Congress likely to OK Saudi arms deal

[villager]

Source: AP

Congress likely to OK Saudi arms deal

By MATTHEW LEE and ANNE FLAHERTY, Associated Press Writers 1 hour, 5 minutes ago

WASHINGTON - The Democratic-led Congress is unlikely to block U.S. plans to sell $123 million worth of sophisticated precision-guided bomb technology to Saudi Arabia, despite concerns from some members that the systems could be used against Israel.

The Bush administration on Monday notified Congress of its intent to sell the bomb-delivery systems as part of a multibillion-dollar arms package to bolster the defense of U.S. allies in the Gulf.

Rep. Tom Lantos, chairman of the House Foreign Affairs Committee, does not intend to consider a resolution of disapproval, said spokeswoman Lynne Weil. Otherwise, Lantos declined to comment.

The arms deal creates a dilemma for lawmakers, especially for Democrats eager to challenge President Bush's handling of foreign policy. At the same time, they see Saudi Arabia's cooperation as crucial to the war on terror and in deterring aggression from Iran.

"We need to be convinced that the sale makes sense militarily and ensure that it in no way harms our security or those of our allies," said Sen. Joseph Biden, D-Del., chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee. "We must also make certain that the administration does not just try to use a few arms sales to substitute for the comprehensive, coherent strategy we need for the region."

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Read more: http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20080115/ap_on_go_co/us_saudi_arms_sales

[frog92969]

1. Of course they are.

What else are the rubber stamping SOBs good for?
It's not like their times tied up with impeachment or anything.

[Faux pas]

2. Sheesh, why not just let king george push the button now?

Why drag out the stress and misery? We are f-ed.

[krispos42]

3. Good.

We'll get back some of our oil money we keep giving to these bastards, and they'll have another fancy-shmancy military toy to maintain poorly and never really learn how to use.

[raebrek]

6. Those are my thoughts exactly. n/t

[quiet.american]

4. 15 of the 19 on 9/11 were Saudis, zero were Iraquis; we bomb Iraq, sell bombs to Saudis.

And not one voice in the "mainstream" media dare question why.

[Magleetis]

8. Cut it out

You know darn well there is no common sense in the US gov.

[quiet.american]

12. ;) nt

[Journeyman]

5. In "The Arms of Krupp," William Manchester described. . .

how Krupp sold the French on the value of armored vehicles. Once the French legions were duly outfitted, Krupp turned to the German General Staff and introduced its newest innovation: armor-piercing shells.

And the circle goes round and round
And the bulldozers go up and down
We're captive on a carousel of crime,
crime without punishment


Edit; typo

[boricua79]

7. Congress likely to bend over and take it up the booty...again.

How hard is it, really, to say NO!

[Javaman]

9. Great deal!!

we give them weapons, they don't cut the oil price.

yeah, what a wheeler dealer moron* is. Is it any wonder why he's a failed business man?

:banghead:

[OzarkDem]

10. My thoughts exactly

He fits the profile perfectly. An expert at being an empire builder, crappy at long term planning. Like any other major corporation, the US Treasury is big enough to hide the screw ups until the wheels fall off.

Maybe he's in the mideast brokering a merger or buyout, selling us to the highest bidder.

[OzarkDem]

11. Our Dems in Congress are totally controlled by lobbyists

they seem no longer capable of independent, rational thought.

Biden thinks its just "a few arms sales"?