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Re: Wonder who we will be fighting in 10-20 years?
Hope it's not the Saudi's
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Bush delivers major arms sale on visit to Saudi Arabia
US President George W. Bush, on his first visit to this oil-rich kingdom, delivered a major arms sale Monday to a key ally in a region where the US casts neighboring Iran as a menace to stability.
Bush's talks with Saudi King Abdullah, which began over dinner and were continuing with late-night meetings, also were expected to cover peace between Israelis and Palestinians and democracy in the Middle East.
Coinciding with Bush's trip, the Bush administration in Washington notified Congress on Monday that it would offer Saudi Arabia the chance to buy sophisticated Joint Direct Attack Munitions - or "smart bomb" - technology and related equipment, the State Department said. The administration envisions the transfer of 900 of the precision-guided bomb kits, worth US$123 million, that would give the kingdom's armed forces highly accurate targeting abilities.
The proposed deal follows notification of five other packages to Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates and Kuwait, bringing to US$11.5 billion the amount of advanced US weaponry, including Patriot missiles, that the administration has announced it will provide to friendly Arab nations, State Department spokesman Sean McCormack said. Administration officials say the total amount of eventual sales as part of the Gulf Security Dialogue is estimated at $20 billion, a figure subject to actual purchases.
The arms packages are an important part of the US strategy to bolster the defenses of oil-producing Gulf nations, such as Saudi Arabia, against threats from Iran. Saudi Arabia and other Gulf states, which have majority Sunni Muslim populations, harbor deep suspicions about Shiite Iran's apparent designs to establish itself as a major power.
Congress already has been briefed on all the packages, which also include the sale of the Navy's Littoral Combat system. Lawmakers mostly see the deals as critical to maintaining relations with war-on-terror allies. Some are opposed to the JDAMs portion out of concern that it gives Saudi Arabia the ability to attack Israel, but are unlikely to muster the two-thirds majority needed, within an allowed 30-day period, to block the sales.
The administration has assured lawmakers in closed briefings in recent months that there would be proper restrictions on the JDAMs sales to ensure they would not threaten to Israel. Israel, which has been sold JDAMs technology by the US as well, also has said it does not oppose the deal.
White House counselor Ed Gillespie said he did not know if the president and the king had discussed rising oil prices, but he said the subject has come up on this trip, particularly in terms of Bush's goals for developing alternate fuels and sources of energy, including nuclear power. The Saudis are responsible for almost one-third of OPEC's total output. Gillespie said Mideast leaders "talked about the nature of the market and the vast demand that's on the world market today for oil," something he called "a legitimate and accurate point."
Another item for possible discussion were the democratic principles Bush has promoted during his trip. While Abdullah has tried to push some reforms on education and women's rights and there have been limited municipal council elections, the king has been cautious and limited in his efforts. He apparently has been hampered by others in the royal family worried that fast changes could upset the country's conservative clerics and citizens.
After arriving Monday afternoon in Riyadh from Dubai, Bush expected to hear Abdullah urge him to keep up the pressure on Israel to halt settlements in Palestinian territories. The administration was able to persuade the Saudis to participate in the US-sponsored Middle East peace conference in Annapolis, Md., in November.
Re: Wonder who we will be fighting in 10-20 years?
[b]Coinciding with Bush's trip, the Bush administration in Washington notified Congress on Monday that it would offer Saudi Arabia the chance to buy sophisticated Joint Direct Attack Munitions - or "smart bomb" - technology and related equipment, the State Department said. The administration envisions the transfer of 900 of the precision-guided bomb kits, worth US$123 million, that would give the kingdom's armed forces highly accurate targeting abilities.
Hahaha, didn't Bush just guarantee he'd get a peace treaty for the Middle East signed by the end of the year?! Is this part of his 'strategery'?! 
Re: Wonder who we will be fighting in 10-20 years?
One of the biggest Anti-Bush things here... is the Human rights issue...
The Saudi have some of the worst in the world...
The US, kinda hypocritcial on this... considering Iraq.
Re: Wonder who we will be fighting in 10-20 years?
Bush is a fucking moron on an unprecedented scale. Lets give the Saudis kick ass weapons so Russia will do the same with Iran, Syria, and Jordan!!
Yay us!!
THAT is the stuff that scares me. Not militants in Iraq.
Re: Wonder who we will be fighting in 10-20 years?
One of the biggest Anti-Bush things here... is the Human rights issue...
The Saudi have some of the worst in the world...
The US, kinda hypocritcial on this... considering Iraq.
Africa is terrible at Human rights as well, worse than Iraq. Countries like Nigeria, Kenya, Somalia are run by ganglords & corrupt Kings. No US war there is there. Funny how a Texas President chooses war in a oil rich country over an African country that has similar causes.
Re: Wonder who we will be fighting in 10-20 years?
Out of curiosity how much does the US spend on research into oil alternative research each year, cause it won't be around forever even with a few discounts from Saudi Arabia....
Re: Wonder who we will be fighting in 10-20 years?
Out of curiosity how much does the US spend on research into oil alternative research each year, cause it won't be around forever even with a few discounts from Saudi Arabia....
E85 is the new 'future' thing. Hopefully it works, because it's made out of corn oil. So American Farmers could grow it and convert it into oil. Some cars are able to run off of both it & regular gas. I think all GM's can (Chevy Pontiac Caddy Buick etc) or at least alot of them. There was something on 60 minutes about it. And there were these farmers who pooled there money togehter & mortgaged their farms. The had a refinery built & it converts corn into E85 fuel. Apparently it's been really successful for them, as they are one of a few who make it, so I give them alot of credit for taking such a risk.
Re: Wonder who we will be fighting in 10-20 years?
AtariLegend wrote:Out of curiosity how much does the US spend on research into oil alternative research each year, cause it won't be around forever even with a few discounts from Saudi Arabia....
E85 is the new 'future' thing. Hopefully it works, because it's made out of corn oil. So American Farmers could grow it and convert it into oil. Some cars are able to run off of both it & regular gas. I think all GM's can (Chevy Pontiac Caddy Buick etc) or at least alot of them. There was something on 60 minutes about it. And there were these farmers who pooled there money togehter & mortgaged their farms. The had a refinery built & it converts corn into E85 fuel. Apparently it's been really successful for them, as they are one of a few who make it, so I give them alot of credit for taking such a risk.
Yeah, food for oil...great idea. Why eat, when I can drive, right?
I think there's plenty of oil left out there.
Re: Wonder who we will be fighting in 10-20 years?
Yeah, food for oil...great idea. Why eat, when I can drive, right?
That's funny. Did you know that the government actually pays farmers to NOT sell corn. Yeah, they subsidize it so that it doesn't lower the cost of corn, so smaller farmer can remain competitive. So, there's tons of corn that sits in silo's unsold. And the government pays them to NOT sell it. I don't think we'll starve over it, there's plenty more corn that can be grown.
I think there's plenty of oil left out there.
Ever hear of China & India?? There's starting to buy cars now. That's 2 billion residents as opposed to USA's 300 million. By some estimates, oil will begin to phase out in about 30 years. It's good to be proactive sometimes.
Besides, who in their right mind would complain about E85, that's just retarded. EVERYTHING about it makes sense. I just don't get it. 
