool to fly fighter jets. Their level of competence is average, although better than other arab air forces.

In the few kills RSAF F-15s achieved, US AWACS controllers had to babysit the pilots all the way and put them directly on the Iraqis tail.

[SteamWake]

Originally Posted by Zachstar

We need this. Badly. A 60 billion infusion into the industry will cause a ripple effect that may help many states recover.

So they actually intend to pay for them?

I see alont of 'valued at' and 'expected' type wording but somehow I suspect that they wont simply write a 60 billion dollar check up front.

[MH]

Originally Posted by Bilge_Rat

In it he says the RSAF is mainly a playground for saudi princes who think it's cool to fly fighter jets. Their level of competence is average, although better than other arab air forces.

.

Saudia is one big never land.

[bookworm_020]

Originally Posted by MH

Saudia is one big never land.

Yes, it's a lot of fun to fly planes and shoot the main gun of a tank, but you have to know how to use it and how to keep it running. Otherwise it's going to be a lot of pretty targets for the opposition!

[Platapus]

Originally Posted by AngusJS

So much for human rights. The Saudis don't deserve so much as a pop gun.

The United States has traditionally been afflicted with human-rights-blindness when arms sales are at stake.

[Zachstar]

Denying them the sale due to "Human Rights" Issues will just cause them to buy them from areas that don't treat human rights the same as we do.

60 billion that can get aerospace factories back up to full speed or 60 billion to enrich Russia or China? Pick directly based on that.

[Takeda Shingen]

Unlike the Israeli arrangement for the state-of-the-art JSF, they're actually paying for them. As Bilge Rat said, the Saudi air force is a practially a joy-riding school for the wealthy, and to echo TLAM, let them have it.

[Zachstar]

Originally Posted by Takeda Shingen

Unlike the Israeli arrangement for the state-of-the-art JSF, they're actually paying for them. As Bilge Rat said, the Saudi air force is a practially a joy-riding school for the wealthy, and to echo TLAM, let them have it.

Israel may not be purchasing 60 billion worth of stuff but they are going to be shelling out some millions.

As much as I dislike the F-35 it will be our primary breadwinner for military export for a long time.

To be honest with the economy the way it is. It would take SA being near the level of Iran before I would say no fully to this. Because when the factories burn the midnight oil to make these they create jobs also around them. From the mines that hire more to extract more ore to the McDonald's hiring more to handle increased activity.

Increased exports along with strategic stimulus packages designed directly to get people to work instead of just keeping people employeed would instantly generate more Tax revenue for cash strapped states.