Defense Secretary James Mattis and his Qatari counterpart, Defense Minister Khalid al-Attiyah have signed a $12 billion arms deal today in Washington, a move made particularly high-profile because of the ongoing blockade imposed on Qatar by its Gulf Arab neighbors.
The agreement is for the purchase of a number of F-15 fighter jets, a sale which the Pentagon says will ensure that Qatar has “state-of-the-art” defensive capabilities. Qatar is the richest nation on the planet in per-capital GDP, but a very small nation to be spending $12 billion on warplanes.
Over the past couple of decades, oil-rich Gulf Arab states have used some of their massive oil revenue to buy US warplanes as sort of prestige pieces to trot out during parades and the like. That tensions are rising between Qatar and the other nations, who have their own large fleets of US warplanes, but this purchase in a totally different context.
The Pentagon has retained close ties with Qatar throughout the regional dispute, reflecting the fact that Qatar hosts the largest US base in the region. In addition to the arms deal, the US Navy has sent two boats into Qatari waters today to join the nation’s fleet for military exercises.
All of this comes just a day after the Ambassador from the United Arab Emirates suggested the US should move their base out of Qatar to “pressure” them. That, it seems, is not under serious consideration from the Pentagon.
Qatar should try paying half the 12 billion with no purchase of jets Jets with Qataris will be of no use.After all the purpose is to propitiate US.Let it be straight
So, let me get this straight…The Pentagon has announced a $12 billion sale of military aircraft to a country that The US president (less than 2 weeks ago) has declared, on twitter, is a “…funder of terrorism at a very high level.”
Isn’t there a US law that prohibits US companies from providing support to terrorist entities? Presumably that would include the US government, right? So, that would make Trump (and Mattis) criminals as well as terrorist sympathizers.
Nice…
Well we sell weaponry and military aircraft to Saudi Arabia, probably the #1 funder of terrorism in the Middle East.
Nothing the gummint does makes sense anymore.
No, it makes perfect sense, if you know what they are doing,
which is preparing to take out Iran.
Law? Law? What is law when the Crooked Woman walked free?
Thanks, Rush Limbaugh. I was wondering when you’d chime in.
That law exists to imprison chumps who watch the wrong YouTube videos, not patriotic American companies making money!
How many F-15’s do they get for $12 billion. Nobody even says. It does not seem to be the important point. Just the money.
Mark, it’s 36 planes.
Thanks. I found that somewhere else later, and amended my comment before I saw your reply. It is nice to get confirmation.
It is a strange way to describe an arms deal, the money but not the weapons mentioned. It betrays what matters to those publicizing it.
WIkipedia says: F-15C/D: US$29.9 million unit cost.
Of course, the “plane” itself is nothing. You need spare parts, pilots,
training, the maintenance team, the ordinance, more training,
consultancy etc. etc. etc. so this seems to be an all-in package. Note that it is customary that Middle Eastern kingdoms kiss the hand of Uncle Sam by paying (i.e. returning dollars obtained by selling oil to the homeland) a bit more than market prices would warrant. It seems to be some sort of bribery… maybe the saber-rattling will now suddenly abate.
Now F-15s are OLD planes, first developed in the 70s. The existing ones in the US start to have problems with metal fatigue and AFAIK none are being ordered. So this means someone has to reactivate the production line.
Also in deference to Israel’s technological advantage, we handicap the planes we sell for so much more money in the Gulf. They don’t have all the weapons or electronic we give to the Israelis.
“Hey guys, you need a little protection?” “You help us (by buying some weaponry), and we’ve got your back, against your bullyish neighbors”