Saudi Arabia Arms Sales Not Due to Hillary Clinton
Cross post from here:
http://www.democraticunderground.com/110788662
It appears ignorance or malice is driving the discussion of US sale of military equipment to Saudi Arabia. Contributions to the Clinton Foundation nor any other nefarious reasons are responsible for the sale. Nothing Saudi Arabia did would have prevented it.
For good or evil, a series of agreements, statements by successive U.S. Administrations, arms sales, military training arrangements, and military deployments have demonstrated a strong U.S. security commitment to the Saudi monarchy since the 1940s.
Saudi Arabia has an indefensible human rights record. Despite this, the US has demonstrated a strong US security commitment to Saudi Arabia since the 1940s. That security commitment was built on shared economic interests and antipathy to Communism and was tested by regional conflict during the Cold War. Despite it being the source and funder of Wahhabism and ISIL, home of Osama Bin Laden and 15 of the 19 9/11 hijackers, it is still viewed as the main US ally in the region.
Most of these arms sales have occurred through the United States Training Mission (USMTM) to Saudi Arabia and the Office of the Program Manager, Saudi Arabian National Guard Modernization Program (OPM-SANG).
http://fas.org/asmp/profiles/saudi_arabia.htm
Saudi Arabia is America's top customer. Since 1990, the U.S. government, through the Pentagon's arms export program, has arranged for the delivery of more than $39.6 billion in foreign military sales to Saudi Arabia, and an additional $394 million worth of arms were delivered to the Saudi regime through the State Department's direct commercial sales program during that same period. (Foreign Military and Construction Sales and Direct Commercial Sales are recorded and published by the Dept. of Defense in Foreign Military Sales, Foreign Military Construction Sales and Military Assistance Facts; the most current online edition includes information through FY 1999.)
Oil rich Saudi Arabia is a cash-paying customer. It receives no U.S. military assistance to finance these purchases, although it does demand that about 35 percent of all major contracts be "offset"-that is, economic benefits equaling 35 percent of the arms contract value must be steered back to the Saudi economy. (Check out the Offsets Monitoring Project for more information on this phenomenon.)
The United States has very close and long-running military ties to the Saudi regime dating back to 1945. Following the 1990-91 war against Iraq, more than 5,000 U.S. troops and thousands of U.S. military contractors have been continuously based in Saudi Arabia.
http://benefits.military.com/misc/installations/Base_Content.jsp?id=2780
United States Training Mission (USMTM) to Saudi Arabia
Description, Organization, and Functions
The United States Military Training Mission (USMTM) to Saudi Arabia is a joint training mission and functional component command under the military command of the United States Central Command (CENTCOM), which is headquartered at MacDill Air Force Base, Florida. The Chief of USMTM has been designated as the senior DOD representative in Saudi Arabia and has been given coordinating authority over the other DOD agencies in country. The other major agencies are: the Office of the Program Manager of the Saudi Arabian National Guard (OPM SANG) Modernization Program; the Logistics Support Group (LSG) of Air Force Materiel Command; the Peace Shield Site Activation Task Force (SATAF); and the Deputy Commander, Navy International Programs Office/Saudi Naval Office (NAVYIPO S). The Chief of USMTM works under the supervision of the American Ambassador to Saudi Arabia, who has overall responsibility for all US Government activities in country.
United States Military Training Mission:A Paradigm for Regional Security
http://www.disam.dsca.mil/Pubs/Indexes/v.23_4/johnson.pdf
Background: U.S. and Saudi Arabia Relations
Since 1933, when diplomatic relations with Saudi Arabia were first established, the Saudi
Arabian government has cooperated with the U.S. government and private organizations for
technical expertise and assistance in developing its human and mineral resources. The two
countries established a Joint Commission on Economic Cooperation in June 1974. Under
commission auspices, cooperation between the two countries has grown in technical training and
education, agriculture, science and technology, transportation, government administration,
industrialization, and solar energy research. In addition to economic ties, a longstanding security
relationship continues to be important in U.S. and Saudi relations.
The United States and Saudi Arabia share common concerns about regional security, oil
exports and imports, and sustainable development. Close consultations between the U.S. and
Saudi Arabia have developed on international, economic, and development issues such as the
Middle East peace process and shared interests in the Gulf region. The continued availability of
reliable sources of oil, particularly from Saudi Arabia, remains important to the prosperity of the
United States as well as to Europe and Japan. Saudi Arabia is the leading source of imported oil
for the United States, providing more than 20 percent of total U.S. crude imports and 10 percent
of U.S. consumption. The U.S. is Saudi Arabia’s largest trading partner, and Saudi Arabia is the
largest U.S. export market in the Middle East.
The U.S. Military Training Mission was formally organized in Dhahran, Saudia Arabia in
1953 under the terms of the Mutual Defense Assistance Agreement between the United States and
Saudi Arabian governments. Specifically, it was agreed that USMTM would administer
assistance under the terms of the Mutual Defense Assistance Act of 1949 and the Mutual Security
Act of 1951 to assist and advise Saudi Arabian armed forces with respect to plans, organization,
administrative principles, and training methods. Additionally, USMTM would provide training
and support in the use of weapons and other security-related services as required. A
Memorandum of Understanding dated 8 and 27 February 1977 governs the day-to-day
relationships between USMTM and the Ministry of Defense and Aviation (MODA).
After the Gulf War, the role of USMTM changed, when, in an effort to overcome the financial
burden of the Gulf War, the Saudis desired to significantly realign their financial commitments
into a manageable system by reprogramming their financial obligations. This effort became a
major focus of USMTM when they became the frontline managers of approximately $60 billion
representing 375 foreign military sales cases. In 1997, the security assistance role of USMTM
changed once again. The focus of USMTM shifted from a focus on equipment procurement to
enhancing the existing Saudi Arabian armed forces capability and sustainability from focusing on
the transfer of technology to the transfer of technological know how.
Today, USMTM is a joint training mission and functional component command under the
military command of the USCENTCOM, MacDill Air Force Base, Florida. USMTM’s mission
is to advise and assist the Saudi Arabian armed forces through security cooperation efforts in
developing, training and sustaining capable deterrent and self-defense forces for Saudi Arabia in
order to facilitate regional security. The mission of USMTM directly supports USCENTCOM’s
theater strategy to shape, respond and prepare, through forward presence, bilateral and
multilateral exercise programs, security assistance activities, and foreign military sales.
The 1951 Mutual Defense Assistance Agreement and the 1977 Accords (known as the USMTM Agreement) formed and governs the basis and function of USMTM in Saudi Arabia. USMTM was formally established on 27 June 1953 and is still a fundamental component of the US/Saudi military relationship.
United States Military Training Mission
http://usmtm.org/
USMTM Mission
The United States Military Training Mission (USMTM) to Saudi Arabia is a unique Security Assistance (SA) and Security Cooperation (SC) organization under the authority of the Chief of the US Diplomatic Mission. In its SA role, USMTM is a "train, advise, assist" provider of defense services under Title 22 of the US Code. In its SC role, USMTM facilitates most Title 10 DoD activities in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, primarily at the direction of the Commander, US Central Command, and performs the functions of the Security Cooperation Office (SCO) within the Saudi Ministry of Defense. It is further linked through the Defense Security Cooperation Agency (DSCA) to the Under Secretary of Defense for Policy.
Our mission is to enhance US National Security through building the capability and capacity of the Saudi Arabian Armed Forces (SAAF) to defend our common interests in the Middle East region.
Per a 1977 international agreement, the Chief USMTM provides, within the Ministry of Defense, training instruction at all levels, advisory services, studies and recommendations, and administration of all aspects of "the US military cooperation program." Over 140 advisors form the core of the SA mission, and are often augmented by temporary technical and training teams, working as directed by agreement between the Chief USMTM and the Saudi Chief of General Staff. Foreign Military Sales (FMS) case coordination, from concept through closure, is a significant part of USMTM's portfolio and expertise. However, advisors work across the DOTMLPF spectrum with Saudi General and Flag officers at more than ten locations throughout the Kingdom. When SAAF forces participate with US forces in combat or in training exercises around the world, USMTM is positioned to be the link to US commanders.
USMTM is an advocate for US business to supply defense goods and services to the SAAF.
USMTM is organized into four Service Divisions, a Joint (Staff) Advisory Division, an English Language Instruction Division, and a directorate staff. It maintains a headquarters in Riyadh.
Office of the Program Manager, Saudi Arabian National Guard Modernization Program (OPM-SANG)
What is OPM-SANG?
http://www.usasac.army.mil/OPMSang/about.html
Mission
The mission of the Office of the Program Manager (OPM) is to manage the Saudi Arabian National Guard (SANG) Modernization Program under the terms of a memoranda of understanding between the US Government and the Saudi Arabian Government, and other pertinent agreements and regulations. The mission goal is to develop within the SANG the capability to unilaterally initiate, sustain and operate modern military organizations and systems in conjunction with other Kingdom defense forces. These capabilities include force expansion and sustainment, medical services, and light armored vehicle (LAV) fielding, as well as a robust construction program that is jointly managed by OPM and SANG personnel.
Headquarters
SANG National Headquarters, Regional Headquarters (east and west), Signal Corps, Health Services Command, Joint Engineer Office, an Information Center, and a Logistics Base.
SANG Training Base
National Guard Military Schools, Regional Training Centers in Riyadh, Jeddah, Damman and in the near future Hofuf, SANG Signal School, Allied Health Science Military School, and King Khalid Military Academy.
The SANG continues to look to the U.S. Army for support in this critical modernization effort to ensure a capable and ready National Guard, prepared to deal with any security contingency within the confines of the Kingdom. The Modernization Program is a security assistance success story, in large part due to the close working relationship between OPM SANG and the SANG at all levels of leadership. The personal relationships built over years based upon friendship, trust and competency of advisors have stood the test of time. With the continued support of the U.S. Army, Department of Defense and the Department of State, the SANG modernization program will continue to build upon its past progress and success.
Command
In 1963, then Prince Abdullah bin Abdul Aziz Al Saud became the commander of the National Guard. In 1982, he became the Crown Prince and also the First Deputy Prime Minister. After the death of King Fahad in 2005, he became the King.
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