Posted on 11/30/2006 10:10:33 PM PST by xtinct
Saudi Arabia has given Britain 10 days to halt a fraud investigation into the country's arms trade - or lose a £10 billion Eurofighter contract.
The contract supports up to 50,000 British jobs and there are now fears that the deal may go to France.
The Saudi government is on the verge of cancelling the contract - an extension of one brokered by Margaret Thatcher 20 year ago - because of a Serious Fraud Office investigation into allegations of a slush fund for members of the Saudi royal family, according to authoritative sources.
Tony Blair has been told that the deal faces the axe in 10 days unless he intervenes to bring the two-year investigation to a close.
The Saudis are said to be "outraged" by the probe into the activities of companies linked to BAE Systems. The investigation concerns alleged illegal payments made to members of the Saudi royal family and their agents.
The Saudi government is on the verge of cancelling the contract
(Excerpt) Read more at telegraph.co.uk ...
Just issue the redacted version...works well in the US.
We should have toppled the House of Saud before Hussein.
L
The Daily Telegraph has learned that President Jacques Chirac has been to Saudi Arabia twice in recent months to offer full French co-operation on such a deal.
Well we all know the virtuous Chirac would never overlook illegal activity just to make a few billion now don't we? /s
I give this threat 100% chance of success.
Well now, this sure doesn't sound nice.
It's hard to believe our friends and allies would
really say this. (Sighing, rolling eyes.)
FTB. "T" stands for "the" or "them". The french planes' cockpits must have two large buttons: one pops out the white flag, and another ejects the pilot. Or maybe it is the same button, but acting sequentially [it is the latest, updated model, after all]. So let the Saudis fly those - much good would it do them, anyway.
Those French jets have state of the art screen doors.
bump for 10 day followup!
Blackmail? Nah. Just politics, ask the democrats.
"The contract supports up to 50,000 British jobs and there are now fears that the deal may go to France."
Ditto.
I'd hope republicans know how to play ball as well. If they don't, then they are in even bigger trouble than I would have thought.
we all know the virtuous Chirac would never overlook illegal activity just to make a few billion now don't we? /s
bump
If the Saudis cancel an ongoing contract I would expect there would be substantial penalties they would have to pay. A contract is a contract.
This will be a good test of British integrity... I hope they do the right thing.
Lawernce Wright's "The Leaning Tower"
www.amazon.com/Looming-Tower-Al-Qaeda-Road-11/dp/037541486X/sr=8-1/qid=1164957369/ref=pd_bbs_sr_1/102-8924408-1599301?ie=UTF8&s=books
is a superb read which analyzes and details the rise of Islamofascism including the Saudi complicity and facilitation. The current "royal" regime is awful. Unfortunately, the alternative would likely be worse.
The west needs to open its eyes. This nightmare aint going away. Keep the military strong and the strategic oil reserve full.
oops Leaning Tower should be Looming Tower.
Not my alternative.
Just whack 'em all. Then let Standard Oil back in to run the oil fields and Marriot can run the now drastically reduced tourist traffic into what's left of Mecca.
Everyones a winner. Well everyone I give a damn about anyway.
L
--Well we all know the virtuous Chirac would never overlook illegal activity just to make a few billion now don't we? /s--
Oil for Food, anyone? Nuke technology for Saddam since 1979? That's why I call him Chiraq.
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