US Plans $4.6 Billion in Middle East Arms Sales

[rossana <rossana at comodinoposta.org>]

Dall'articolo qui di seguito, se non è possibile una produzione extra, 
aumentano le crisi geopolitiche.
Ed ecco che arrivano i mercanti d'armi, gli USA vendono 4,6 miliardi di 
dollari in armi al Medio Oriente: missili di precisione per Israele, 
missili all'Oman, elicotteri agli Emirati, armi per i sauditi tra cui 
elicotteri Apache e  2,9 miliardi di dollari in tanks.

"Saudi Arabia's oil a huge question, concerning price and control
ATLANTA -- From the Saudi Arabian sands pour more than 9 million barrels 
of crude oil each day, more than 10 percent of the world's production 
pumped from what is believed to be the largest pool of recoverable crude 
on Earth".
http://www.mywesttexas.com/site/news.cfm?newsid=16986684&BRD=2288&PAG=461&dept_id=474107&rfi=6


US Plans $4.6 Billion in Middle East Arms Sales
   Reuters

   Friday 28 July 2006

   Washington - The Bush administration spelled out plans on Friday to 
sell $4.6 billion of arms to moderate Arab states, including battle 
tanks worth as much as $2.9 billion to protect critical Saudi 
infrastructure.

   The announcement came two weeks after the administration said it 
would sell Israel its latest supply of JP-8 aviation fuel valued at up 
to $210 million to help Israeli warplanes "keep peace and security in 
the region."

   The United States also rushed a delivery of precision-guided bombs 
requested by Israel after launching its airstrikes against Hizbollah 
fighters in Lebanon 17 days ago, The New York Times reported last week.

   In the newly proposed sales to Arab states, UH-60M Black Hawk 
helicopter gunships worth up to $808 million would go to the United Arab 
Emirates, while AH-64 Apache helicopters worth as much as $400 million 
would go to Saudi Arabia.

   Bahrain would also get Black Hawk helicopters, valued at up to $252 
million. Jordan would get a potential $156 million in upgrades to 1,000 
of its M113A1 armored personnel carriers.

   Javelin anti-tank missiles valued at up to $48 million would go to 
Oman under the deals put forward by the Pentagon's Defense Security 
Cooperation Agency, which administers U.S. government-to-government arms 
sales.

   The $2.9 billion Saudi deal involves the sale of 58 older-generation 
U.S. M1A1 Abrams tanks that would be modernized. Also, 315 Saudi-owned, 
newer-model, Abrams tanks would be improved with such things as 
air-conditioning and infrared sights for the commanders as well as the 
gunners.

   The project's prime contractor would be General Dynamics Corp.'s 
Land Systems business unit of Sterling Heights, Michigan, the Pentagon 
said in a notice to Congress required by law.

   Vehicle "teardown" and final reassembly would be carried out in 
Saudi Arabia, the notice said. The upgraded configuration is known as 
the M1A2S, in which the S stands for Saudi.

   "The proposed sale and upgrade will allow Saudi Arabia to operate 
and exercise a more lethal and survivable M1A2S tank for the protection 
of critical infrastructure," it said.

   It also would keep a substantial number of tanks in the region that 
have "a high degree of commonality" with the U.S. tank fleet, the 
Pentagon said, referring to interchangeable parts.

   Notices of proposed U.S. arms sales are required by law once they 
top certain value thresholds. They do not mean a sale has been 
concluded. Congress may block a sale if both houses pass resolutions of 
disapproval within 30 calendar days of formal notification.