Obabababa bama and the Jets - touts Saudi fighter jet deal is thrice as nice

[Dover]

U.S. touts Saudi Arabia fighter jet deal as a foreign policy, security and economic boon


The Obama administration on Thursday hailed a new $30 billion arms deal with Saudi Arabia as both a hedge against Iranian aggression in the Persian Gulf and an economic windfall that could create thousands of U.S. jobs over the next decade.

The agreement to sell 84 top-of-the line F-15SA fighter jets to the Saudi air force also provided a needed boost to U.S. relations with the oil-rich kingdom after months of strain over the White House’s response to the Arab Spring uprisings, U.S. officials and Middle East analysts said.

The deal, which was finalized after more than a year of negotiations, was announced during a week of increased tensions with Iran, which has renewed its threat to block ship traffic through the Strait of Hormuz in response to international economic sanctions. The administration has pursued a policy of supplying advanced weapons systems to friendly Arab states to keep Iran’s regional ambitions in check.

cont'd

http://www.washingtonpost.com/world/national-security/massive-us-saudi-arms-deal-seen-as-a-foreign-policy-security-and-economic-boon/2011/12/29/gIQATNWQPP_story.html


Weapons R US.... our bidness calling card.

[dmallind]

1. What percentage of US exports are weapons? nt

[dixiegrrrrl]

2. Here are some stats for ya

USA is NUmber ONE in weapons exports:

millions of dollars:

Year:
2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010
5908 5229 5698 6866 6700 7453 8003 6288 6658 8641

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Arms_industry#World.27s_largest_arms_exporters

Also:
WASHINGTON — The United States is currently the world biggest weapons supplier — holding 30 per cent of the market — but the Obama administration has begun modifying export control regulations in hopes of enlarging the U.S. market share, according to U.S. officials.
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2010/07/29/obama-arms-exports-expand-approval_n_664551.html

Another interesting fact:
in almost every year since 1970, nearly one-half of US weapons exports have gone to an area containing roughly one-fifth of the world’s population, the Muslim World.

http://www.warisbusiness.com/2720/research/us-arms-exports-to-the-muslim-world/

[dmallind]

3. Not what I asked though - the US exports 1.3T annually - this is less than 1%

If that's our "calling card" it's a highly specific and tiny representation of our exports. Soybeans would be much better.