Arms Deal with Saudi Arabia Over Khashoggi

[handmade34]

Good interview this morning with Jennifer Spindel, Assistant Professor in the Department of International and Area Studies at the University of Oklahoma, on NPR... will be available online later... DT once again misleads in his explanation of why the arms deal must go through...

https://www.npr.org/2018/10/16/657724950/trump-won-t-jeopardize-saudi-arms-deal-despite-crisis-over-missing-journalist

With Arms Sales, “It’s Not Just the Economy, Stupid”

Even if Saudi Arabia proved the crucial market to keeping US production lines open, Trump is overlooking the foreign policy signal that the arms sales send. By continuing to supply Saudi Arabia with arms, the US is tacitly endorsing Saudi actions. Congress should, at the very least, suspend arms sales to Saudi Arabia. The State Department approved $1 billion worth of sales to the kingdom in March – delaying the transfer of TOW anti-tank missiles would be one clear way to signal US displeasure with Saudi Arabia. Otherwise, why should Saudi Arabia cooperate with investigations into the disappearance of Khashoggi, or modify its policy in Yemen? In the realm of international politics, talk is cheap; actions matter. Cutting off arms sales or switching suppliers is one way states can signal their dissatisfaction with partners, as Turkey so clearly did by purchasing the S-400. The political stakes of arms sales are high – and it is crucial that policymakers consider that political significance in their arms sales decision calculus along with economic and military considerations.

http://duckofminerva.com/2018/10/with-arms-sales-its-not-just-the-economy-stupid.html

[TreasonousBastard]

1. This is crack dealer ethics: "Somebody's going to sell the stuff-- may as well be me."

And wtf do they need those arms for? Resell to Palestinians to attack Israel? Sneak into Afghanistan or Iran?

Inflict more damage on Yemen?

In my lifetime Grumman used to use surplus aluminum to make their famous canoes...

http://www.marathonboat.com/about.asp

In the summer of 1944, after portaging a heavy wood and canvas canoe on a fishing trip in the Adirondack Mountains, William Hoffman, Vice President of Grumman Aircraft Engineering, had an idea: What about making a canoe from the same lightweight, stretch-formed aluminum that Grumman had used to become the single largest producer of carrier-based fighter planes during World War II?

So, General Dynamics can't make something else, too?

[handmade34]

3. like the Grumman info!

the point that Spindel was making, along with the obvious, is that economically, not selling the arms is not a big deal for us or our jobs... and yah, DT really is a 'crack' dealer

[duforsure]

2. I agree

But its what's under the table for trump from them that's making him lie for them now. trump and this prince are very corrupt and have no regard for the laws.

[Scarsdale]

4. Exactly.

tRump is getting something out of this deal. He has never considered American workers before, why start now?

[TwistOneUp]

5. Is there any relation?

Between this Kashoggi and Adnan Kashoggi, the once-notorious arms dealer?