West Asia News and Discussions

shyamd · Post by **shyamd** » 20 Aug 2010 01:31

Arab nations aren't very prepared for offensive strikes. It will take a joint effort. Qatar and Oman have already warmed up and got used to Iran being the power in the neighbourhood.

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Israel and Palestine to start direct peace negotiations.

rgsrini · Post by **rgsrini** » 20 Aug 2010 01:50

ramana wrote:Israel won't do that and wants massa to do the needful. Massa wants Isreal to do it. So they can be clean.

Neither is going to do it.

I was listening to FOX today and one of the analysts mentioned "the fact that they are talking about this indicates that they are not going to attack in the next 7 or 8 days".

shyamd · Post by **shyamd** » 20 Aug 2010 05:51

FWIW

Air crash near Bushehr, drones slam into reactor dome

DEBKAfile Exclusive Report August 17, 2010, 6:08 PM (GMT+02:00)

Two mysterious incidents are reported by debkafile in the run-up to the fueling up of Iran's first nuclear reactor Saturday, Aug. 21
Tuesday, Aug. 17, an Iranian F4 Phantom fighter jet was claimed by Tehran to have crashed 6 kilometers north of the Bushehr nuclear reactor in southern Iran. debkafile's military sources report it was shot down by Russian-made TOR-M1 air-missile defense batteries guarding the reactor. A local government official Gholam Reza Keshtkar said the pilot and co-pilot ejected from the plane before it crashed and were rushed to hospital.
The TOR-M1 is designed to intercept planes or missiles coming in at medium or very low altitudes in case of American or Israeli attack.
Our sources ask: How did the Phantom penetrate to a distance of 6 kilometers from the reactor when its skies up to a 20-kilometer radius are a no-fly zone?
Perhaps the Bushehr's air defense system is slow to pick up intruders - although it is known to have been on high alert since a previous incident on Aug. 1. Or else it may been activated when inquiries to Iranian Air Force command about the jet's identity and mission failed to elicit a satisfactory reply.
Our Iranian sources report extreme edginess in Tehran ahead of August 21 when the Russian-built Bushehr reactor enters its first operational phase in the presence of high-ranking officials from Moscow.
Tuesday afternoon, after the fighter jet crashed, the foreign ministry spokesman Ramin Mehmanparast warned "any aggression against the Bushehr nuclear plant can provoke serious reactions. Based on international rules, a facility with nuclear fuel cannot be damaged"
All the Bushehr defensive systems have been on the highest alert since a previous incident first revealed on Aug. 6 by DEBKA-Net-Weekly 456:.
On Aug. 1, three unidentified UAVs slammed into the reactor buildings, scaring the townspeople who were sure the plant was under American or Israeli attack.

After the heads of government in Tehran put their heads together to try and identify the drones, without success, the defense ministry emerged with a communiqué reporting that a single drone had crashed on the nuclear reactor's dome, but insisted it was launched by Iran's Revolutionary Guards to test the alertness of the air defense personnel guarding it and the effectiveness of its anti-air radar system.
According to DEBKA-Net-Weekly's Iranian and intelligence sources, Bushehr citizens were sure they heard three mighty explosions - not one. So the deputy district governor for security affairs, Mohammad Hossein Shenidi, who is responsible for safeguarding Bushehr and its reactors against air or missile attacks, pitched in with a lighter version of the communiqué: A single drone had indeed been fired, he admitted, but it carried no explosives because its only purpose was to simulate a loud bang to check the level of local alertness.
According to our sources, the townspeople were correct: Three drones hit the reactor killing at least five of its staff members.
Tuesday afternoon, another Iranian high-up, defense minister Brig. Gen. Ahmad Vahidi, talked to reporters. He declared that the "long range UAV called Karrar would be unveiled on this day" - an apparent reference to the debkafile report of Monday, Aug. 16, that the death of Iran's drone program head Reza Baruni had buried the program for years go come.
Regarding the delay in Moscow's delivery of S-300 anti-aircraft missile system, Vahidi declared: "We build whatever we want inside the country… and the production of long-range air defense system in Iran is already on the agenda of the defense ministry."
Former US envoy to the UN John Bolton Tuesday Aug. 17 repeated his warning that Israel has "eight days" to launch a military strike against Bushehr and stop Tehran from acquiring a functioning atomic plant. Once Russian loads it with fuel on Saturday, it will be too late because any attack would spread radiation and affect Iranian citizens, he said.
In the absence of an Israeli strike, said Bolton, "Iran will achieve something that no other opponent of Israel, no other opponent of the US in the Middle East really has and that is a functioning nuclear reactor."

shyamd · Post by **shyamd** » 21 Aug 2010 05:48

As I have mentioned, the Iraqi elections have occurred but the parties are yet to agree on forming a govt. So as it stands PM Maliki's term has finished, but is still in power because a govt hasnt been formed yet. So there has been desperate attempts being made by the US, Iran and KSA to help sort out the issue. Obama has sent Biden twice to Iraq to help sort out the issue. Obama himself is planning to visit to try and solve this problem over the next few weeks. Iran is playing its cards via Maliki and Sadr (who is in Qom at this point doing his studies). KSA has made approaches via Ayad Allawi to help sort out the problem. US and KSA is said to be backing the Sunni/Baathist Allawi. While Iran is backing the shiite guys.

Some US officials have hinted at the possibility of declaring a state of emergency in Iraq if the governmental issue remains unsettled.

KSA and Syria are said to be working to convince Iraqi leaders to hold a reconciliation conference the either in Riyadh or Damascus to settle the governmental crisis in the country.

I am sure you all saw on the news of US troops pulling out, well Shiite, Sunni and Kurdish leaders have begun preparing for the period that will follow the US troop pullout from Iraq.

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Meanwhile in Yemen, there are signs that there is going to be serious trouble brewing. KSA is not just worried about trouble on its borders but also inside Yemen. KSA is now preparing military moves to back the leadership I think, and has begun prioritising certain arms purchases.

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Air India plane lands in Oman after bomb hoax
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Now this is bound to stir some trouble on the forum.
India To Gaza Peace Convoy Announced

This isnt the first over land peace convoy to go to Gaza from India. The last one was about before Hamas took over, and that was led by an Indian minister at that time (Might be E Ahamed).

abhishek_sharma · Post by **abhishek_sharma** » 21 Aug 2010 07:45

Don't fall for the direct-talk hype: The 'peace process' is still going nowhere

http://walt.foreignpolicy.com/posts/201 ... ng_nowhere

Ameet · Post by **Ameet** » 25 Aug 2010 22:08

India wants Dubai to extradite 4 for diamond theft

http://www.google.com/hostednews/ap/art ... QD9HQFE8G1

India has asked the United Arab Emirates to extradite four Mexican and Venezuelan suspects in the brazen theft of 300 diamonds worth more than $1.4 million at a major jewelry show, police said Wednesday.

There has been no word on Dubai's response to the extradition request made Tuesday. The four face robbery charges.

abhishek_sharma · Post by **abhishek_sharma** » 26 Aug 2010 13:01

Bringing Israel's Bomb Out of the Basement

http://www.foreignaffairs.com/articles/ ... e-basement

Chinmayanand · Post by **Chinmayanand** » 28 Aug 2010 02:34

Israel working to thwart Russia arms deal with Syria

Netanyahu asks Putin to stop deal involving sale of advanced P-800 Yakhont supersonic cruise missiles; Israel considers this weaponry dangerous to its navy vessels in Mediterranean Sea.

Sanjay M · Post by **Sanjay M** » 28 Aug 2010 07:30

18 Nails Hammered into Sri Lankan Maid by Saudi Employer

Suppiah · Post by **Suppiah** » 29 Aug 2010 07:13

Sanjay M wrote:18 Nails Hammered into Sri Lankan Maid by Saudi Employer

She is a woman. Her evidence does not count unless she can find 4 male accomplices to testify. In that case she will be accused of immoral acts and stoned.. AOA.

Sanjay M · Post by **Sanjay M** » 29 Aug 2010 09:45

Hezbollah has built their own amusement park:

http://www.time.com/time/video/player/0 ... 51,00.html

Chinmayanand · Post by **Chinmayanand** » 29 Aug 2010 18:52

Suppiah wrote:
Sanjay M wrote:18 Nails Hammered into Sri Lankan Maid by Saudi Employer
She is a woman. Her evidence does not count unless she can find 4 male accomplices to testify. In that case she will be accused of immoral acts and stoned.. AOA.

I was wondering if some SL non-state actors could kidnap the Saudi envoy and mete out the same treatment. A video be recorded al keeda style and posted on the web.

saudi animal instincts can be cured only with double payback.

Sanjay M · Post by **Sanjay M** » 30 Aug 2010 05:52

Is Libya the New Dubai?

abhishek_sharma · Post by **abhishek_sharma** » 31 Aug 2010 08:48

Direct talks déjà vu

http://walt.foreignpolicy.com/posts/201 ... ks_deja_vu

Philip · Post by **Philip** » 03 Sep 2010 16:26

While Netanhayu and Abbas need to be congratulated ,accompanied by a ton of good luck,Hamas should be "put down" for their act of asinine terror,killing 4 Israelis.There will always be extremists like hamas and the Hiz waiting in the wings to sabotage any meaningful dialogue between Israel and the Palestinians,but I think that this time,both sides are sincere and we must wish them well.Israel missed a golden opportunity when Araat was alive to strike a deal,perhaps because many Israelis saw Arafat more as a "terrorist" thanks to his early days as a Fatah guerilla leader,rather than a statesman and undisputed leader of the Palestinians in his later years.The same holds good today but it is now upto the Palestinians not to miss the peace bus.Bibi Netanyahu is not a peacenik at all.He is the tough hard right of Israeli politics,but if he is willing to come to the table and talk,then the opportunity is golden.If he agrees to certain Palestinian desires,Israelis are more likely to accept them if he says so and this time,the Palestinian leader is not a bearer of arms like Hamas and can be trusted more.

What both sides need to agree upon first is that whatever the provocation by extremists to derail the talks,they must go on relentlessly in order to arrive at an overall peace.The stakes are too high for failure to result and another round of Middle-East conflict arrrive upon us.While these talks go on,Israel would do well to engage quietly Syria,who are essential for a final deal and need to be kept in the peace loop in order that Lebanon and the Hiz remain quiet .

Tony Blair's book in which he savagely hits out at his former second Gordon Brown,does not contain any "mea culpa' for his atrocious duplicity and falsehood that led to Britain joining the US in the Iraq War.Half a milllion have been killed thanks to the total mismanagement of the conflict,which must fairly and squarely be laid at Bush,Blair and Cheney's hands in the main.Rober Fisk further exposes Blair's hypocrisy in this piece,where Blair,in his interview is now rooting for military action aganst Iran if it goes nuclear! Has he not learnt anything?

http://www.independent.co.uk/opinion/co ... 69231.html

Robert Fisk: Blair should take responsibility for Iraq. But he won't. He can't.This is not a debate, it's a bloody, blood-soaked disaster for which the former PM should take responsibility

Excerpts:

Has this wretched man learned nothing? On and on, it went during his BBC interview: "I would absolutely...","I definitely...", "I believed absolutely clearly...", "It was very, very clear that this changed everything" – "this" being 11 September 2001 – "Let me state clearly and unequivocally", "The Intelligence picture was clear...", "legal justification was quite clear", "We said completely accurately... "Because I believed strongly, then and now...", "My definitive view in the end is..." You would have thought we won the war in Iraq, that we were winning the war in Afghanistan, that we were going to win the next war in Iran. And why not, if Lord Blair of Kut al-Amara says so.

And I hereby abandon all further reference to Lord Blair of Kut al-Amara, with its unhappy reference to Britain's humiliating military defeat in 1915 Mesopotamia. He must be re-created Lord Blair of Isfahan. Having conquered Saddam, he wants to conquer Ahmadinejad. "I am saying that it is wholly unacceptable for Iran to have nuclear weapons capability," he told poor old Andrew Marr. It was necessary for the Iranians," quoth he, "to get that message, loud and clear." Thus did our Middle East peace envoy prepare us for war with Persia. But I rather fear the Iranians got his "message" a long time ago: if you want to avoid threats from the likes of Lord Blair, you'd better buy a bomb pdq. After all, what he didn't announce was: "I am saying it is wholly unacceptable for North Korea to have nuclear capability." And we all know why.

"How can you not feel sorry about people who have died?" Lord Blair remarked of the victims. What we wanted to hear was "I feel sorry for the people who have been killed." Even that might have come a tad nearer an admission of guilt. "We haven't caused this," Blair said in an unguarded moment. Not my fault, Guv! I noticed, too, how Marr stuck to the minimum 100,000 figure for Iraq's dead, rather than the half million or million statistic which haunts our former prime minister. Thus Blair was able to refer to the "hundreds of thousands of people who died under Saddam". It was the old story. Blair wasn't as bad as Saddam. And Blair's nicer than Hitler, more sympathetic than Stalin, kinder than Genghis Khan. Nope. This whole mess had nothing to do with Lord Blair. "You have to have the courage to do what you think is right." But "thinking" is not good enough. I hope the air-raid sirens in Isfahan are in good working order.

Philip · Post by **Philip** » 06 Sep 2010 19:30

Amazing! Not too long ago,most of the Lebanese and western countries were baying for Bashar-Al-Assad's blood,accusing Syria of masterminding the assassination of Rafiq-Al-Hariri.Now,in an astonishing turn up for the book, Hariri's son Saad,the Lebanese PM,says that it was wrong to have accused Syria all along!

http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2010/se ... assination

Lebanon PM: It was wrong to accuse Syria of assassinating Rafiq al-Hariri.
Sa'ad al-Hariri signals further rapprochement with Syria, saying it was a mistake to blame Damascus for his father's 2005 murder

Xcpt:

Lebanon PM: It was wrong to accuse Syria of assassinating Rafiq al-HaririSa'ad al-Hariri signals further rapprochement with Syria, saying it was a mistake to blame Damascus for his father's 2005 murder

Sa'ad al-Hariri, Lebanon's prime minister, has been in talks with Syrian president Bashar al-Assad. Photograph: Nabil Mounzer/EPA

Lebanon's prime minister, Sa'ad al-Hariri, has said it was a "mistake" to accuse Syria of the assassination of his father, Rafiq al-Hariri.

Hariri's comments mark part of the ongoing reconciliation between the two countries following Syria's withdrawal from Lebanon after the "Cedar Revolution" protests that were triggered by the 2005 killing.

"At a certain point we made a mistake in accusing Syria of assassinating the martyred prime minster," Hariri told al-Sharq al-Awsat, the London-based Saudi daily. "That was a political accusation and that political accusation has now come to an end." The UN tribunal investigating the affair would look "only at the evidence", he added.

Syria, which was widely blamed for the bombing that killed Hariri and 22 others, has always denied involvement but the issue remains highly sensitive in Lebanon.

Tensions have been mounting ahead of reported plans by the UN tribunal to indict members of the Lebanese Shia movement Hezbullah, which is backed by Syria and Iran. Hezbullah has denied any involvement and recently blamed Israel for it.

abhishek_sharma · Post by **abhishek_sharma** » 08 Sep 2010 07:57

New Call for Boycott of Election in Egypt

http://www.nytimes.com/2010/09/08/world ... egypt.html

abhishek_sharma · Post by **abhishek_sharma** » 09 Sep 2010 11:14

How Anti-Semitism Helped Create Israel

http://www.foreignpolicy.com/articles/2 ... ate_israel

abhishek_sharma · Post by **abhishek_sharma** » 10 Sep 2010 08:09

Turkey gets blasted by the IMF

http://blogs.ft.com/beyond-brics/2010/09/08/99121/

Payback time for flotilla

Sanjay M · Post by **Sanjay M** » 12 Sep 2010 09:22

Turkey is planning its own blast from the past:

Turkey prepares to vote in constitutional referendum

Turkey's cunning Islamists keep loudly pretending that they're changing the constitution in order to meet the requirements for joining EU, but this is just a smokescreen for their real agenda, which is to cripple the institutions which can oppose Islamization. They know they won't ever be let into EU, nor do they even care to keep jumping thru hoops trying to get in. By securing the way for Islamization, then Turkey can return to its old imperial hegemonism in the region.

Everybody sees this, including the Atlanticists who hope to turn/deflect an Islamist Turkey against Russia - apparently the Chinese aren't immediately turning out to be as useful a counterweight towards Moscow as was previously hoped.
But I think the Russians under the Remus-Romulus/Putin-Medvedev duo should be smart enough to dodge that bullet.
The resurgent Turks will instead plow right into the Balkans and probably put the Greeks on the back foot.

I think India should back the Turkish Islamists, because they're the only ones who can really reignite the Islamic fires of Europe, to give Europeans a hotfoot and pull the rug out from under the Atlanticist machiavellians.

abhischekcc · Post by **abhischekcc** » 12 Sep 2010 09:51

Turkey's islamization will set EU free from the need to pretend to accomodate Turkey's membership. They will then be able to frame laws openly to stop the mass immigration of muslims in EU, and help preserve the European character of Europe. Turkey's overt islamization will thus be a self goal for the ummah in the long run.

Seems like pakistan is not the only islamic country that excels in tactical brilliance

Sanjay M · Post by **Sanjay M** » 12 Sep 2010 10:23

No way - the only players in the Muslim world who will be hurt by the re-emergence of an Islamist Turkey would be the underperforming corrupt Arab and Pakistani kleptocracies, who will be sidelined as the Ummah makes a mad dash for the legendary Turkish kilaphat champions.
(Hah, perhaps Mushy can use his own personal Turkish ties to make a pitch for Pak politics)

European right-wing nationalists would of course use Turkish Islamization as an excuse to shut out Turkey and Turkish immigrants. But given that Brussels and the entire EU machinery are the arch-enemy of such local nationalists, you can bet that it won't be sitting out that fight, which it has a vested interest in. aka. "The Enemy of My Anti-EU Nationalist Enemy is My Friend."
The pro-EU factions will be waiting for the right moment/incident to jump into the fray, and then they'll pounce faster than you can say "Abu Ghraib", "Baraabri Masjid", or "Terry Jones"

Carl_T · Post by **Carl_T** » 12 Sep 2010 10:23

Turkey's Islamisation will push it closer to Russia. A growing economy with a large population will probably provide Russia with more workers. As for preserving the European character of Europe, questionable whether there will be a Europe worth immigrating to.

Sanjay M · Post by **Sanjay M** » 12 Sep 2010 10:32

Ever Russophobic, the Atlanticists will be hoping to deflect Turkey against Russia. Just as they hope that growing China will one day seize Russia's Far East, likewise they might hope that a Turkey with an Islamic birthrate would send people pouring into the Caucasus.

Personally, I think the Balkans is the more volatile tinderbox, as well as Iraq. It would be much easier for the Turks to move into these areas - although, as with Afghanistan, once they get in they'll find it difficult to get out.

Sanjay M · Post by **Sanjay M** » 13 Sep 2010 00:16

http://edition.cnn.com/2010/WORLD/europ ... eferendum/

The latest polls show that the referendum held by the ruling Turkish pro-Islamist govt has passed by 58% to 42%. This effectively removes the last barriers to Islamization of the country. I'm actually quite glad this has happened, as this will now revive an Islamic buildup on the borders of Europe. The Europeans and Atlanticists have been steady supporters of Islamist aggression as a way to undermine their arch-enemy Russia. Indians have suffered tremendous collateral damage from this strategy, at the hands of Western-created Islamist militancy.

But Turkey's Islamization offers a chance for the chickens to come home to roost. It will soon be Europe's turn to feel Islamic expansionism breathing down its neck once again.

Sanjay M · Post by **Sanjay M** » 13 Sep 2010 06:40

(BBC)International backing given to Turkish reform vote

The US President Barack Obama and German Foreign Minister Guido Westerwelle have issued statements commending the vote. Voters in Turkey gave strong backing to a package of changes to the country's military-era constitution

Sanjay M · Post by **Sanjay M** » 14 Sep 2010 04:38

(CNN)US preparing massive arms deal for Saudi Arabia, defense official says

Prelude to Iran War?

Lalmohan · Post by **Lalmohan** » 14 Sep 2010 15:01

^^^ al saud probably wetting their dish-dashes at the thought of iranians brandishing their mijjiles
running to unkil as usual
unkil making big bucks as usual
all happy

Philip · Post by **Philip** » 14 Sep 2010 15:50

This is bound to upset the Israelis,who will like Oliver Twist be asking for "more"!
The contours of the deal are staggering.This looks like being the "mother of all deals" especially if the extra $30 billion naval package is also finalised.It will definitely set off an arms race in the region.The US has "spooked" the House of Saud with dire warnings of the Iranian nuclear "bogey-man" and are now laughing all the way to the bank! Poor old Ahmed-in-a-Jacket,rather threadbare at the moment with his diminshing popularity.Like the NoKos,the most that the Iranians can acquire is a handfull of nukes and this they will zealously guard as their "strategic deterrent" in case of any attack from Israel or the Saudis.The Shiite Iranians are Persian in truth and quite different from their Sunni Arab neigbours.They have more inter-religious rivalries with each other than with Israel.However,dear Ahmed's statements about wanting to turn the Israelis into a seafaring nation don't help matters and he gets a big zero in the PR ratings.

US secures record $60 billion arms sale to Saudi Arabia
The United States is selling $60 billion (£40 billion) worth of aircraft to Saudi Arabia in a huge deal that will increase unease about a gathering arms race in the Middle East.

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldne ... rabia.html

Xcpts:

In what is the largest ever US arms sale of its kind, Riyadh has agreed to spend $30 billion up front on top range fighter jets and helicopters, with the rest following at an undisclosed date. The two countries are also discussing an upgrade naval package potentially worth $30 billion, but the timing of that deal is not clear.

The deals are a coup for the Obama administration ahead of the midterm Congressional elections. The aircraft contracts are set to benefit defence manufacturers in 44 states and help to protect 77,000 jobs. Democratic candidates are expected to come under severe pressure in the elections in part because of the US's high unemployment rate.

But the deal will raise concerns about the militarisation of the Gulf states and the Middle East, which in part seems to be being driven by the Iranian nuclear development programme. The rush by Tehran towards nuclear weapons, which it denies but is widely disbelieved, is prompting defence reviews across the whole region.

In order to assuage concerns in Israel, the Obama administration has already decided not to offer Saudi Arabia so-called standoff systems, which are advanced long-range weapons that can be attached to F-15 fighters for use in offensive operations against land- and sea-based targets. Israel is also in line to buy from the US the F-35, a more sophisticated fighter jet.

Apart from creating jobs, the Obama administration sees the sale as a means of boosting support among Arab allies against Iran.

A Pentagon official said yesterday that the Saudi deal would include 84 new F-15 fighters, the upgrading of 70 more, and the purchase of three types of helicopters: 70 Apaches, 72 Black Hawks and 36 Little Birds. The total of 262 aircraft represents a quarter of the country's current air fleet.

Talks have also reportedly begun to expand Saudi Arabia's missile defence capabilities, with the Americans encouraging the Saudis to upgrade their Patriot system and to purchase another system similar to the THAAD (Terminal High Altitude Defence) sold to the United Arab Emirates.

Lalmohan · Post by **Lalmohan** » 14 Sep 2010 16:12

what will the saudis do with so many helicopters? (move the royal harems around from palace to palace?)
is this a proxy fleet for supporting unkil's forces in the region?
who will fly all these new F15's? such a small population will struggle to produce so many fast jet calibre pilots

(rhetorical questions onlee)

shyamd · Post by **shyamd** » 14 Sep 2010 17:55

Posted on 11th August

KSA King and CP have agreed to start talks with the US over what is being dubbed as the "21st Century arms deal". A major US - KSA arms deal is imminent. I expect F-15 Sea Eagle, Black Hawk, Littoral Combat Ship (Lockheed Martin LCS).

Assistant Def Min Khaled Bin Sultan due to visit Pentagon soon for talks.

RSAF were operating in the recent Red Flag exercise. They had a chance to have a look at the F-15SE.

21st Aug

Meanwhile in Yemen, there are signs that there is going to be serious trouble brewing. KSA is not just worried about trouble on its borders but also inside Yemen. KSA is now preparing military moves to back the leadership I think, and has begun prioritising certain arms purchases.

Factor in Yemen as well. Yemen is becoming the next afghanistan for KSA. The current president is losing power as days go by. The border is also becoming a huge AQ safe haven. RSAF as well as the Saudi National Guard has already intervened in Saada earlier this year.

Lalmohan - Saudi's will bring in expats as is already being done. They will bring in TSPians, if they cant find their own. The Sea Eagles is just to gear up, it will take many years to deliver. The plan is to replace existing fleet of C/Ds anyway. GCC all have many youngsters coming through, finding them jobs is the next major task. This could be an avenue.

Iran war aint gonna happen. No one is in a position to do anything.

Lalmohan · Post by **Lalmohan** » 14 Sep 2010 18:05

shyamji, sure - lot of unemployed youngsters
but gone are the days of dashing bedou raiders on fierce war camels (sic)
these youngsters are all mall-lizards with designer labels and fast cars on government dole - are they going to fight?
as for expats... will they be paquis, or goras?
besides, after all teh hardware is in place, where will the C4I be? who will be managing the battlespace? who will be training in complex missions with all these complicated toys?
the emperor may end up just as naked as before

shyamd · Post by **shyamd** » 14 Sep 2010 18:45

Lalmohan wrote:shyamji, sure - lot of unemployed youngsters
but gone are the days of dashing bedou raiders on fierce war camels (sic)
these youngsters are all mall-lizards with designer labels and fast cars on government dole - are they going to fight?

Nah KSA is a bit different to the others. KSA has a fair bit of poverty. The kids you see with the designer labels and the flash cars are usually from middle class families with govt jobs or even high ranking generals. But there are a lot of unemployed poor saudi's too, they have slums outside some cities.

as for expats... will they be paquis, or goras?

Both. Right now they use paki's, I am sure they must use goras to some level at teh moment. I know Oman is using some goras for their Falcon squadron. TSPAF pilots were in action in the recent Saada conflict.

RajeshA · Post by **RajeshA** » 14 Sep 2010 18:50

If there is a fight between India and Pakistan, would all this hardware that Saudi Arabia is procuring, be made available to the Pakis or not?

Lalmohan · Post by **Lalmohan** » 14 Sep 2010 18:58

it will, but without the C4I infrastructure and mission training, it will be of marginal benefit
unkil keeps an eye on that

shyamd · Post by **shyamd** » 14 Sep 2010 20:22

RajeshA wrote:If there is a fight between India and Pakistan, would all this hardware that Saudi Arabia is procuring, be made available to the Pakis or not?

TSP is owned by KSA. TSPN is on routine anti piracy missions on behalf of KSA. TSP military is acting as mercenaries to the KSA. TSPAF is well entrenched in KSA. Have a look at my past comments on their relations. I recall joint F-15 training amongst joint missile storage bases based in the kingdom etc.

Kanson · Post by **Kanson** » 14 Sep 2010 20:27

shyamd wrote:
RajeshA wrote:If there is a fight between India and Pakistan, would all this hardware that Saudi Arabia is procuring, be made available to the Pakis or not?
TSP is owned by KSA. TSPN is on routine anti piracy missions on behalf of KSA. TSP military is acting as mercenaries to the KSA. TSPAF is well entrenched in KSA. Have a look at my past comments on their relations. I recall joint F-15 training amongst joint missile storage bases based in the kingdom etc.

What is the value of India-Saudi strategic partnership in this equation?

shyamd · Post by **shyamd** » 14 Sep 2010 20:28

Lalmohan wrote:it will, but without the C4I infrastructure and mission training, it will be of marginal benefit
unkil keeps an eye on that

KSA knows unkil is weak, so I reckon they will extract stuff like this in the deal. Also, the world requires the US to survive. So, by overpaying for stuff and throwing money at the US, allows the US to survive, which means more people buy their sole produce - Oil.

----------------------
As a side note: CP Sultan has gone to Agadir(morocco) on a "private visit/rest". Apparently doctors have advised him to reduce his duties and avoid stressful work.

King A is due in Paris on the 23rd on FREMM, Aster business.

Lalmohan · Post by **Lalmohan** » 14 Sep 2010 20:31

well... maybe, but at best this gear is going to get used against yemen. if the eye-ranians got riled, al-saud will be hiding in al-bunker and waiting for al-unkil to save the day from a severe musharraf kicking

shyamd · Post by **shyamd** » 14 Sep 2010 20:39

Iranians aint gonna do sweet F all, as far as they are concerned they have enough deterence. Iranian speed boats harassing USN ships last year or year before is enough to show that Iran is so confident that the US is in no position to start another war. No one is going to do anything. Its just empty threats. Iran doesnt want a war, GCC doesnt want to have their shiny buildings destroyed or attacks on populated areas/oil production facilities. US cant afford to go to another war. Iran has a long arm to hit the US in Afg/Iraq. It has Hezbollah and Hamas on its side, Zaidi's in the north of Yemen, that successfully defeated Saudi SF and SANG.

Understand the attitude of the Al Sauds, they have spent a lot on development of their country, they dont want to lose it all. Iran knows it will take a severe beating in any war and the US/West/Israel cant afford to go to war against it at this point in time.

All these armaments are "just in case" and if there is a sudden incident/crisis.