Biden admin has discussed slow-rolling military aid to Saudis, including Patriot missiles, as paybac

[applegrove]

Biden admin has discussed slow-rolling military aid to Saudis, including Patriot missiles, as payback for oil production cuts.

Biden admin has discussed slow-rolling military aid to Saudis, including Patriot missiles, as payback for oil production cut
Some military officials back the idea, said sources, but others want the military relationship between the U.S. and Saudi Arabia to be kept separate from any punishment.

Oct. 29, 2022, 8:00 AM EDT

By Courtney Kube, Carol E. Lee and Dan De Luce

https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/joe-biden/biden-admin-discussed-slow-rolling-saudi-military-aid-payback-oil-prod-rcna54505

"SNIP.......

The Biden administration has discussed slow-rolling military aid to Saudi Arabia, including shipments of advanced Patriot missiles, to punish the kingdom for leading OPEC’s decision to cut oil production, say two U.S. officials and a source familiar with the discussions.

Some military officials support the idea, said the sources, but others want to make sure the military relationship between the U.S. and Saudi Arabia is kept separate from any retribution by the administration.

The Saudis have a contract for 300 Patriot 104-E guided ballistic missiles (GEM-T) that are used in Patriot air and missile defense systems, a critical capability for the Saudis, who face a persistent threat of missiles and drones fired from Houthi rebels in Yemen. The Saudis have the Patriot launch systems but need a re-supply of the missiles to intercept incoming threats.

Some military leaders are concerned that cutting off equipment like Patriot missiles could put American troops and civilians in Saudi Arabia in danger, as well as threatening regional defense and security relationships, and have made the case to top administration officials that walling off the military relationships would be in line with what previous administrations have done amid diplomatic disagreements, said current and former military officials.

.......SNIP"

[Raven123]

1. How about diverting aid to our friends in Ukraine

[Bayard]

2. I don't see anything about them already having paid for them

Find a reason to negate the contract.

Lawyers?

[Just A Box Of Rain]

3. We are in a bit of a jam-up, because as much as it would be satisfying to give MBS

the finger after he moved to cut OPEC output (not to mention bone-saws), it is also not in America's interests or those of our strategic partners to encourage Iranian adventurism and a military conflict that could close the Persian Gulf oil-lanes.

There has already been a lot of clatter that Iran may be up to making attacks on Saudi Arabia, in part to gain a "rally around the flag" effect as protests there have not faded.

The Houthi rebels in Yemen are waging a proxy war on behalf of Iran against the Saudis, and we have troops in SA that would likely be targeted by missile strikes.

Such foreign policy choices get complicated.

[RainCaster]

4. Solution: move US troops out of Saudi

Send a notice to all US citizens there that their safety can no longer be assured by our govt.

[Just A Box Of Rain]

5. That's simply not a move any responsible Commander-in-Chief could make

as it would profoundly undermine this country's national interests.

[gratuitous]

6. Tell Bonesaw his aid is on its way

But an unanticipated precipitous rise in delivery costs have stalled things, and his missiles will be slow in coming until we can get those costs back under control.

[crickets]

7. K&R for the post and the discussion.

[onecaliberal]

8. Mr. Dejoy says it's on it's way...