Posted on 04/19/2007 9:06:53 PM PDT by sukhoi-30mki
Gates: U.S. to sell smart bombs to Saudi Arabia
By Ze'ev Schiff , Haaretz Correspondent
U.S. Defense Secretary Robert Gates said during his visit to Israel that Washington has decided to sell Joint Direct Attack Munition (JDAM) bombs to Saudi Arabia, Haaretz has learned.
A recent discussion in Washington raised the possibility that Jerusalem would ask the U.S. not to sell the satellite-guided smart bombs to the Saudis, but it was decided to reject this request.
The Israel Air Force itself has purchased the high-accuracy JDAMs, and used them against Hezbollah targets during the Second Lebanon War.
Defense Minister Amir Peretz expressed Israel's opposition to the sale of the weapons to Saudi or other Persian Gulf states during his visit to the U.S. a few weeks ago. Peretz said Israel was concerned the weapons might fall into terrorist hands. Israel also argues that the presence of such weapons in the Arab countries undermines Washington's pledge that Israel will enjoy a qualitative edge in the region - attained mainly by the possession of advanced weaponry.
Articles by Arab security experts in the Western and the Arab press recently have argued that Israel's opposition to the sale of advanced arms to the Arab states has placed the country in a strategic contradiction. According to the head of the Kuwait Center for Strategic Studies, Dr. Sami al-Faraj, various countries in the Gulf have armed themselves as a deterrent against Iran, but while Israel has a great interest in creating focuses of deterance against Iran, it expresses automatic opposition when other countries seek to obtain these weapons.
(Excerpt) Read more at haaretz.com ...
AM I the only one with whom this just doesn’t sit right?
Will smart bombs up the intelligence level? /s
No. You are not the only one. Bad move, if true.
No. This is a bit of the “WTF are they thinking” type thing... The Saudi’s might be willing to sell us oil, but they shouldn’t be mistaken for friends and family...
What exactly will the Saudis need JDAMs for?
Nope. Oh, wait a minute... the Saudi’s are our friends. /s
Geez! This needs a WTF?!? ALERT!
Count me in on that sentiment.
Bad idea. Until the princes recognize Israel’s right to exist as a nation next door, we should not be arming Islamic nations, especially Wahhabi extreme nations funding terroist madrasses around the world. It’s bad enough we buy so much oil from them.
U.S. to sell smart bombs to Saudi Arabia
NO!
Come on we sell these (GPS guided bombs) to a lot of folks Think about it they may end up using them on Iran a war right now we are not ready to fight. Its call part of the alliance in the gulf. Really as a military member this isn't that big of a deal.
Not to worry. Smart bombs need a to decode a signal from GPS satelite. If you do not have the current key your smart bomb is as dumb as a liberal.
Wow. I was pretty bummed until I read this.
They could even program the bombs themselves to NEVER detonate in certain parts of the world.
Not only that, but I’m sure the Israeli Air Force can keep the Saudi Air Force out of Israeli airspace, if the Saudis ever flew towards Israel with hostile intent.
This frosts me.
Putting Israel in greater jeopardy for what reason, money?
THe people screwing us at the pump are rewarded. Carter would be proud of this.
Possibly a “good” propaganda alert.
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Not true. The bombs use the standard GPS signals that everyone in the world receives...
And you know this how?
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