Monday, July 30, 2007

Sale of Sophisticated gear to the Saudis: It will gather dust and rust somewhere after all the payments, training and posturing are finished

"The main theme of this set of deals is the desire to do "business" (literally) in the Gulf. The Arabs have money and we might as well continue to have as much of it as they are willing to part with. Some Arabs in these countries will benefi from the sales. There will be a certain amount of the usual paying of "comissions" suitable disguised as something else, somewhere, sometime.
The Chinese, among others, have been pursuing Arab money and Arab investment opportuities all over the Arab World as well in many other places. The commercial competition from them is intense.
Those involved probably, almost, nearly think this is about Iran. The ludicrous conception of selling such sophisticated toys to the Saudis is delightful in an Evelyn Waugh kind of way. Saudi Arabia has a tiny, still poorly educated population. There is no way that THE KINGDOM can absorb this kind of equipment, but, then, neither can the jihadis. What will happen to all this "gear?" It will gather dust and rust somewhere after all the payments, training and posturing are finished.
The symbolism is the thing. We, the American guarantors of the status quo in the Middle East guarantee to you, the Sunni Arab govenments that we are not going to try to unseat you. We had our flirtation with radical change, but, well, ... How can you be sure? Well, if we do, we can't collect the money.
And, of course, this means that we understand what you have to do in Iraq...
Israel? They won't pay for their part of the deal."
pl
And read William Arkin, here

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