Is Iran Triggering A Middle East Arms Race?

Bloomberg: Iran Deal Didn't Trigger the Middle East Arms Race

Critics of the Obama administration's Iran nuclear deal warn that, among other faults, it is setting off a new Middle East arms race. In Qatar this week, Secretary of State John Kerry seemingly admitted as much, saying that Washington had "agreed to expedite certain arms sales that are needed and that have taken too long in the past."

And how: Just weeks after the pact was announced, Saudi Arabia signed up to buy 600 Patriot missiles from the U.S. at $5 billion, and it is expected to purchase 10 Sikorsky MH-60R naval helicopters. Qatar has inked a $17 billion contract for French-made Rafale fighter jets, and wants to buy Boeing F-15s. Kuwait recently bought 28 F-18 Super Hornets. The United Arab Emirates is expecting $200 million worth of General Atomics Predator drones next year. (Iran, soon to be relieved of sanctions, has a deal with Russia for a missile-defense system and is eyeing French and Russian fighters.)

But the arc of history shows that the checkbook bellicosity of the Gulf monarchies is hardly new. The hyper-arming of the Middle East actually dates to the mid-2000s, before the U.S. and its partners began negotiating in earnest with Tehran over nuclear weapons.

WNU Editor: For as long as I can remember .... the Middle East has always been buying arms and weapon systems ....and  doubly so in the past decade. Is Iran the reason for this arms build-up .... I would say partly yes .... but much of this buying has been due to other factors. Factors such as Israel, the withdrawal of U.S. forces from Iraq, the rise of radical Islam, .... just to name a few. But what is worrisome is the possibility of a nuclear arms race. The Iranian nuclear agreement freezes Iran's program for the moment .... and while everyone in the international community are confident that inspections will insure compliance from Iran .... the problem is that many in the region who live beside Iran are not so sure, and they may in turn pursue the same nuclear program that Iran has developed n the past decade. If that becomes the case .... expect military spending in the region to  explode exponentially.