Yawn. This story's getting old. Here are the highlights:
* Egypt and Israel sign a peace deal in 1979.
* Israel is rewarded up to $2.4 billion in annual US military aid.
* Egypt is rewarded up to $1.3 billion in annual US military aid.
Fast-forward to 2007. The US military has its hands full in Iraq, and announces a $20 billion arms deal with Saudi Arabia and other US allies in the Gulf.
Not to be outdone by the Saudis, Egypt and Israel are offered new arms deals of their own, totalling $13 billion and $30 billion respectively.
So what can a few billion dollars buy you at a Pentagon closeout sale??
So what can a few billion dollars buy you at a Pentagon closeout sale??
200 Advanced Medium Range Air-to-Air Missiles
30 Harpoon anti-ship missiles
500 AIM-9M Sidewinder short-range air-to-air missiles
90 million gallons of JP-8 aviation fuel
42 million gallons of diesel fuel
125 MIA1 Abrams tank kits (including thermal viewers, firepower enhancements & armor upgrades)
And that's just the hors d'oeuvres.
Read on:
Washington eyes big arm sales to Israel, Egypt
Fri Aug 24, 2007 5:49PM EDT
By Jim Wolf
WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The Defense Department said Friday it was proposing to sell Israel advanced missiles and aviation fuel worth up to $642 million and tank kits to Egypt worth up to $847 million.
Israel has requested as many as 200 Advanced Medium Range Air-to-Air missiles manufactured by Raytheon Co., the Pentagon's Defense Security Cooperation Agency told Congress.
Israel is also interested in up to 30 Harpoon anti-ship missiles built by Boeing Co. and 500 AIM-9M Sidewinder short-range air-to-air missiles built by Raytheon, the notice said.
Taken together, the cost of the three missile packages could be as high as $334 million if all options are exercised.
In addition, Israel is seeking up to 90 million gallons of JP-8 aviation fuel and 42 million gallons of diesel fuel at an estimated combined cost of $308 million, the defense agency said.
The proposed sale of the aviation fuel will enable Israel, the closest U.S. Mideast ally, to maintain its aircrafts' operational capabilities, the agency said.
It said Egypt was seeking up to 125 MIA1 Abrams tank kits, including thermal viewers, firepower enhancements and armor upgrades, potentially worth up to $847 million.
The proposed sale would boost the output of an Abrams tank co-production program, started in 1988, from its current 880 tanks, to 1,005, the agency said. The prime contractor would be General Dynamics Corp., it said.
The United States has longstanding commitments to Israel and Egypt, which in 1979 became the first Arab state to make peace with Israel.
Earlier this month, the Bush administration offered Israel a record $30 billion, 10-year military aid package described as strengthening a regional bulwark against Iran.
The planned U.S. funding increase could finance purchases such as those now being considered. The notification to Congress of a potential sale is required by law. It does not mean a sale has been completed.
3 comments:
well OF COURSE bush is going to get a few more arms deals in before he leaves office. there is no profit in peace. most particulary with such blatanly bare naked conflict of interest such as his affiliation with the Carlyle Group. {^.*}
Thank you for reporting so accurately on this issue.
I notice craig has nothing to say, for once.
who cares about craig to begin with? he's like a toddler always pulling at the pant legs of the people sitting at the grown-ups table; doing anything for attention. {^.*}
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