$60 Billion Arms Sale to Saudi Arabia: What Is America Up To?

An arms sale with Saudi Arabia will be handed over to Congress for approval within a week, according to Pentagon spokesman Col. Dave Lapan on September 13. It is said that this arms sale’s total worth reaches $60 billion, including 84 new F-15 fighters and several high-tech helicopters such as the Black Hawk and Apache. This would be the biggest arms sale in American history if approved.

Meanwhile, America is considering selling $30 billion in navy facilities, such as patrol ships to Saudi Arabia. In addition, America is planning arms sales to Persian Gulf states such as Kuwait, Oman and the United Arab Emirates. The fact that these Gulf states seem to turn out to be a hot spot for America’s arms sales overnight is in fact all about Iran, which borders the Gulf of Oman.

The security situation in the Middle East has undergone subtle changes as America sees it. Apart from the overheated Iran nuclear issues, Iran’s long-distance weapons now have a longer shooting range and better targeting, which pose even more danger to Israel and European countries. Thus, in addition to the new military deployment around the Gulf, America is seeking arms sales to countries like Saudi Arabia in a larger scale so as to respond to Iran’s increasing military power.

In doing so, America is “killing three birds with one stone.” First, the U.S. is curbing Iran through Saudi Arabia; second, tightening its grip over the gulf states by way of arms sales; third, sending good news to domestic America, which is struggling to lower unemployment and striving for economic recovery, that a huge munitions market is opened for American armament industry, the biggest winner in these arms sales.

The relationships between America, Israel, Saudi Arabia and Iran are tangled together in the whole Middle East diplomacy situation. Saudi Arabia, on one hand, dare not let its guard down against Iran’s developing military power; on the other, it vehemently opposes Israel’s taking hold of Jerusalem. Israel not only views Iran as a great threat but also treats Saudi Arabia with great caution.

The U.S.-Saudi Arabia relation cooled off after the September 11 attack. Yet recently, the two countries have to re-adjust their relationship under the influence of the Iran issue. At the same time, America and Israel have also reached high strategic consensus facing Iran’s threat, despite the fact that they are still at odds about the Israeli-Palestinian peace talk.

State Department spokesman Philip Crowley indicated that the core of America’s security policy in the Middle East is to maintain the region’s stability, which will only be achieved if Israel obtains the armaments it needs for self-defense. The spokesman of Israeli Embassy in America, Palade, noted that the Obama administration shows its resolve on ensuring Israel’s security, and Israel keeps close dialogue with America regarding the arms sales to Saudi Arabia, an action which has been justified by America, though Israel is not so happy about it.

Some analyzed that the arms sale to Saudi Arabia indicates America and Israel’s focus on the security of the Persian Gulf has shifted. America and Israel agreed that the strengthening U.S.-Saudi Arabia tie is favorable to Israel, as otherwise Saudi Arabia would have turned to Europe or other nations for arms purchasing. The congressmen and Jewish lobby vetoed the previous proposal for an arms sale to Saudi Arabia, considering that it would relatively reduce Israel’s deterrent power over the region. This time, however, the situation is different — though some congressmen have voted against it, it is believed there won’t be enough negative votes to kill the proposal.

America, as the biggest arms dealer in the coastal region, has full control over the gulf region and can play as it wishes. Apart from the huge profit on America’s side in this deal, a new situation may arise in the entire Middle East — an ever up-scaling arms race.