Israel Objects to US Weaponry for Arab Neighbours

Channels

In Focus

Analysis
Bolography
Cartoons
Environment
Opinion

Columns

Business
My Word
PlainSpeak
Random Thoughts

Our Heritage

Architecture
Astrology
Ayurveda
Buddhism
Cinema
Culture
Dances
Festivals
Hinduism
History
People
Places
Sikhism
Spirituality
Vastu
Vithika

Society & Lifestyle

Family Matters
Health
Parenting
Perspective
Recipes
Society
Teens
Women

Creative Writings

Book Reviews
Ghalib's Corner
Humor
Individuality
Jagoji
Literary Shelf
Love Letters
Memoirs
Musings
Ramblings
Stories
Travelogues

Computing

General Articles
CC++
Flash
Internet Security
Java
Linux
Networking

April 5, 2007
Israel Objects to US Weaponry
for Arab Neighbours

Washington
Israeli objections to the sale of sophisticated weapons to Saudi Arabia and other Persian Gulf allies has slowed down White House plans for a major arms package sale intended to deter Iran's growing influence in the Middle East, The New York Times reported Thursday.

The Bush administration has had to twice delay plans to formally notify Congress about the possible weapons sale, after Israel sent high level officials to Washington to protest, the Times wrote, quoting unnamed administration and foreign officials as well as industry executives.

Congress has 30 days after notification to block such a sale.

Specifically, Israel is objecting to the transfer of precision-guided weapons and satellite-guided ordnances that would enhance Saudi warplanes' accuracy in a strike. But it is not objecting to advanced weapons systems seen as defensive in nature, such as Patriot anti-missile batteries, missile-armed coastal warships and a type of Aegis radar system, the Times wrote.

Israel insists that some of the weapons in the intended package would give Sunni Arab countries a military edge, and fears that Al Qaeda leader Osama bin Laden's influence in his native Saudi Arabia could bring about "a real Islamist government" that would take advantage of such weaponry, according to an analyst, David Schenker, a former Pentagon official and an expert on Arab politics at the Washington Institute for Near East Policy.

Some details of the estimated 5-to-10-billion dollar package have been leaked over the past months, but the extent of Israel's opposition has not been reported.

US President George W Bush has been pushing hard to galvanize and coordinate Arabic opposition to Iran's growing influence in the region.

DPA | April 5, 2007

Top