On AMERICABlog today, AJ Rossmiller offers a critical response to the recent “inconsistency and hypocrisy of US policy in the Middle East”. Apparently, the Bush administration has agreed to supply Saudi Arabia with 20 billion dollars worth of weaponry, “to thank the Saudis for supporting the latest, feeble U.S. peace efforts in the Middle East”.
One must wonder why President Bush would do such a thing. Saudi Arabia is not currently in conflict with any major states, and supplying them with high tech weapons will just unbalance the power situation in the Middle East. On top of that, Saudi Arabia is currently reaping in tons of profits from the rising oil prices, and with that boosting their economy, it would seem perfectly feasible that they can arm and defend themselves without external aid. Like the original article suggested, it seems that something larger is at stake and we just don’t know about it.
One has to question Bush’s motives as well: just a few days ago I questioned why he armed the Sunnis to the teeth, and suggested that once American forces leave Iraq a civil war will probably break out. And now he’s supplying Saudi Arabia with 20 BILLION dollars worth of weapons, which will defiantly upset the balance of power in that region. While I understand a nation’s need for security, I don’t think this is as simple. I really do hope that there is more than ‘American hypocrisy’ behind this, and that Bush is not supplying the Saudis because they were ‘old friends’ like AJ suggested.
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