Posted on 09/20/2004 7:09:11 PM PDT by yonif
The United States will sell Israel 5,000 smart bombs, for $319 million, according to a report made to Congress a few weeks ago.
The funding will come from the U.S. military aid to Israel, and the bombs range from airborne versions, guidance units, training bombs and detonators. The bombs are guided by satellite, in a system already in the Israel Defense Forces arsenal. The guidance unit receives a signal from a satellite, correcting the bomb's course to the target.
The Pentagon told Congress that the bombs are meant to maintain Israel's qualitative advantage, and advance U.S. strategic and tactical interests.
Among the bombs the air force will get are 500 one-ton bunker busters that can penetrate two-meter-thick cement walls; 2,500 regular one-ton bombs; 1,000 half-ton bombs; and 500 quarter-ton bombs.
Government sources said the bomb deal, one of the largest weapons deals of recent years, did not face any political difficulties, despite the use Israel has made of U.S.-made F-16s in some of its assassinations in the territories. The IDF used a one-ton bomb to kill a senior Hamas officer, Salah Shehadeh, in July 2002, an assassination that also took the lives of 15 Palestinian civilians, including children. In September 2003, the air force used a smaller, quarter-ton bomb, to strike at Hamas leaders, but missed. In other cases, half-ton bombs have been used.
The government sources said Israel will not be asking for any new weapons systems or purchases until after the upcoming November elections. On October 12, delegations from the two countries meet for their regular six month session for strategic cooperation.
Ping.
Good sell them all they want.
Iranians, this bomb's for you
for all you do.
Coming to a Hamas leader near you.
Here's to 5000 targets!
In other words: The United States will give Israel 5,000 smart bombs...
Look, I've got no problem with helping the Israelis, but somebody's gotta do something about the doublespeak in these press releases.
cc: Iran
I doubt this sale has much to do about Arafat as it does Iran
Using the realist perspective one can argue that this aid is necessary for the security of the United States, afterall the US faces the same enemies Israel faces.
Desnination: nearly completed nuclear reactors. Now if the Japanese really wanted play hardball with North Korea...
Amen to that, but let's not play word games.
The proceeds could get us 10 or so F35's from Lockheed. Sweet!
Dang, I missed that.
Not to worry, we're giving them to Egypt too, just to keep things fair.
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