Posted on 06/02/2004 4:34:05 PM PDT by SJackson
EGYPT EXPECTED TO PROCURE PAC-3 BY 2009
[IMRA: Prime Minister Ariel Sharon's decision to invite Egypt into the Gaza Strip can be expected to lead to the removal of any possible remaining restrictions on the arming of Egypt with the most advanced American weapons systems as part of Egypt's program to prepare itself for action against an unnamed country situated to the east of the Sinai Peninsula (that happens to be occupy the same space on the globe as Israel). As an additional bonus, Egypt can expect to be rewarded for its cooperation with a "benign neglect" aproach towards Egypt's ongoing WMD programs.]
WASHINGTON [MENL] -- The United States expects Egypt to procure the PAC-3 missile defense system by the end of the decade.
Officials said the U.S. Defense Department and Egypt's Defense Ministry have discussed an Egyptian purchase of the PAC-3 as part of a long-term plan to include Cairo in a U.S.-led effort to protect the United States and its allies against short-range ballistic missiles. They said Egypt has agreed to eventually procure the PAC-3 system, but stressed that this would not take place for another few years.
U.S. Central Command chief Gen. John Abizaid said Egypt will procure the PAC-3 system with U.S. military aid by 2009. Abizaid said the PAC-3 would be one of several major U.S. military platforms that will be purchased by Cairo in an effort to enhance and modernize its military.
"Our objective is to assist Egypt modernize all branches of their armed forces," Abizaid told the House Armed Services Committee. "Annually, we provide $1.3 billion for the procurement of U.S. manufactured weapons systems and support. These include the Patriot PAC-3, Avenger, Stinger Block 1, extended-range MLRS, etc. over the next five years."
NOTE: The above is not the full item. This service contains only a small portion of the information produced daily by Middle East Newsline. For a subscription to the full service, please contact Middle East Newsline at: editor@menewsline.com for further details.
This is stupid. No majority Moslem country should be sold any weapons, at all. Are we suicidal? We didn't sell the Ruskies jet fighters during the cold war.
Didn't Sadat turn down an offer re: Gaza with Begin?
Begin is said to have offered it to Sadat, who turned it down. True or not, Sadat clearly had no interest in keeping Gaza, it never came up.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.