US arms sales to Arab allies show a shift in Mideast policy
Last week, the State Department approved a possible $70 million arms deal with Jordan that will include guided multiple launch rocket systems, alternate warheads, unitary rocket pods, and related equipment.
“This proposed sale will support the foreign policy and national security of the United States by helping to improve the security of a major non-NATO ally that is an important force for political stability and economic progress in the Middle East,” the State Department said in a statement.
Also approved earlier this month were three other arm deals: the $4.21 billion sale of 16 F-16 C/D Block 70 aircraft to Jordan; the $23.7 million sale to Saudi Arabia of MIDS-LVT (a high-tech air defense tactical system) and related equipment; and a $65 million sale to the UAE of various parts, systems, and related equipment to maintain air defense programs.
Although these arms deals with regional allies shouldn’t come as a surprise, the string of announcements raises the question — why did the US approve them all at once?
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