Posted on 07/27/2007 9:28:00 PM PDT by sukhoi-30mki
U.S. Set to Offer Huge Arms Deal to Saudi Arabia
By DAVID S. CLOUD
Published: July 28, 2007
WASHINGTON, July 27 — The Bush administration is preparing to ask Congress to approve an arms sale package for Saudi Arabia and its neighbors that is expected to eventually total $20 billion at a time when some United States officials contend that the Saudis are playing a counterproductive role in Iraq.
The proposed package of advanced weaponry for Saudi Arabia, which includes advanced satellite-guided bombs, upgrades to its fighters and new naval vessels, has made Israel and some of its supporters in Congress nervous. Senior officials who described the package on Friday said they believed that the administration had resolved those concerns, in part by promising Israel $30.4 billion in military aid over the next decade, a significant increase over what Israel has received in the past 10 years.
But administration officials remained concerned that the size of the package and the advanced weaponry it contains, as well as broader concerns about Saudi Arabia’s role in Iraq, could prompt Saudi critics in Congress to oppose the package when Congress is formally notified about the deal this fall.
In talks about the package, the administration has not sought specific assurances from Saudi Arabia that it would be more supportive of the American effort in Iraq as a condition of receiving the arms package, the officials said.
(Excerpt) Read more at nytimes.com ...
All of our vehicles have been up armored at depots and forward positions in SWA. They didn't use scrap metal. The IEDs are primarily effective today because of Iranian-supplied explosives, the so-called Explosive-formed-penetrators.
Ping.
Sell $20 billion of weapons to Saudi and give $30 billion to Israel. Sure is a strange business.
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1872981/posts
Bush to Urge Arms Sale to Saudi Arabia, Gulf States (Update3)
an effort by the Bush administration to counter Iran's rising influence.
Thanks Ernest.
Balad F-16s destroy terrorist training camp
Air Force Link | Maj. Robert Couse-Baker
Posted on 07/28/2007 4:09:19 PM EDT by SandRat
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1873023/posts
Saudi turns his back on jihad
Associated Press via Yahoo! News | 2007 Jul 29 | Donna Abu-Nasr
Posted on 07/28/2007 2:02:56 PM EDT by Wiz
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1872981/posts
Iraqi security forces & U.S. advisors battle Mahdi Army in Karbala
The Fourth Rail | July 27, 2007 3:57 PM | Bill Roggio
Posted on 07/28/2007 1:08:05 PM EDT by Ernest_at_the_Beach
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1872965/posts
Pvt. Beauchamp: In Big Trouble Either Way
realclearpolitics.com | July 27, 2007 | Jack Kelly
Posted on 07/27/2007 2:38:47 AM EDT by neverdem
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1872298/posts
“Invade their countries , kill their leaders and convert their people to Christianity “
Ann Coulter
There may be dumber ideas, but I’ve not heard one this week.
“Muslims are instructed by the koran to lie to the infidels.”
Taqiyya is a Shi`i concept for self-preservation and is not an all-purpose justification of falsehood.
Daniel Pipes
http://www.danielpipes.org/comments/3518
____________________________________________
Taqiyya
http://i-cias.com/e.o/taqiyya.htm
Taqiyya
Arabic: ‘at-taqiyya
Other spelling: taqiyah
In the Middle East, but especially Islam, the concealment of belief, as a method of self-protection. Taqiyya is allowed, and performed, when necessary to avoid death or injury to oneself or other Muslims. Taqiyya is mainly considered as a part of Shi’i theology or modern-day Islamism.
Taqiyya may be translated with ‘fear’ and ‘caution’. It is closely related to the term katm or kitman, ‘concealment’. Taqiyya is in many cases linked with regulations of how Muslims should act with non-Muslims.
The rules concerning the true intention of taqiyya are strict, and abusers of taqiyya will be punished by God.
The permission to conceal the faith is believed to be admitted by the Koran:
Koran 16
108 ... unless it be one who is forced and whose heart is quiet in the faith...
Koran 3
27 ... If you hide that which is in your breasts, or if you show it, God knows it...
Some interpret Muhammad to have performed taqiyya, too, when migrating to Yathrib (later Madina) instead of risking his life staying in Mecca. This interpretation may seem doubtful, but has importance with Muslims in order to legitimize taqiyya. It must be stressed that the two Koran verses above seem to allow acts of taqiyya; they even seem to allow it indiscriminately, meaning that it is up to the individual to decide when it is fit to conceal all or parts of his/her faith.
Traditionally, a majority of Sunnis will not accept taqiyya, arguing that it is an expression of lack of faith in God. Yet, there are Sunni theologians who defend the use of taqiyya, stating that the faith in the heart is what counts, not outward expressions, like with the historian and theologian Tabari (8th/9th century).
With several Shi’i groups, like the Twelvers and the Zaydis, taqiyya has been defined as a fundamental tenet of faith. In some cases, taqiyya has been held as a distinguishing factor between them and the Sunni majority. There are many stories of Shi’i heroes breaking the regulations of his religion to achieve his goals. Unnecessary martyrdom is something that a Shi’i should avoid. With the Assassins, a Shi’i orientation, taqiyya has been an important technique. Entering taqiyya should be done with a niya, the intention, in order to clarify the true intention to conceal one’s ideas.
Also, the Ibadis allow the use of taqiyya. Among the Ibadis it is said that “the taqiyya is a cloak for the believer: he who has no religion has no taqiyya.”
All this may be seen in terms of who have been dominating the Muslim world over the centuries and not. For Shi’is taqiyya has been seen as vital for the survival of individuals and sects, while Sunnis most of the time have not had to take such considerations.
With modern day’s immigration to Western societies, it appears that even Sunnis have applied a Shi’i-like use of taqiyya to avoid different problems with their new societies.
Rules as to when taqiyya is permitted and not, has been set down. A Muslim facing corporal punishment or imprisonment may not perform taqiyya to avoid this. A male with family responsibilities may perform taqiyya if his wife(s) and children are in danger.
In recent years, taqiyya has often been used by militant Islamists, who usually are Sunnis. In preparation for terrorist attacks, using taqiyya has been part of covering their tracks. The world saw a very illustrative example of taqiyya with the 911 (September 11, 2005) attack on USA, when the local al-Qaida leaders went to bars and drank alcohol shortly before initiating their suicide attacks.
Facing persecution from Muslims, some religions of the Middle East have accepted to be labelled as belonging to Islam. For more, see Taqiyya religions, which involves about 22 million people.
Whether you take the Saudis at their word that they have stopped funding the spread of the fanatic sects is up to you. Of course many experts are very skeptical of their claims as you know. My point is that they are the ones primarily responsible for Islamic Fascist because they were the primary source of funding for them for many many years before 9/11 and are therefore the creators of this monster. But sure, lets give them some of our best weapons. Once again the Bush administration is too brilliant to bother with reason too smart to bother with sensibility. The normal rules of the universe don’t apply. Its worked so well for them thus far hasn’t it.
The sad part about it is that they are more vocal on this forum than ever before.
China paid us too during the Clinton years. Did that make you any happier about it?
NO.
Yes
Anyway since you brain cannot comprehend these facts I think we should not argue anymore.
NO!
Wall Street Journal
U.S. Tracks Saudi Bank Favored by Extremists
Author: Glenn R. Simpson
Dated: 07/29/2007
Officials Debated What To Do About Al Rajhi, Intelligence Files Show
http://www.islamdaily.net/EN/Contents.aspx?AID=5841
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