U.S. readying Saudi arms deal, official confirms.
What is this? A neat way to make a cool $20 billion? How do people condone this?
The official, speaking on condition of anonymity as the deal has not yet been officially announced or completed, said the administration hoped to present the package to the U.S. Congress for approval in the fall.
So, let me do a little speculating here. If the administration leaks this plan to the people ahead of time, we won't feel as though they're planning on doing something underhanded, because, hey, we've been told ahead of time. This isn't like the CIA training rebels in foreign lands to oust their legitimately-elected governments behind our backs; the US government, good samaritan organization that it is, simply wants to help level the playing field in the Middle East. It's only fair, right?
Give me a break.
And another quote, with boldface highlights by me:
Washington is striving to assure Gulf allies, worried by the growing strength of Iran and war in Iraq, that the United States is committed to the region and will stand by them, with arms sales part of that process, U.S. officials say.
To what are we committing ourselves? Are we committing to providing humanitarian relief for displaced families? Medical and sanitation supplies and infrastructure for Iraqi and Afghan refugees?
No. Our government wants to sell weapons - $20 billion worth of weapons - to build up the militaries of Middle Eastern nations, including Saudi Arabia. Saudi Arabia, which sanctions human rights violations on par with those of China. Saudi Arabia, who allows militants to cross into Iraq who then, in turn, try to kill US soldiers (who shouldn't be there, anyway, but that's neither here nor there...).
Yes. Let's arm more people in the Middle East. It certainly won't affect the innocent children who live there, as there's no way that they could possibly be in the line of fire, ever. It won't break up any families or affect the living conditions of civilians. It won't drive doctors out of hospitals or teachers out of schools in order to seek safety in other lands. What a brilliant, visionary plan! </ sarcasm>
And let me reiterate my extreme loathing and hatred for our elected government officials. I've never felt so helpless and useless as a citizen and fairly decent human being in all my life. It's gone beyond frustration. What can we, as citizens, do to get them to change their policies? When the leaders don't listen to the people (whether the people in question voted for them or not), is the democratic state over?
"This isn't an arming of the Middle East," the official said. "This is part of a continual, deliberate program."
You know what? You can go take your "continual, deliberate program" (definitely nothing clandestine going on here! Uh-uh!) and shove it right up your collective %#*@-!