Arab States Are On A Weapons Buying Binge

    Worrying about a possible confrontation with Iran, the Arab states seem to be on a military weapons spending spree and they are spending alot of oil money for the weapons.

    Saudi Arabia  is thought to have ordered almost $50bn in military hardware, including fighter aircraft, cruise missiles, attack helicopters and more than 300 new tanks.

Al-Jazeera

Saudi Arabia's purchase of 72 Eurofighter Typhoon jets from BAe Systems is the largest deal to be made.

Saudi Arabia's
military power

Army, air force and navy manpower: 200,000

Tanks: 1055

Combat aircraft: 300

2005 defence spending: $25.4bn

The deal is yet to be finalised but appears to be back on after Britain's serious fraud office dropped an investigation into the company's accounting.

Meanwhile, the UAE has set aside $2bn for a rapid reaction brigade and has earmarked a further $6bn for missile defence batteries, airborne early-warning systems and aircraft.

Both countries are members of the Gulf Co-operation Council (GCC) established in 1984.

Other members of the GCC, including Kuwait, Bahrain and Qatar, are also expected to invest heavily in arms.

  I smell Bush administration written all over this! For the kingdom to just now be concerned about all of the crap that has been going on in the last few years means either that Bushco is telling them something that the public doesn't know or that the Arab states do not think Bush can accomplish another one of his missions. At the same time, it could be both!

 

Technorati tags: Arab States, Saudi Arabia, Iran, Weapons