Amid recent acrimony with Saudi Arabia and other members of the GCC, Qatar has announced $23 billion in arms contracts today, including massive orders of attack helicopters from both Boeing and Airbus.
In addition to the attack helicopters, Qatar is purchasing weapons from other US arms dealers like Lockheed Martin and Raytheon, including Patriot missile defense systems and “other weapons.”
Though officials downplayed the significance of the announcement, it comes just one day before President Obama’s scheduled visit to Riyadh to meet with the Saudi King, and with Saudi Arabia and Qatar harshly at odds, it’s sure to be at least mentioned during the talks.
All of the GCC nations spend huge portions of their budgets on arms purchases, using their vast oil revenue to buy extremely modern weaponry despite none of the nations having any significant wars on the horizon. The purchases are often used by leaders to prove their own power, and with the Obama Administration so interested in increasing weapons exports, the US has been only too willing to provide them with pricey new arms.
"the US is only too willing to supply them with pricey new arms"
What are the chances that these "pricey new arms" may one day , in the not too distant future, be turned against America and American assets in the Middle East?
Like (all) puppet regimes propped up by the US,
these (pricey new arms) are intended to be used
against civilian uprisings.
The last thing the Empire wants is (another)
Arab spring.
With Qatar pushing the US and our NATO allies into attacking Syria so that the oil sheiks can destroy Iran's ally, it makes sense that they would sweeten the offer. What is the French for prostitute?
US or for that matter EU Democracy imported with $23 billion arms deal attached, depending how you interpret the idea? either way, some of it will land in Syria and going to be used by the UAE mercenaries.
Qatar is investing $ 23 Billion in new weapons.
Now they have to buy the soldiers who are fighting for them.Because they are too busy with shopping.