Bush to Urge $20 Billion Arms Sale to Saudi Arabia, Gulf States
July 28 (Bloomberg) -- The Bush administration is planning to ask Congress next week to approve an arms-sale package to Saudi Arabia and five other Persian Gulf countries that may total more than $20 billion, Rebecca Goodrich-Hinton, a Defense Department spokeswoman, said.
Included in the package are advanced satellite-guided bombs, fighter-aircraft upgrades and new naval vessels. The administration also plans to announce a new 10-year military aid package to Israel and Egypt. The steps are part of an effort by the Bush administration to counter Iran's rising influence.
The $20 billion price tag on the arms-sale package is more than double what officials originally estimated this past spring, and would be the largest arms deal negotiated by the Bush administration. It would likely include air-to-air missiles and Joint Direct Attack Munitions.
The military assistance agreements would provide $30 billion in new U.S. aid to Israel and $13 billion to Egypt over a decade, Goodrich-Hinton said.
In addition to Saudi Arabia, the six countries to receive the arms would be the United Arab Emirates, Kuwait, Qatar, Bahrain and Oman.
Plans for the sale will be announced Monday ahead of a trip to the Middle East by Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice and Defense Secretary Robert Gates.
News of the proposed sale was first reported in today's Washington Post and New York Times.
http://www.bloomberg.com/apps/news?p...i6qwI&refer=us
Included in the package are advanced satellite-guided bombs, fighter-aircraft upgrades and new naval vessels. The administration also plans to announce a new 10-year military aid package to Israel and Egypt. The steps are part of an effort by the Bush administration to counter Iran's rising influence.
The $20 billion price tag on the arms-sale package is more than double what officials originally estimated this past spring, and would be the largest arms deal negotiated by the Bush administration. It would likely include air-to-air missiles and Joint Direct Attack Munitions.
The military assistance agreements would provide $30 billion in new U.S. aid to Israel and $13 billion to Egypt over a decade, Goodrich-Hinton said.
In addition to Saudi Arabia, the six countries to receive the arms would be the United Arab Emirates, Kuwait, Qatar, Bahrain and Oman.
Plans for the sale will be announced Monday ahead of a trip to the Middle East by Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice and Defense Secretary Robert Gates.
News of the proposed sale was first reported in today's Washington Post and New York Times.
http://www.bloomberg.com/apps/news?p...i6qwI&refer=us
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