Bad Economy Drives Down American Arms Sales

[b322da]

When did Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates last have a war? Do they need these weapons to defend themselves? If so, from whom?

http://www.nytimes.com/2010/09/13/world ... ml?_r=1&hp" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Elmo

[Purplehood]

When did Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates last have a war? Do they need these weapons to defend themselves? If so, from whom?

http://www.nytimes.com/2010/09/13/world ... ml?_r=1&hp" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Elmo

I imagine that they are worried about holding on to their quickly dwindling resources.

[The Annoyed Man]

I suspect that Saudi and UAE weapons buildups were in response to a Saddam Hussein led Iraq. Now that Iraq is more or less eliminated as an invasion threat, maybe they don't see the need any longer. Given an ascendent Iran, this may be short-sighted... or maybe they just figure that a nuclear Iran makes large expenditures on conventional weapons irrelevant.

I read somewhere not too long ago that Saudi Arabia had already quietly given access to its airspace to Israel in the event of an Israeli airstrike against Iranian nuclear facilities - not so shocking a revelation since the Saudis and Israel have apparently quietly cooperated in the past. If all that is true, then perhaps the Saudis figure they can let the Israelis both provide the muscle and take the heat for a strike on Iranian nuclear facilities. If that's the case, then they remain pretty well armed by conventional means for a post-Saddam world, and constantly upgrading may not be necessarily in their immediate interest. And if that is there strategy, then it wouldn't be surprising that the UAE's would be the same.

But I am by no means a middle east expert. Those are just the thoughts that come to mind.

[74novaman]

[quote="The Annoyed Man"I read somewhere not too long ago that Saudi Arabia had already quietly given access to its airspace to Israel in the event of an Israeli airstrike against Iranian nuclear facilities - not so shocking a revelation since the Saudis and Israel have apparently quietly cooperated in the past.[/quote]

This wouldn't surprise me in the least. The Saudis have always been very good about walking on top of the fence. The Royals love western money and western decadence, but support and fund a very anti western Wahhabi movement (as long as it continues to take action against infidels OUTSIDE of saudi arabia.)