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Original Title: US Government Promotes F-35 Sale to UAE
International media reported on the 29th that the US State Department notified Congress that the US government has agreed to sell F-35 fighter jets to the United Arab Emirates.
The United States Secretary of Defense visited Israel on the 29th and discussed with the Israeli Defense Minister how to ensure Israel’s regional military superiority.
[Impulsar la venta de armas]
Reuters cited sources who reported that the US State Department notified Congress that the government agreed to sell 50 F-35 fighters to the UAE with an estimated contract value of US $ 10 billion.
If the transaction goes smoothly, the UAE will become the first Arab country to own an F-35, and it will also be the second Middle Eastern country after Israel to have an F-35.
For decades, the United States has adhered to a military policy that favors Israel. Although it also sells weapons to other Middle Eastern allies like Saudi Arabia and Egypt, it is not the most sophisticated and advanced weapon. The goal is to ensure Israel’s superiority in weapons.
The Persian Gulf countries previously expressed strong interest in buying F-35s, but due to strong opposition from Israel, the United States was unable to make a sale. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu confirmed on the 24th that Israel agreed with the United States to sell F-35s to the United Arab Emirates.
The chairman of the House Foreign Relations Committee and Democrat Elliott Engel said the government notified Congress of the plan to sell arms through informal channels on the 28th. “This move will significantly change the military balance in the Middle East. and it will affect Israel’s military superiority … It must be made clear that the status quo of Israeli military superiority cannot be changed. “
Reuters reported that after the US government notified Congress through informal channels, the Senate Foreign Relations Committee and the House Foreign Relations Committee have the power to review or even block the sale plan. of weapons.
【Hurry up】
The sources said the US government intends to formally notify Congress of the arms sale plan in a few days. Once officially notified, Congress can pass a bill to block it.
According to Reuters, there is generally around 40 days between informal notification by the US government of orders for the sale of weapons so complex that they involve F-35 fighters and formal notification to Congress. The source said that the “rush” of the US government this time was to endeavor to sign an arms sale agreement with the UAE before UAE National Day on December 2.
The chairman of the House Foreign Relations Committee, Engel, said in a statement: “Nowhere is interested in accelerating these types of arms sales.”
Democrat Bob Menendez, a member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, said he will not immediately support the arms sale plan. “Recklessly shortening the artificial deadline schedule will only prevent a full review of (this plan). . “
Reuters reported that in addition to concerns about the challenge of Israel’s regional military superiority, some members of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee and the US House of Representatives were dissatisfied with the UAE’s military intervention in Yemen and They therefore had reservations about this arms sale plan.
[Fu Yifang]
US Defense Secretary Mark Esper met with Israel Defense Secretary Benny Gantz on the 29th to discuss how to maintain Israel’s regional military superiority.
Israel’s “New News” reported that the Israeli military has submitted an arms purchase list to the US government to ensure military superiority.
Israel currently has 24 F-35 fighters.
The military shopping list also reportedly includes the latest F-15 fighter jets, with the United States also agreeing to help Israel purchase the V-22 tilt-rotor aircraft.
A week ago, the defense chiefs of the United States and Israel met in Washington, the US capital. Shortly after Gantz visited the United States, the Israeli government announced that it had agreed with the United States to sell F-35s to the United Arab Emirates.
With the help of the United States, Israel and the United Arab Emirates announced in August that their relations would be completely normalized, and in September they signed an agreement on normalization of relations in the US White House. Netanyahu has repeatedly emphasized that Israel’s stance on the US arms sale is not part of the negotiations on the normalization of Arab-Israeli relations. UAE officials hinted that the parties “reached some kind of tacit agreement.”
The Associated Press previously reported that even if the US sells F-35s to the United Arab Emirates, it can take several years from preliminary agreement to final agreement to delivery. (Dujuan) ((special feature of Dujuan Xinhua News Agency)
