Trump Likely to Arm Saudis, Just Like Biden
Bloomberg News, via Al-Monitor, breathlessly reports Donald Trump is 'likely to sell F-35 fighters to Saudis' and that he and the Saudi Crown Prince intend to sign 'economic and defense agreements.' (Because nothing says peace like stealth bombers). This news conveniently forgets the Biden administration already greenlit F-16 transfers to Turkey—another key NATO player with a questionable human
rights record, to the tune of $23 billion in January 2024. And let's not pretend the F-35 discussion with Saudi Arabia isn't exactly what the Biden administration mulled over before. It's almost as if the military-industrial complex has bipartisan support. One might wonder at the timing, seeing as the Saudis were recently on the receiving end of a very public 'no' from the U.S. regarding joining
BRICS in 2023. Are these 'defense agreements' just a costly consolation prize for geopolitical alignment? Or perhaps, as Lockheed Martin's stock price fluctuates, the U.S. needs to ensure 'allies' remain well-equipped clientele. Funny how 'national security interests' always align with arms manufacturer profits, isn't it?