US gimps Saudi deal over Israeli concerns

Monday August 09, 2010 23:32 by Brian Ennis - IMEMC & Agencies

The US has agreed to sell Saudi Arabia fighter jets but without critical equipment over Israeli concerns of long-term Saudi intentions.

Photo by Jon 'ShakataGaNai' Davis

As the US was set to sell Saudi Arabia many new F-15 fighter jets, the country found itself renegotiating the terms of the deal due to Israeli questions of the deal.

According to a Haaretz source, Israel had been trying to prevent the sale of fighter jets to Saudi Arabia where were to upgrade a large number of jets already in service.

Twice Israel made its concerns with the sale apparent to the US leadership.

The US maintains that no changes in the deal were made rather, 'clarifications' were offered to the Israeli leadership.

The planes being sold to Saudi Arabia will not have long-range weapons capabilities or onboard targeting systems equal to those of the United States but rather inferior ones sold to foreign nations.

An Israeli source was quoted as saying, "Today these planes are against Iran, tomorrow they might turn against us."

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