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Barack Obama to authorise record $60bn Saudi arms sale
The Guardian ^ | September 13, 2010 | Ian Black

Posted on 09/14/2010 10:57:36 AM PDT by justlittleoleme

Barack Obama is to go ahead with plans to sell Saudi Arabia advanced aircraft and other weapons worth up to $60bn (£39bn), the biggest arms deal in US history, in a strategy of shoring up Gulf Arab allies to face any military threat from Iran.

According to the Wall Street Journal, the administration is also in talks with the Saudis about possible naval and missile-defence upgrades that could be worth tens of billions of dollars more over five to 10 years.

Plans to go ahead with the package, which has been under secret negotiation since 2007, have been known for some time and have raised angry objections from Iran and to a lesser extent from Israel, an even closer US ally which is anxious to maintain its strategic edge over any potential adversary in the Middle East.

(Excerpt) Read more at guardian.co.uk ...


TOPICS: Breaking News
KEYWORDS: antimilitary; arms; deal; followthemoney; obama; obamaforeignpolicy; obamalegacy; obummer; proislamist; saudi
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1 posted on 09/14/2010 10:57:42 AM PDT by justlittleoleme
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To: justlittleoleme

The Saudi government seized Christian bibles (they are illegal there) and burns them.

Barack Obama supports an Islamist philosophy. He adamantly is against burning the koran and is willing to say so.

Press him on the Saudis burning bibles.

Why does he make concessions for those Islamics who cling to religion and guns?


2 posted on 09/14/2010 11:01:13 AM PDT by a fool in paradise (Ask yourself,where does Saudi Arabia fit on a scale of "passive" to "moderate" to "extremist" Islam?)
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To: justlittleoleme

I would outfit all of the equipment with hidden software and codes that would crash the machine if it’s ever used against Israel.


3 posted on 09/14/2010 11:01:23 AM PDT by lurk
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To: justlittleoleme

No congressional authorization?


4 posted on 09/14/2010 11:03:28 AM PDT by Carley (For those who fought for it, freedom has a flavor the protected will never know.)
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To: a fool in paradise

This is worse than Clinton selling to the Chinese.


5 posted on 09/14/2010 11:05:27 AM PDT by Niuhuru (The Internet is the digital AIDS; adapting and successfully destroying the MSM host.)
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To: justlittleoleme

6 posted on 09/14/2010 11:06:26 AM PDT by Quilla
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To: lurk

The F-16 is a fly-by-wire fighter. The F-16 without software cannot start the engines, or do much beyond taxi up and down the runway.

Just saying ....


7 posted on 09/14/2010 11:07:18 AM PDT by Hodar (Who needs laws .... when this "feels" so right?)
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To: lurk
I would outfit all of the equipment with hidden software and codes that would crash the machine if it’s ever used against Israel.

Or us

Middle East ally, my ass.

8 posted on 09/14/2010 11:07:23 AM PDT by hattend (Like a termite to wood, Obama only wants to destroy - Mark Levin)
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To: justlittleoleme

I wonder if this funding includes money for a genital washing program?


9 posted on 09/14/2010 11:09:30 AM PDT by Rebelbase (Political correctness in America today is a Rip Van Winkle acid trip.)
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To: a fool in paradise
Why does he make concessions for those Islamics who cling to religion and guns?

The US has been arming the Saudis for decades. This particular sale has been in the works since 2007. I agree we shouldn't be arming the Saudis, who are aggressively promoting their strain of Islamic fundamentalism worldwide, but it's not just an Obama thing - if any of the Republicans running in 2008 had won, this sale would still be happening.
10 posted on 09/14/2010 11:10:16 AM PDT by AnotherUnixGeek
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To: justlittleoleme

“Plans to go ahead with the package, which has been under secret negotiation since 2007...”

Obama, even while he was only a US Senator back in 2007 was making arms deals with the Saudis.


11 posted on 09/14/2010 11:11:35 AM PDT by trumandogz
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To: justlittleoleme

Aiding an ally? More like equipping the enemy.


12 posted on 09/14/2010 11:12:20 AM PDT by JudyinCanada
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To: AnotherUnixGeek

My point is that President Obama, the FBI, and the Secretary of State all weighed in AGAINST the offensiveness of burning a koran.

I want to see this same “so called Christian” president speak out against the Saudi government burning Christian bibles.


13 posted on 09/14/2010 11:17:06 AM PDT by a fool in paradise (Ask yourself,where does Saudi Arabia fit on a scale of "passive" to "moderate" to "extremist" Islam?)
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To: justlittleoleme

“in a strategy of shoring up Gulf Arab allies”

Allies?!? Come again?


14 posted on 09/14/2010 11:18:42 AM PDT by Celtic Cross (Pablo is very wily)
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To: JudyinCanada
The nationality of at least 15 of the 9/11 hijackers was again?

*ding ding ding*Saudi nationals.
15 posted on 09/14/2010 11:21:54 AM PDT by GunningForTheBuddha ("RINOs, shoo")
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To: a fool in paradise
I want to see this same “so called Christian” president speak out against the Saudi government burning Christian bibles.

I agree this isn't the president to do it. We're in full bend-over-backward mode as far as Muslim sensitivity goes these days, and we've always been too worried that the Saudi royals might get replaced by something even worse.
16 posted on 09/14/2010 11:25:52 AM PDT by AnotherUnixGeek
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To: AnotherUnixGeek

Yep, you nailed it. Rightly or wrongly, the Saudis have been one of the biggest buyers of U.S. arms for a long time. They like the high end stuff, particularly for their air force, and they have the cash to pay for it.


17 posted on 09/14/2010 11:30:49 AM PDT by DemforBush (You might think that, *I* could not possibly comment.)
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To: AnotherUnixGeek

It’s a much farther walk for the Saudis to become something “better” than for them to become even worse.

The Saudis need to be taught the message of “Co-ExIsT”.


18 posted on 09/14/2010 11:34:15 AM PDT by a fool in paradise (Ask yourself,where does Saudi Arabia fit on a scale of "passive" to "moderate" to "extremist" Islam?)
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To: justlittleoleme
When Bush does it, its evil handed and diabolical.

When Obama does it, its stimulating the economy.

19 posted on 09/14/2010 11:39:18 AM PDT by NavyCanDo
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To: Hodar

Hint hint...

Maybe the true patriots behind the scene in the Pentagon will plant backdoors into the software in the products sold. Moral values dictate that we maintain the ability to save Israel, should the unthinkable be unleashed.


20 posted on 09/14/2010 11:48:15 AM PDT by George from New England (Escaped CT in 2006, now living north of Tampa)
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