[Peach]

Russia (and France and China) armed Saddam Hussein with illegal weapons, even AFTER we went to war. This is not surprising, although there is reason for alarm with Russias hard turn to the "good ole days".

[Calpernia]

Ok, now I'm confused.

I thought Russia wanted the US to stop our ally ties with Saudi Arabia?

Now Russia wants to ally with them?

[followerofchrist]

The US is the largest arms dealer in the world, and now Russia wants to be. Must you be a liberal to see war profiteerism as a seedy business?

[Joe Bonforte]

None of this matters. The Saudis could have a trillion dollars worth of weaponry, and they would still be defenseless.

Their entire economy is supported by Western technicians. If we pulled out, it would collapse in months. And their armed forces have no training or temperament to fight a serious war, much less a high-tech one.

This is just a lame attempt to get Washington's attention, because it's obvious that one of the items on Bush's to-do list is reforming Saudi Arabia, which means getting rid of the corrupt and repulsive House of Saud. The Saudis are just about out of cards to play, with money being about the only one they have left. So they spend money to send a message, knowing if push came to shove, it would do them no good.

[SJackson]

If you'd like to be on this middle east/political ping list, please FR mail me.

[Happy2BMe]

I FEEL A MAJOR DISTURBANCE IN THE FORCE LUKE - - ping.

(If you know *anything* about Biblical prophesy, this will make your toenails curl .)

Meggido . . where is Megiddo?

===================================================

Moscow is preparing its first major defense contract with Saudi Arabia, the world's largest arms buyer that has traditionally spent its petrodollars on U.S.-made weapons.

The deal is part of a strategy aimed at diversifying Russia's arms buyers away from China and India, Sergei Chemezov, general director of state-owned arms exporter Rosoboronexport, told reporters Wednesday.

[jolie560]

Weapons sales are as old as history. Everyone improves on their armaments sooner or later, even Morocco.

[Beckwith]

I thought that was our job?

[Camel Joe]

I'm not really concerned. Russian equipment is crap compared to NATO "ie:American" and the Saudi's know it. Look how much good it did the Tali-ban and our old pal Saddam. Chechen tensions won't allow such a union at any rate. I believe some of the Belson foreigners were Saudi as well.

[Convert from ECUSA]

Ping!

[ericthecurdog]

Eh... sounds like the IAF needs to buy more green and white paint... lots of little flags to be painted on lots of little fuselages in the near future.

[fwddeployed]

Saudi Arabia having new RUSSIAN weapons is like my daughter owning a BMP.... you have to know what to do with it. I've been privy to the quality of Saudi military personnel and quite frankly there is nothing to fear from them no matter what Kind of weaponry they possess. They could hire all the AQ terrorist cells in their nation to train them up since they all use russian designed equipment