Critics Slam Obama Administration for 'Hiding' Massive Saudi Arms Deal

[Psephos]

Source: ABC News

Largest Arms Deal In U.S. History Pushed While Congress In Recess

The Obama administration has quietly forged ahead with its proposal to sell $60 billion worth of fighter jets and attack helicopters to Saudi Arabia unhampered by Congress, despite questions raised in legislative inquiries and in an internal congressional report about the wisdom of the deal. The massive arms deal would be the single largest sale of weapons to a foreign nation in the history of the U.S., outfitting Saudi Arabia with a fully modernized, potent new air force.

"Our six-decade-long security relationship with Saudi Arabia is a primary security pillar in the region," Defense Sec. Robert M. Gates and Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton wrote in a Nov. 16 letter to congress. "This package continues that tradition."

But some critics are questioning the deal, and the stealthy effort by the Obama administration to avoid a more probing congressional review by notifying Congress last month, just as members were headed home for the November elections. Congress had 30 days to raise objections -- a review period that concludes Saturday. With most members leaving Washington today, any significant effort to block the deal appears dead for now, officials said.

Read more: http://abcnews.go.com/Blotter/critics-slam-obama-administration-hiding-massive-saudi-arms/story?id=12192558

[sarcasmo]

1. No surprise here, the only thing our Government knows is military hardware.

[ProudDad]

2. Number one arms dealer in the world!!!

We're number 1, We're number 1

USA! USA!! USA!!!

fuck...

[lovuian]

3. Saudis and Osama Bin Laudin go hand and hand

we just gave more terrorists weapons

Obama What are you thinking

[bergie321]

8. If we don't

Who will we go to war with? We must remain constantly at war. Our entire economy is based off of war.

[saigon68]

14. He doesn't think

Hey where's his Brain Rahm???

[babylonsister]

4. What a bunch of crap. It wasn't hidden just because abc

or critics couldn't find it...maybe they should read DU.

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=389x9589427

Saudi Arms Deal Advances (WH to Notify Congress Soon of $60 Billion Package, Largest Ever for US)

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=102x4581501

US confirms $60bn Saudi arms deal

[DFLforever]

10. I'm no one living out in the middle of nowhere

and I've know about it for over a month!

Haven't people been calling for JOBS JOBS JOBS - well, here they are.

[leveymg]

5. This is comical! The next move will be to GIVE Israel $60 billion of the same weapons systems -

that's the way it always works. We're paying for it both ways. You want to pay at the pump, and then you pay interest on the national debt. What's another $120 billion, in the bigger scheme of things, right?

[FarLeftFist]

6. Doesn't $60 Billion only buy about 2 planes and a helicopter nowadays?

[Independem]

7. US trade drive in India includes arms and civil nuclear material

US trade drive in India includes arms and civil nuclear material


Over 200 US corporate chiefs are accompanying Mr Obama, including Jeffrey Inmelt of GE, seeking to sell to India civil nuclear equipment worth billions of dollars. They are to attend a meeting of business leaders in Bombay (Mumbai), where the US president begins his visit at the weekend as part of the trade push. Some contract announcements are expected.

http://www.irishtimes.com/newspaper/world/2010/1106/1224282789303.html

Did anyone think 200 business men went to sell candy bars?

[jwirr]

9. It is how we keep our economy going! This is the one of thing we make

in this country. See our economy is recovering. :sarcasm:

[demosincebirth]

11. Hiding? I read about it two months ago.

[WestSeattle2]

12. This is about checking Iran. We are never going to allow Iran to be

the most powerful player in that neighborhood.

[earcandle]

13. I just hope they are not used against us in some trojan horse invasion from up the mississippi...