White House To Push Mideast Arms Sales

Officials To Press Congress For Increased Aid, Weapons Sales To Friendly Mideast Nations To Counter Iran

(CBS/AP)  The Bush administration will ask Congress to expand multibillion-dollar aid and weapons sales packages to friendly nations in the Middle East, partly to counteract Iran, senior officials said Friday.

Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice will announce proposed extensions and enlargements of foreign aid to Israel and Egypt, and a proposed arms sales package to Persian Gulf nations including Saudi Arabia, before she leaves on a trip to those nations Monday, the officials said.

The Israeli and Egyptian proposals would lock in U.S. commitments for the next 10 years. The total for Israel would rise from $2.4 billion to about $3 billion a year, and Egypt would continue to receive $1.3 billion a year.

The Bush administration also wants Congress to give their stamp of approval to an arms sale package for Saudi Arabia. The New York Times reports that the deal would include advanced satellite-guided bombs, upgrades to its fighters and new naval vessels.

Those packages, like existing 10-year packages that expire next year, represent long-standing U.S. commitments to Israel, its principal ally in the region, and Egypt as the first Arab nation to make peace with Israel and a moderate, secular ally and a traditional shepherd of Israeli-Arab peace efforts.

Overall, the aid and arms packages would total $20 billion, according to The Times, which is double what officials first estimated when details first became public this past spring.

Terrorism expert Sajjan Gohel says the Saudi arms sale might not be a good idea. "Weapons would be sold to a regime that is not only despotic but is also trying to undermine democracy in Iraq by assisting Sunni insurgent groups," he told CBS News.

"It shows that the Bush administration isn't looking really at the long-term, but seems to be more concerned about trying to secure oil reserves and deposits in Saudi Arabia than actually protecting their own soldiers in Iraq," Gohel said.

Officials said the money and the proposed weapons sales would strengthen U.S. allies at a time of uncertainty in the Middle East. The United States accuses Iran of developing a nuclear weapon, which Tehran denies, but that development could set off nuclear arms race in one of the world's most volatile regions. At the same time, sectarian violence and wholesale murder in Iraq threaten to spill outside Iraqi borders and inflame a confrontation between Shiite and Sunni Muslims elsewhere in the region.

Iran, whose leader has repeatedly said Israel should be wiped off the map, is viewed by Israel as its main enemy. Shiite Iran also unnerves the closest U.S. allies in the region, all except Iraq led by Sunnis.

Rice plans to announce Monday the proposed sale of $5 billion or more in sophisticated weaponry for Saudi Arabia and other rich Gulf states. The sales have been expected, and some details leaked out this year.

The sale would include advanced weaponry and air systems that would greatly enhance the striking ability of Saudi warplanes.

Israeli leaders have worked to block the deal, which requires congressional approval. U.S. Defense Secretary Robert Gates recently told the Israelis that moderate Arab countries such as Saudi Arabia would be able to get the weapons elsewhere, including from Russia.

Word of the administration pending arms and aid initiatives comes as a New York Times article published Friday claiming that White House officials are angry about Saudi Arabia giving financial support to Sunni groups, including opponents of Iraq Prime Miniter Nuri Kamal al-Maliki, and that the country has been serving as a conduit for Saudis and other foreign fighters to enter Iraq to aid the insurgency.

Asked to comment on the article, State Department spokesperson Scott McCormack said, "We're confident that the Saudi Government is actively engaged on the issue of trying to cut off the flows of illicit funds to illicit groups that are seeking to destabilize Iraq. They are also on the case of doing what they can to stop the flow of young men going from Saudi Arabia into Iraq via Syria, who are bent on blowing themselves up or blowing up others.

"You're never going to completely be able to cut off that flow, despite the best efforts of the government," McCormack said. "There are some historical tensions within the region. The fact is that they need to be overcome if you're going to realize a different kind of Middle East."

The comprehensive regional aid-and-weapons package is meant to compensate Israel for the U.S. sale of weapons to potential enemies, but the Arab arms sales nonetheless are certain to draw opposition from pro-Israeli organizations and human rights organizations.

A senior defense official said Friday the sale to Saudi Arabia and other moderate Gulf states will be on the table when Rice and Gates visit Egypt and Saudi Arabia next week.

The official, who spoke on condition of anonymity because details have not been made public, said there are a number of pending arms sales to countries in the region leaders hope to complete in coming months.

The official said the weapons sale is critical for the Gulf region "to deal with what has been a changing strategic threat from Iran and other forces."

But Gohel told CBS News that the sale to Saudi Arabia is of particular concern because "we're dealing with a country which at the moment is very unstable.

"We talk about not wanting to deal with state-sponsors of terrorism like North Korea, Syria and Iran, but what difference is Saudi Arabia when they are allowing their citizens to go to Iraq, many of whom are killing U.S. soldiers?" he said.

"[Our] biggest problem since 9/11 is that we turn to countries to provide us with the solution, countries like Pakistan and Saudi Arabia, whereas in fact they were behind the problem in the first place."

[lorinkundert]

Giving aid to our enemies makes the Saudis our enemies, what would possess GW to sell high tech weapons to an enemy who will certainly one day use them against us.

[shanev137]

The allies of today are the terrorists of tomorrow.

loinkundert,

It's because he's an idiot!

IMPEACH HIM!!!!!!!

[downtowner97]

Bush supporters: Ask youselves who attacked us on 9/11. Where were they born? Where did they go to school? Where did their training money come from? Where was Osama Bin Laden born and raised? Saudi Arabia attacked us, and we went off on Iraq, a country Iraq attacked tirelessly with Scud missiles. Bush kisses King Abdullah on the face and holds his hand and invites him into his home. Bush has pulled ALL our troops out of Saudi Arabia, and is now giving them weapons that will likely be used against US interests.

Roosevelt, a strong Democrat, didn't invite Hirohito into the US and kiss him after Pearl Harbor was bombed. Roosevelt declared war on the country that attacked us, and he led us as we fought them for 3 1/2 years and beat them.

Saudi Arabia is not a democracy. Bush makes it clear that democracies are the only peaceful countries. Saudis are ruled by a king who ascended to the throne. Saudis kill anyone who says out loud they are a Christian. Saudis kill people who cheat on their wives. Saudis teach their children to hate and kill Americans, and when they grow up, they sometimes do.

Think.

[j-whitman]

Anyone ready to jali SOB Bush yet ???? There is something Bush & his GOP fails to udnerstand about Arms Dealing,, Neo-cons allways arm the enemy of the people -- They have a long history of it.

The SOB Bush still pays no attention to the fact thay 15 out of 19 9/11 attackers where Sunni's,, 14 year old Sunni children in the UAE all want to fight Americans in Iraq,, Sunni's cause 96% of or casualties in Iraq...... Bush is speeding up thier armement

why is this person the president? He's openly saying, hey, I know that saudi arabia is giving weapons to iraqi insurgents, but I want to give them some more weapons. Is that ok congress?


wow

[donnie900]

Ya think someone with a trillion bucks in oil money is gonna not buy weapons from somebody? May as well be us. I need my jetski..

[drummer94]

Shrub is not only an idiot, but the bigges traitor to come down the pike since Benedict Arnold. Impeachment is too good for him. After him and his co-conspirators are convicted of crimes against humanity, they will be forced to apologize to every injured warrior and apologize to every dead warrior's family. Then their illegal proceeds they stole from America will be re-distributed. Then we hang 'em.

[bareemperor]

The White House has a disturbing closeness to the very country who allegedly sent 15 terrorists to America to pull off 9/11.

'In the immediate aftermath of the Sept. 11 attacks while U.S. airspace was restricted, planes sanctioned by the Bush administration flew about the country gathering some 140 high-ranking Saudi Arabians...Once the flight ban was lifted, two jumbo jets transported the Saudis out of the country.'
http://www.worldnetdaily.com/news/article.asp?ARTICLE_ID=34405

[donnie900]

Oh drummer, cut the wahaboobie stuff. Or append to what ya said: "According to the liberals".

[amazedd]

The More The Merrier

[downtowner97]

To Donnie900

Yeah, you neocons have quite a list of enemies. You have the constitution, Germany, France, Iran (a democracy), science, educated people, and reason in general. You're on a small island, and the water is rising. Go watch ya some Nascar.

[hazelknows]

never do business or trust anyone that wears an italian table cloth on their head in public

[donnie900]

Its like Clinton buying all the Uranium from Russia, even though we were stockpiled. Its called Pedging.

[drummer94]

Pack sand donniebrook, 'fore somebody takes away all your meds and your little peanut of a brain stops working altogether.

[donnie900]

All I needs my coffee. But what you need is revenge..

[j-whitman]

NEO-CONS HAVE A VERY LONG & BAD HISTORY OF ARMING THE ENEMY'S OF THE PEOPLE

[donnie900]

Liberals are the experts at making complete strangers enemies. And I've seen how yaz do it too. I've seen ya with yer big mouthed finger point'n speeches. China? Pakistan? Saudi Arabia? Its like you were everybody's x-wife..

[drummer94]

Don't forget about your jet ski donnie boy. Coffee, meds, jet ski, and a lake. 'Dere ya go.

[donnie900]

"The world of glass houses", never understanding how offensive it is in the first place.

Yer not supposed to spy on people, Democrat! Yer supposed to take what the diplomats tell yaz! And thats called "being a ******* gentleman".

[jetranger7]

In the 1980s, under than Prez. GH Bush Sr. that adminstration spent several billion dollars on an Airbase in Saudi, and it went way over budget in the multi-millions ! more can be found on this Saudi airbase at : WWW.FRONTLINE.ORG / believe the story is called "The Arming of Saudi Aribia" under their archives story section, which aired in the early 1990s. Simply amazing isn't it ! Somethings going on, we won't know the real story for several years down the road yet ! Very Intersting !

[donnie900]

"Don't forget about your jet ski donnie boy. Coffee, meds, jet ski, and a lake. 'Dere ya go."

And cigarettes. I have to have my kools. Cuz I'm cool, see.. On me jetski.

[j-whitman]

Donnie,,, Pay attention please,,

, "The main plank in the Nationalist Socialist program is to abolish the liberalistic concept of the individual and the Marxist concept of humanity and to substitute for them the folk community, rooted in the soil and bound together by the bond of its common blood." -- Adolph Hitler

[pastdue1]

The quote that accompanies this story tells the whole story. Probably the reason that we turn to those who will try to bury us for a solution is that we have so far failed to find anyone in this administration who really has the capability to solve problems unless they can manipulate, use deceit, or physically overpower.

[v_1618]

THIS IS THE MOST DANGEROUS THING THE UNITED STATES CAN DO IN THE MIDDLE EAST, THE POLICY OF HATE IN IRAQ IS VERY DANGEROUS BECAUSE THE ENEMIES COULD TURN FRIENDS AND THE FRIENDS COULD TURN ENEMIES. AND THE UNITED STATES IS MAKING THEIR FRIENDS MORE STRONG BUT DOESN'T MEEN THEY WILL BE HIS FRIENDS FOREVER. THAT'S WHAT THE IRAQ WAR IS A MISUNDERSTANDING WAR THAT THE UNITED STATES DON'T SEE THE WHOLE PLCTURE AND HIS DANGEROUS POLICY COULD HIT AND ATTACK THE UNITED STATES BACK IN THE NEAR FUTURE WITH HIS OWN WEAPONS AND MILITARY AID THEY SALE TO THE REGION.

[donnie900]

"Donnie,,, Pay attention please,,"

I guess Hitler was a king. *eyeroll*

[condumism]

donnie900, a SOUTHERN NEOCON BLURTED:

Liberals are the experts at making complete strangers enemies.

You southern fascists were slaughtered during the US Civil War, and fascists were slaughtered around the globe to end WWII. I believe your statement should read: the GOP is now nothing more that a regional party of Southern Fascist states (aka: NEOCONS) which includes all 11 of the Confederate slave states. No one group has alienated the world as much as these lying self-centered pigs have in the history of all mankind. Guess your hate for mankind and most of america is a bit misdirected, Bubba!

[donnie900]

What you call "hate", I call "conservatism".

I'm not one of those fools that thinks complete strangers best friends who wanna hug ya. You can give me the fanciest speech in the history of mankind, and I won't be sold! Ya hear? I won't be! Cuz I know! "Deyz don't know me."

[tnt1954]

gwb, the best president the u.s.a. has had
since fdr. what a man!! what a hero!!
arming our enemies is very important.
we need them. its justification for
our humungous military industrial complex.
like without criminals cops wouldn't have
a job.

[j-whitman]

Donnie,,,,, Bush has tried & is still trying to eliminate the 3 seperate branches of our Government,, the foundation pillars for our democracy ---- Bush is burning down the Reichstag just as Adolf Hitler did.

[v_1618]

SOONER OR LATER THE UNITED STATES WILL BE IN A WAR WITH A MIRROR LOOKING TO THEMSELFS AND WILL BE IN WAR WITH THEMSELFS AND ALL THE GUNS AND ALL THE HATE AND ALL THE ENEMIES HE MADE WILL HIT THEM BACK. THAT'S WHAT THE IRAQ WAR IS A WAR WITH A HUGE GHOST THAT SOONER OR LATER THAT GHOST WILL BE THE UNITED STATES AGAINST THE UNITED STATES. IS VERY STRANGE BUT IS VERY TRUE.

[donnie900]

If liberals win this fight, American politics becomes nothing short of a VH1 teenage rockstar hangout. And dats de ******* truth, jack!

"Oh don't worry about the people. I'll just give them a fancy speech tomorrow. Make them think I love them."

Conservatism is the REALITY! THE REALITY! That a government is not supposed to love you. That you're supposed to put yer carpetbaggers schlicks some place else! And not in the false adorations and lusts of a corrupt government..

[donnie900]

And ad infinitum: "Separation of church and state." "Separation of church and state".. *eyeroll*

YOUR CHURCH WAS YER ******** PECKKKER, DEMOCRAT! And dats a ******** fact.. You were a luster of a democracy. You worshiped yerself. And I'm the reality..

"Yer philosophy's fer shyyt."

Why wouldn't we sell weapons to people who will probably use them against us in Iraq? It helps the homeland don't you know.

[condumism]

These ISRAEL FIRST Republican Senators are all up for Reelection in 08. Ask them how much Israel influences their vote on Iraq? Also, ask them how much US DEFENSE CONTRACTORS influence their votes in needless defense spending. These sell out America for Israel traitors and sell out America for the US MILITARY INDUSTRIAL COMPLEX are listed below:

Alexander, Lamar- (R - TN)
Allard, Wayne- (R - CO)
Chambliss, Saxby- (R - GA)
Cochran, Thad- (R - MS)
Coleman, Norm- (R - MN)
Collins, Susan M.- (R - ME)
Cornyn, John- (R - TX)
Craig, Larry E.- (R - ID)
Dole, Elizabeth- (R - NC)
Dominici, Pete- (R - NM)
Enzi, Michael B.- (R - WY)
Graham, Lindsey- (R - SC)
Hagel, Chuck- (R - NE)
Inhofe, James M.- (R - OK)
McConnell, Mitch- (R - KY)
Roberts, Pat- (R - KS)
Sessions, Jeff- (R - AL)
Smith, Gordon H.- (R - OR)
Stevens, Ted- (R - AK)
Sununu, John E.- (R - NH)
Warner, John- (R - VA)

TAKE BACK AMERICA. BAN ALL CORPORATE and FOREIGN LOBBYISTS FROM the HALLS of CONGRESS!

[j-whitman]

Bush is giving Sunni's Sattalite Guided Bombs with his $20 billion arms deal..... Now they can stop using our airlines to attack us.

[v_1618]

THE UNITED STATES IS SLEEPING WITH THE ENEMY AND SOONER OR LATER THIS GHOST WILL HIT THE UNITED STATES BACK.

[racam_us]

Does this make any sense whatsoever? The CIA trained Osama Bin Laden. He turned on us in a horrific way. The same thing will happen here. We will arm Saudi Arabia and sooner rather than later they will use these weapons against us in some fashion. After Osama is a Saudi. Bush, Cheney, Rice, Osama, and the Saudis make up the modern day rat pack. The only difference being these rats are carnivorous and power also power hungry.

[donnie900]

"THE UNITED STATES IS SLEEPING WITH THE ENEMY AND SOONER OR LATER THIS GHOST WILL HIT THE UNITED STATES BACK."

Standard ******** marriage.

[donnie900]

Can someone please answer me something? How can somebody be "Hitler Israel first"?

It must be de Marxist Habbiboola thing.. That? Or liberals are insane.

[jetranger7]

Ohh by the Way People, their using your US-Tax Dollars to do this,,Doesn't that make you proud to know where your moneys going and being used ?? Ya, spending multi-millions of our tax dollars, for this, meanwhile, Americans health care system is broken and the Troops get to come home to a briken down Walter Reed Hospital and fight their own government to get VA Benefits, and lets not forget the Nations Border problem and the Passport Crisis Fiasco this Adminstration has also Failed so Miserably on too, Ya ol' Bush & Condom Rice & Cheney are doing a fine job, for a bunch of Screw-Balls ! A high school drop out could of done better than these idiots !! :):):):)

[j-whitman]

donnie900,,,, "Sleeping with the Enemy" to say the least ---- Bush is in bed with the Sunni's bent over but up yelling,,,, "Stik it in harder, & make me scream"

[donnie900]

J, ain't no ******* marriage on this planet where one does not sleep with the enemy.

[urlnts]

The war-mongering profiteer
scum,like the Carlyle Group,GE,Haliburton,***"news",Wallstreet and other rightwingers are
a disgrace and a detriment to this country and all that it stands for!The U.S. does not sell freedom or democracy anymore---we sell only death and destruction---guns,bombs,tobacco,alcohol and drugs are what we push on America and the world---oh the joys of capitalism and the caring Judeo-Christians of this country!What a frigging sick hypocritical joke these people are on humanity!

[j-whitman]

donnie900,,,, What part of this don't you understand ???
-- In the UAE Bush loves so much --- 14 year old children take odd jobs to earn the $100 dollar bus fare to go to Iraq to fight against our occupation.

[v_1618]

THE U.S. IS SLEEPING WITH THE ENEMIE YOU KNOW WHY.? BECAUSE THE MOST TERRORIST ATTACKS IN IRAQ CAME FROM SAUDI ARABIA THAT MEENS SOMETHING IS WRONG WITH THIS KEY ELEMENT SAUDI ARABIA ALLIE OF THE UNITED STATES. IS NOT A GOOD PICTURE AT ALL. THIS IRAQ WAR IS A UNDERSTANDING WAR THAT THE ENEMIES COULD TURN FRIENDS AND THE FRIENDS COULD TURN ENEMIES IN THE FUTURE.
AL QAEDA IS A ENEMIE OF UNITED STATES
AL QAEDA IS A ENEMIE OF IRAN
AND NOW THE UNITED STATES WANTS TO BE THE ENEMIE
OF IRAN THAT MEENS AL QAEDA IS WINNING THIS WAR
BECAUSE MEENS THAT THE UNITED STATES IS THE FRIEND OF AL QAEDA OR
IRAN IS THE FRIEND OF AL QAEDA THIS WAR IS VERY DANGEROUS AND THE ARMS SALE WITH SAUDI ARABIA IS THE WORST SOLUTION TO THE WAR IN IRAQ
THE ONLY STATE WHO IS WINNING FROM THIS SALE ARMS IS ONLY AL QAEDA INTEREST SO THE UNITED STATES NOW IS IN WAR WITH A MIRROR.

[huanaco]

THE SAME HISTORY ONCE AGAIN . DIDN,T WE ARM LONG AGO MR. HUSSEIN ? OF COURSE, WE SOLD ALL KIND OF WEAPONS. NOW THIS TALE IS PLAYING AGAIN WITH SAUDI ARABIA , THIS REGIME THAT ON ANY GIVEN TIME COULD FALL , WILL BE SUPPLY THE WEAPONS THAT COULD BE USED AGAINST OUR COUNTRY. WELL, THE IDIOTS IN THE WHITE HOUSE DON,T HAVE MEMORY AND WHOLE THING SMELLS BAD. IMPEACH THE SUCKER.

[hungry1968]

"Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice will announce proposed extensions and enlargements of foreign aid to Israel and Egypt, and a proposed arms sales package to Persian Gulf nations including Saudi Arabia, before she leaves on a trip to those nations Monday, the officials said."


Why in the hell are we giving Israel and Egypt foreign aid!?!?! Their countries make many, many times more money per capita than we do!! Holy Shiitt!!

[donnie900]

"donnie900,,,, What part of this don't you understand ??? -- In the UAE Bush loves so much --- 14 year old children take odd jobs to earn the $100 dollar bus fare to go to Iraq to fight against our occupation."

Ok, lets suppose that liberal dialogue is true. I guess you'd pull a Hillary, huh? And not talk to them?

[donnie900]

You'd just.. eat their cook'n and sleep in their bedsheets.. But ya wouldn't talk to'em. It'd be a political impeachment type deal. I see..