Selling Billions of Weapons to the Saudis: A Great idea?

[Musburger1]

It is both stupid and immoral. Rand Paul lays it out.

 

[Musburger1]

Our government is nuts.

https://www.rt.com/news/392386-qatar-buys-us-warplanes/


Qatar has signed a $12-billion contract to buy F-15 fighter jets from the US, the country’s defense ministry reported. The deal was announced just days after US President Trump accused Doha of supporting terrorism.
The contract was apparently sealed after a Wednesday meeting between US Secretary of Defense Jim Mattis and Qatari Minister of State for Defense Affairs Khalid al-Attiyah, Reuters reported citing a source.
According to Bloomberg News, Qatar bought 36 warplanes produced by McDonnell Douglas, a subsidiary of Boeing.

Read more

US warships arrive in Qatar for drills days after Trump slams Doha as ‘funder of terrorism’
The US approved the possible sale of up to 72 F-15QA aircraft to Qatar for $21.1 billion in November.

News of the deal comes less than a week after US President Donald Trump lashed out at the Gulf kingdom, saying it has “historically been a funder of terrorism at a very high level.”

Trump’s criticism emerged amid a diplomatic row between Qatar and other Arab nations, which demand that Doha stopped supporting the pan-Arabic movement Muslim Brotherhood and severed ties with Iran.

 

[Brad Austin]

There is never a good solution in the ME no matter what one's strategy is. Lesser of all evils is only effective if there's a big gap in the evils. I don't see it anywhere over there.

It seems the very least of all evils policy is to withdraw completely and wash our hands.

Focus heavily on energy independence, enhance extreme vetting for ME immigration, use the mountain of excess funds saved to massively bolster missile defense systems for the homeland, and ruthlessly light up anyone from air and sea who dares attack our soil (including any country found to have financed a dollar or harbored a foreign terrorist(s) for said homeland attack).

Yeah I know that approach has serious issues too, but the region is hopeless. There will never stop being atrocities no matter who you help or attack. It's just a revolving door of fanatics and violence with no moralistic options.

Hell, I'd even allow Israel to conquer Canada (France Jr.) so they can live securely under our protection right next door. The savings on logistics would be massive.

 

[Seattle Husker]

I have no problem with selling the weapons to Saudi Arabia as long as we retain the production, services and replacement munitions capabilities.

As I understand it, ~$60B of this proposed deal is setting up/training SA to service and maybe produce armaments. Essentially, we are helping them establish an arms industry as part of this deal. In no scenario is that a good deal for the US.

History shows us that allies can become enemies pretty quickly in the ME (see: Iraq - Sadam Hussein). We were successful in part in our multiple wars against Iraq because SH couldn't service the equipment we gave him or produce more.

 

[Musburger1]

So even as we agree to sell advanced weaponry to the Saudis, we also will sell jet fighters to their new enemy Qatar. We can debate which country exports more terrorism. Additionally, these deals signal to the Iranians that they need to accelerate their arms programs; perhaps make an arms deal with Russia or restart their nuke program. Is this insanity or what? Are you feeling safer now? Is Rand Paul the only person left in DC that questions our policies?

 

[Brad Austin]

The defense industry is MASSIVE and deeply connected at all levels. The public's will doesn't stand a chance. If any industry is too big to fail it's this one.

Anyone attempting to tame it or strongly reduce profits by significantly shrinking foreign sales will be left in their wake. It's a damn shame but a harsh reality.

 

[Statalyzer]

So even as we agree to sell advanced weaponry to the Saudis, we also will sell jet fighters to their new enemy Qatar. We can debate which country exports more terrorism.

Basically, Quark from Deep Space 9 now has more scruples and arms trading smarts than we do.