Bush's Military Industrial Cabal Locks in War Profits Before End of their Executive Enabler's Reign

[bigtree]

Monday, July 30, 2007; 1:12 PM

U.S. Pledges Billions in Arms, Aid to Middle East
Rice, Gates to Discuss Arms Sale Plans with Gulf States, Egypt and Israel

By Robin Wright and Karen DeYoung
Washington Post

Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice formally announced today that the United States intends to provide billions of dollars in arms sales and assistance to six Gulf states, Egypt and Israel to boost security against Iran.

Rice made the announcement hours before she and Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates left the United States to travel to the Middle East, where they will meet Arab and Israeli leaders to discuss the arms packages, as well as efforts to stabilize Iraq and possibilities for generating new movement in the Arab-Israeli peace process.

The arms sales alone are estimated to be worth about $20 billion, although administration officials said the exact amounts would be negotiated over the next six weeks and then presented to Congress.

Rice and Gates will meet Arab leaders in Sharm el Sheikh, Egypt and Jeddah, Saudi Arabia over the next two days. The arms sales packages--for Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, the United Arab Emirates, Qatar, Bahrain and Oman--are part of a broader U.S. strategy to contain Iran's growing influence in the region. U.S. officials have accused Tehran of meddling in Iraq, mainly by aiding and arming Shiite militias. Administration officials say Iran's involvement has increased, rather than decreased, since the first U.S.-Iran dialogue was launched in Iran two months ago. And there is growing international concern about whether Iran is secretly trying to subvert its peaceful nuclear weapons program to develop a nuclear bomb.

Saudi Arabia would receive the largest amount of weaponry , including upgrades to its fighters, new naval vessels, and Joint Direct Attack Munitions, which turn standard bombs into "smart" precision-guided bombs.

To shore up two other allies in the region, the Bush administration also plans to expand existing military assistance agreements, bringing the packages to $30 billion in U.S. aid to Israel and $13 billion to Egypt, both over the next 10 years, U.S. officials say.

Rice will also travel to Israel and the Palestinian Authority to discuss President Bush's announcement this month that the United States will convene a meeting of major players in the Middle East to try to jumpstart the peace process.


article: http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/07/30/AR2007073000623_pf.html

[pinto]

1. This approach just boggles me. And Rice scares me. She seems to be playing

the Cold War scenarios her background is steeped in. My guess is that she sees the Russian bear at the gates, as well, instead of a possible negotiating partner in the region.

[damntexdem]

2. Congress could make some constructive criticism in this matter -- for example, ...

JUST SAY NO!

[bigtree]

3. kick

:kick: