Saturday, December 28, 2013

France Wants To Sell Billions In Arms To Saudi Arabia


France Tries To Supplant US As Saudi Arabia's Arms Supplier -- Al- Monitor

Three issues are on the desk of French President Francois Hollande and Saudi King Abdullah: Lebanon, Syria and Iran.

The top priority of the French president, who's visiting Saudi Arabia Dec. 29-30, is to conclude an unprecedented arms deal with Saudi Arabia, thus exploiting the chill in US-Saudi relations and entering the oil region’s largest arms market, which has spent more than $70 billion during in one decade to accumulate the region’s largest arsenal.

Hollande wishes to gradually supplant America in this market in case America keeps retreating from the crises of the Middle East and Central Asia, and if America’s nuclear understanding with Tehran is consecrated.

Listening to one of Elysee’s advisers review the French rapprochement with Saudi Arabia helps one understand the nature of future expectations, and how the two countries are working together to tackle upcoming events, not only in Lebanon, but also in French-Arab relations.

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My Comment: The French are well placed to replace the U.S. in supplying weapon systems to the Gulf .... what I am surprised about is the lack of U.S. response to this development.

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