"US plans missile sale worth $7 billion" by Reuters | September 9, 2008
WASHINGTON - The Bush administration plans to sell to the United Arab Emirates an advanced missile defense system valued at up to $7 billion that could be used to defend against Iran, people who have attended briefings on the matter said yesterday.
The Pentagon is set to notify Congress of the proposed sale, which would be the first of the so-called Terminal High Altitude Area Defense, or THAAD, several people familiar with the matter said.
THAAD is built by Lockheed Martin Corp. Waltham, Mass.-based Raytheon Co. supplies the system's radar. Once notified of such a proposed arms sale by the administration, Congress has 30 days to review it but almost never blocks.
In any case, deployment of the THAAD system is "at least months away" and could take more than a year, said a congressional staff member familiar with the matter.
A production contract for the first two THAAD "fire units" was awarded to Lockheed Martin in late 2006. Delivery of the first such unit to the US military is scheduled during the fiscal year that starts Oct. 1, the company said.
Kenneth Katzman, an expert on the Gulf at the Congressional Research Service, said the UAE has been eager for a "sophisticated antidote" to Iran's missile capabilities.
"The UAE has been concerned for many years about possible retaliation against it for any US or Israeli strike on Iran's nuclear facilities," he said.
For Iran, Katzman added, the UAE could be a target because of its billions in infrastructure investments. The THAAD system is designed to defend population centers and critical infrastructure among other things.--more--"
I didn't highlight anything because I'm sick of the war looters and their lying MSM outfits like the BG here!
Fucking hate these papers now, and in fact, I'm sour on the whole god-damn thing.
Fuck you, America, because you don't seem to give a shit!!!!
And that doesn't include you, reader; at least you were kind enough to come here and read me.
That's more than most of the shit-eating Amurkn public is interested in doing.
