In Riyadh, Bush pledges commitment to Saudi Arms deal - Haaretz

Subscribe to Print Edition

Tue., January 15, 2008 Shvat 8, 5768

Israel Time: 06:21 (EST+7)

web haaretz.com

Back to Homepage

Rosner's Domain

Diplomacy

Defense

Jewish World

Opinion

National

Print Edition

Advertising

Books

Arts & Leisure

Business

Real Estate

Easy Start

Travel

Week's End

Anglo File

Last update - 23:43 14/01/2008

In Riyadh, Bush pledges commitment to Saudi Arms deal

By The Associated Press

Tags: George W. Bush, Saudi Arabia

WASHINGTON - U.S. President George W. Bush, trying to counter Iran's growing military clout, made clear his commitment on Monday to go ahead with a major arms sale to Saudi Arabia as he began his first visit to the Islamic kingdom.

Just hours after his arrival in Riyadh, the U.S. administration said it notified Congress of its intention to offer the Saudis a controversial package of advanced weaponry as part of a multibillion-dollar deal with Gulf Arab allies.

The deal has raised concerns in Israel and among some of its allies about the military balance of power in the region.

	Advertisement

The sale appeared to be part of Bush's effort to persuade Saudi Arabia, one of the Arab world's most influential states, to help contain Iran and offset what he has branded a danger to the oil-rich region and to the world's security.

The Democratic-led Congress is unlikely to block U.S. plans to sell $123 million worth of sophisticated precision-guided bomb technology to Saudi Arabia, despite concerns from some members that the systems could be used against Israel.

Rep. Tom Lantos, chairman of the House Foreign Affairs Committee, does not intend consider a resolution of disapproval, said spokesman Lynne Weil. Otherwise, Lantos declined to comment.

The arms deal creates a dilemma for lawmakers, especially for Democrats eager to challenge President Bush's handling of foreign policy. At the same time, they see Saudi Arabia's cooperation as crucial to the war on terror and in deterring aggression from Iran.

Last year, when details of the deal were first made public, Lantos said he wanted to be sure the technology given to the Saudis was defensive in nature. At the same he added, "We welcome the development that the Saudis and other Gulf states have recognized that a nuclear weapons-equipped Iran is a mortal threat to them."

Timed to coincide with President Bush's trip to Saudi Arabia, the notification opens a 30-day window during which lawmakers can object to the sale, which envisions the transfer of 900 Joint Direct Attack Munitions, or JDAMs, to the Saudis, the State Department said.

The proposed deal follows notification on five other packages to Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates and Kuwait, and brings to $11.5 billion the amount of advanced U.S. weaponry, including Patriot missiles, provided to friendly Arab nations under the Gulf Security Dialogue, spokesman Sean McCormack told reporters.

Administration officials say the total amount of sales as part of the dialogue is estimated at $20 billion, but they also have cautioned that the figure is subject to what equipment the receiving countries actually purchase.

The sale is a key element in the U.S. strategy to bolster the defenses of its Arab allies in Saudi Arabia and other oil-producing majority Sunni Muslim Gulf nations against threats from Shiite Iran.

A principal aim of Bush's Mideast visit is to convince the Saudi leadership as well as those in Kuwait, Bahrain and the United Arab Emirates that he remains committed to preventing Iran from destabilizing the region, despite U.S. intelligence findings that Tehran halted its nuclear weapons development in 2003.

Notifications to Congress of specific transactions are made in "piecemeal" fashion, McCormack said. He added that the 30-day deadline for lawmakers to raise opposition to the previous five sales had passed.

The five earlier agreements included two sales to the United Arab Emirates for a Patriot missile system and support for an airborne early warning system; one to Kuwait for Patriot missile system upgrades and two to Saudi Arabia for "targeting pods" and upgrades to AWACs airborne warning and control aircraft.

Congress has already been briefed on the entire Gulf Security Dialogue arms package, which includes the sale of the Navy's Littoral Combat system as well as the JDAMs kits. During these meetings, the administration assured lawmakers that there would be proper restrictions on the JDAMs sale to ensure that the weapon would not pose a threat to Israel.

Members who still oppose it say they are concerned it would give Saudi Arabia a technical edge that could be used to attack Israel.

Rep. Anthony Weiner, D-N.Y., said he will push for a resolution condemning the sale. His resolution already has some three dozen co-sponsors, although such a measure is unlikely to find the two-thirds majority in Congress needed to stop the sale.

Mark Regev, a spokesman for Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert, said the Israeli government would not comment on the arms deal.

Previously, Israel has indicated it does not oppose the deal and Washington plans to counterbalance the sales to Arab nations with $30 billion in military assistance to the Jewish state - a more than 25 percent increase over the next 10 years.

McCormack said the administration would not do anything that might jeopardize Israel's security or its "qualitative military edge" over its Arab neighbors.

"We've spent a lot of time ensuring that we abide by our commitments to a qualitative military edge for Israel," he said. "We are committed to maintaining that qualitative military edge for Israel."

Related articles:

Damascus slams Arab leaders for allowing Bush's 'criticism of Syria'

Bush: We would defend Israel against Iran

PM: All options legitimate to block Iran from nuclearizing

Bookmark to del.icio.us


	Diskin's faulty math
	The Shin Bet's estimate of civilian casualties was revealed to be too low.


	Wooing minorities
	The color of Barack Obama's skin has returned as an issue to the campaign.




1.	More borrowed money for war-making	01:09	\|	David James Vickery	15/01/08

2.	Bush`s peace mission to the Middle East.	02:00	\|	Maureen Ann	15/01/08

3.	Meanwhile in the real world	02:16	\|	Mark Lincoln	15/01/08

4.	" Just Breezing through the Gulf."...!!!	02:27	\|	Stephen.	15/01/08

5.	Way to ensure they aren`t used on Israel is a peacy treaty	03:04	\|	Pablo B	15/01/08

6.	#1 Vickery - Sale to Arabs, gift to Israel	03:10	\|	Pablo B	15/01/08

7.	Thanks Pablo...	04:03	\|	David James Vickery	15/01/08

Today Online


	Sources: Barak and settlers reach deal on outpost evacuations
	Responses: 256


	Haaretz probe: Shin Bet count of civilian deaths in Gaza is low
	Responses: 171


	PM says he opposes IDF Gaza onslaught for time being
	Responses: 131


	Zvi Bar'el: The Arabs should stop whining
	Responses: 128


	AJ Congress slams 'Ms'. for rejecting ad on top Israeli women
	Responses: 59

Rosner's Domain

Obama "will be the friend we want in the White House"

Defending and rejecting the NIE on Iran (WTR)

Poll: Does Bush still placing the promotion of democracy at the top of his agenda?

Iranian's threaten, the candidates threaten back

Did Bush endorse Israel's attack in Syria? (WTR)

More Headlines
02:46 Construction begins on new housing units in E. J'lem neighborhood


04:54 Kurtzer: Little chance for Middle East peace by end of Bush term


03:46 Anglo doctors offered $60,000 each to immigrate to Israel


21:13 Knesset plenum votes to revive Religious Affairs Ministry, 51-27


20:26 Israel foils bid to take explosive material into Gaza on aid truck


00:22 University heads: Deal with lecturers in 2 days or semester cancelled


04:36 Ottoman sea wall discovery proves barrier to Jaffa rejuvenation


02:54 Burglars lock elderly couple in freezing basement


02:07 Police chief looks to establish training division by 2010


22:33 Barak meets with bereaved families, makes no promises on Winograd