U.S.-Saudi $90 Billion Arms Deal

The Wall Street Journal reports:

The Obama administration is set to notify Congress of plans to offer advanced aircraft to Saudi Arabia worth up to $60 billion, the largest U.S. arms deal ever, and is in talks with the kingdom about potential naval and missile-defense upgrades that could be worth tens of billions of dollars more.

The administration plans to tout the $60 billion package as a major job creator—supporting at least 75,000 jobs, according to company estimates—and sees the sale of advanced fighter jets and military helicopters to key Middle Eastern ally Riyadh as part of a broader policy aimed at shoring up Arab allies against Iran.

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In a notification to Congress, expected to be submitted this week or next, the administration will authorize the Saudis to buy as many as 84 new F-15 fighters, upgrade 70 more, and purchase three types of helicopters—70 Apaches, 72 Black Hawks and 36 Little Birds, officials said.

The notification triggers a congressional review. Lawmakers could push for changes or seek to impose conditions, and potentially block the deal, though that is not expected.

On top of the $60 billion package of fighter jets and helicopters, U.S. officials are discussing a potential $30 billion package to upgrade Saudi Arabia's naval forces. An official described these as "discreet, bilateral conversations" in which no agreement has yet been reached. That deal could include littoral combat ships, surface vessels intended for operations close to shore, the official said.

Talks are also underway to expand Saudi Arabia's ballistic-missile defenses. The U.S. is encouraging the Saudis to buy systems known as THAAD—Terminal High Altitude Defense—and to upgrade its Patriot missiles to reduce the threat from Iranian rockets. U.S. officials said it was unclear how much this package would be worth.

The U.S. has sought to build up missile defense across the region, and the Saudi package could be similar to one in the United Arab Emirates, officials said. THAAD is built by Lockheed Martin Corp. and Raytheon Co. supplies the system's radar. THAAD is the first system designed to defend against short- and intermediate-range ballistic missiles both inside and outside the Earth's atmosphere. It complements the lower-aimed Patriot missile defense system, providing a layered defense.

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The Saudis in recent years have broadened their acquisitions to include more European- and Russian-made weaponry. That thinking was partially behind Riyadh's 2007 deal to purchase dozens of Eurofighter fighter planes from BAE Systems PLC, Saudi officials said.

Pro-Israel lawmakers have voiced concerns in the past about arms sales to Saudi Arabia that they say may undercut Israel's military edge and provide support to a government with a poor human rights record.

U.S. officials say the Israelis are increasingly comfortable with the Saudi sale because the planes won't have certain long-range weapons systems. Also, the Israelis are in line to buy a more advanced fighter, the F-35, and should begin to receive them around the same time the Saudis are expected to start getting the F-15s. "We appreciate the administration's efforts to maintain Israel's qualitative military edge, and we expect to continue to discuss our concerns with the administration about the issues," said Michael Oren, the Israeli ambassador to the U.S.

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The $60 billion deal will be stretched out over five to 10 years, depending on production schedules, training, and infrastructure improvements, officials said.

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Commentary on Hariri's "Errors" Bombshell

The AFP has some commentary on Hariri's "errors" comment in Monday's edition of the Saudi daily, Asharq Al Awsat:

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"All you have to do is read the history of Lebanon to understand that there are no solutions in Lebanon without Syria," said Karim Makdisi, a political science professor at the American University of Beirut.

"Officials in Lebanon cannot be against Syria," Makdisi told AFP. "That is just not an option, and Hariri has realised that."
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... on Monday, the prime minister was quoted as saying he had erred.

"At some point, we made a mistake," Hariri told the Saudi-owned daily Asharq Al-Awsat. "At one stage, we accused Syria ... That was a political accusation, and that political accusation is over."
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Hariri's retraction, which one Lebanese daily dubbed a "political bomb," comes amid high tension in Lebanon over pending indictments by the Special Tribunal for Lebanon, a UN-backed probe into the assassination.
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Analysts say Hariri's statement to Asharq Al-Awsat is yet another attempt to contain the current tensions, which have sparked fears of renewed sectarian violence.
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"It's a precautionary move before the tribunal issues its charge sheet, which could implicate a Lebanese party, and is rooted in fear of the repercussions of that indictment," Khoury told AFP.
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"Hariri is definitely under Saudi pressure to improve ties with Syria ... and there seems to be an attempt in the region to break the Syria-Iran-Hezbollah alliance," Makdisi said.
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But Makdisi noted that Hariri stopped short of making any mention of Hezbollah.

"It is true that Hariri has never accused Hezbollah but in light of current tensions he could have gone on and openly said that he did not accuse Hezbollah, as well as Syria," Makdisi said.

Fadia Kiwan, head of the political science department at Saint Joseph University, argues that one party stands to gain from Hariri's political metamorphosis: Syria.

"After a difficult phase from 2005 to 2007, Syria's power is once again consecrated," Kiwan told AFP. "This will also put Syria's allies in Lebanon in a position of even more power.
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Al Jazeera's Beirut correspondent, Rula Amin, writes:

We have to remember this is not a very surprising turnaround. ... Hariri has been reaching out to Syria and the Syrian president in the past years since he took office and became Lebanon's prime minister. ... He went to Damascus about four times, he met with the Syrian president who drove him around Damascus in his own car, had dinner together, hosted him in his own palace.

We have to also remember the political picture here has changed in the region. When Hariri accused Syria, Syria was isolated, the US was trying to isolate it, trying even to change the regime there. ... Now Syria has emerged from its isolation as a very strong player in the region ... and so Hariri has to adjust.
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Regarding the STL, Hariri was quoted by the paper as saying, "the tribunal is not linked to the political accusations, which were hasty ... The tribunal will only look at evidence."

Meanwhile, Syria's unofficial spokesman in Lebanon, Wiam Wahab seemed to welcome the statement, even while calling for the labeling as an "Israeli agent" anyone that finances the Special Tribunal for Lebanon, and attacking the Prime Minister for "six childish years", Naharnet reports.

Wahab has also recently been vocal in his reminders of Syrian readiness and willingness to intervene if any "strife" were to arise, as well as continuous attacks against the STL, UNIFIL, and the pro-sovereignty March 14 movement.

Wahab has, in the past, accused Saudi Arabia of assassinating former Prime Minister Rafik Hariri.

Related Posts:

• March 8 Parties Petition for STL's Dissolution
• Interview with STL Prosecutor Daniel Bellemare
• Syria's Message: Us or Hizballah

Horrid Abuse in Saudi Arabia

Its hard to believe that this - 24 nails driven into this mother of three's body - took place over a span of a month. One month! BBCNews reports:

Ms Ariyawathie, a mother of three, travelled to Saudi Arabia in March to become a housemaid.

Detail of an X-ray film showing nails in hand of Sri Lankan housemaid Doctors say this X-ray shows nails embedded in the housemaid's hand

Last week, she flew back to Sri Lanka and was admitted to hospital in the south of the island, where she told doctors she had undergone abuse for more than a month.

"When we checked her, we found 24 metal pieces in her legs and hands. She still can't properly sit down and walk," Dr Kamal Weerathunga told BBC Sandeshaya.

This case is truly tragic, reprehensible and deserving of investigation (at the very least) by the authorities in Saudi Arabia. Of course, this isn't the first time this has happened in the oil kingdom, and it likely won't be the last.