Why in the world would Saudi Arabia need those weapons?
Exactly, we provide for their defense in the misguiding idea they are our friends. We should give them some but from 40,000 feet.
Historically, we have sold the Saudis billions of dollars of advanced weaponry, including AWACS. The arms business in the Middle East is very competitive as the US competes with the French, UK, and Russia among others to get contracts, which provide jobs for Americans and lowers the unit costs for the US military. Moreover, it gives the US some leverage since we also supply personnel to train the Saudis and the repair parts and maintenance to keep them operable.
This is a $20 billion arms deal with Saudi Arabia that involves much more than JDAMs, i.e., high-technology armaments, including satellite-guided munitions and naval vessels. If this deal is killed by AIPAC and its allies in Congress, the Saudis will just go elsewhere for their weapons. Is that what we want as a matter of national security policy?
iran
“Why in the world would Saudi Arabia need those weapons?”
I say give ‘em as many as they want.
Controlled and dropped by USA planes, flown by USA pilots, and used
to turn back any horde invading SA to get the oil we buy from SA.
But given to the SA military?
Maybe when the end-times are clearly here!
Isn’t the US government trying to push a saled modernized F-15s to Saudi Arabia ? And hasn’t Saudi Arabia announced it was thinking of buying Eurofighters or possibly French Rafales ? JDAMs would be just the deal sweetener Riyadh needs...