Britain, Saudi Arabia sign military cooperation deal - state media

 

Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman speaks with British Defence Secretary Michael Fallon during a meeting in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia September 19, 2017. Saudi Press Agency/Handout via REUTERS

 

RIYADH (Reuters) - Britain and Saudi Arabia signed a framework deal on military and security cooperation, Saudi state news agency SPA said on Tuesday, redoubling efforts to counter Iran in the Gulf region and defeat Islamic State.

 

Prime Minister Theresa May said in December that Britain would invest over 3 billion pounds ($4.05 billion) in defence in Gulf Arab states over the next decade as it seeks to build on traditionally strong ties with the conservative, oil-wealthy monarchies before its planned departure from the European Union.

 

British Defence Secretary Michael Fallon discussed military cooperation with Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, who serves as the kingdom's defence minister and deputy prime minister, the SPA report said without providing details of the agreement.

 

Gulf Arab states say Iran is trying to expand its influence in Arab countries, including Syria, Iraq and Yemen. Since March 2015, Saudi Arabia and Arab allies have been waging war against Iran-aligned Houthi forces that seized control of much of Yemen.

 

Britain's close relationship with Gulf states has drawn concern from human rights groups, including criticism of Saudi air strikes in Yemen's war that have killed hundreds of civilians. British military personnel have been working with the Saudi forces.

 

($1 = 0.7405 pounds)

 

(Reporting by Stephen Kalin; editing by Mark Heinrich)

 

-- © Copyright Reuters 2017-09-20

A little bit of this, a little bit of that....

 

BAE Gains Surprise Win for Typhoon Fighter Jet With Qatar Deal

https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2017-09-18/qatar-to-buy-24-typhoon-jets-to-beef-up-u-k-defense-partnership

Yeah, but. . . 

 

Why, only days of suffering yet another bloody ISIS terrorist attack in London, is Britain selling arms to the Gulf region's biggest backer of fundamentalist terrorism? 

 

(You guessed - it's a rhetorical question).

 

7 minutes ago, Krataiboy said:

Yeah, but. . . 

 

Why, only days of suffering yet another bloody ISIS terrorist attack in London, is Britain selling arms to the Gulf region's biggest backer of fundamentalist terrorism? 

 

(You guessed - it's a rhetorical question).

 

Indeed, ISIS helps create chaos in the Middle East that only benefits one country that seems to brilliantly manipulate the West, and the terrorists at home allow the country to become a police state to keep everyone "safe", well, except the ones being killed. In fact recall that was exactly what the state did in "V for Vengeance", a somewhat prophetic look at an ugly future for Britain.

 

Odd how Saudi Arabia is an ugly oppressive dictatorial regime with no elections and regularly arrests or beheads of opponents, yet is somehow regarded as a shining light of Democracy, well perhaps the type of democracy our governments aspire to.

1 minute ago, Rancid said:

Indeed, ISIS helps create chaos in the Middle East that only benefits one country that seems to brilliantly manipulate the West, and the terrorists at home allow the country to become a police state to keep everyone "safe", well, except the ones being killed. In fact recall that was exactly what the state did in "V for Vengeance", a somewhat prophetic look at an ugly future for Britain.

 

Odd how Saudi Arabia is an ugly oppressive dictatorial regime with no elections and regularly arrests or beheads of opponents, yet is somehow regarded as a shining light of Democracy, well perhaps the type of democracy our governments aspire to.

 

"...yet is somehow regarded as a shining light of Democracy..."

 

Made up nonsense.

23 minutes ago, Morch said:

 

"...yet is somehow regarded as a shining light of Democracy..."

 

Made up nonsense.

But the rest of the post is pretty accurate, and the UK/USA govts. treat them as if they are "a shining light of Democracy"......

2 minutes ago, dick dasterdly said:

But the rest of the post is pretty accurate, and the UK/USA govts. treat them as if they are "a shining light of Democracy"......

 

No, the rest of the post is the same old run-of-the-mill mini-rant, nothing more. The above isn't much different.

Theresa May, selling a load of military hardware to Saudi Arabia might be okay.

But I don't want to see my tax money being used to subsidise a bunch of camel jockeys in the desert.

2 hours ago, Morch said:

 

No, the rest of the post is the same old run-of-the-mill mini-rant, nothing more. The above isn't much different.

Always easier to insult the poster, rather than come up with coherent reasons against the post .

1 hour ago, dick dasterdly said:

Always easier to insult the poster, rather than come up with coherent reasons against the post .

 

There weren't any "coherent reasons" given in your post, or the the post you were supporting. And my comment referred to the post.

3 hours ago, dick dasterdly said:

But the rest of the post is pretty accurate, and the UK/USA govts. treat them as if they are "a shining light of Democracy"......

Most foreign governments treat this country with kid gloves. For good reasons.

1 hour ago, tonbridgebrit said:

Theresa May, selling a load of military hardware to Saudi Arabia might be okay.

But I don't want to see my tax money being used to subsidise a bunch of camel jockeys in the desert.

And Theresa, if you're willing to sell a load of military hardware to them Middle -East types in Saudi Arabia, why don't you sell a load of military hardware to them blokes in Iran ?

Them Middle-East types in Saudi Arabia, yes, their head-gear is not the same as the head-gear as them blokes in Iran. But, it's the Sunnis who are killing us in Europe.  The Shia Muslims, that's Iran, that's Hezbollah, they're not actually killing us in Europe. How about you reach out to the Shia Muslims in Iran ??

1 hour ago, tonbridgebrit said:

Theresa May, selling a load of military hardware to Saudi Arabia might be okay.

But I don't want to see my tax money being used to subsidise a bunch of camel jockeys in the desert.

 

What subsidies would these be? If anything, UK companies are turning in a decent profit, and the UK government gets tax revenues as a result. Use of derogatory term dully noted. Funny how this doesn't come up when other factions in the region are praised.

1 minute ago, tonbridgebrit said:

And Theresa, if you're willing to sell a load of military hardware to them Middle -East types in Saudi Arabia, why don't you sell a load of military hardware to them blokes in Iran ?

Them Middle-East types in Saudi Arabia, yes, their head-gear is not the same as the head-gear as them blokes in Iran. But, it's the Sunnis who are killing us in Europe.  The Shia Muslims, that's Iran, that's Hezbollah, they're not actually killing us in Europe. How about you reach out to the Shia Muslims in Iran ??

 

Iran was under  a sanction regime during recent years. If and when these will be fully lifted, the UK will be all too happy selling its toys down there as well. Was Iran looking to buy UK or are you just ranting?

31 minutes ago, tonbridgebrit said:

And Theresa, if you're willing to sell a load of military hardware to them Middle -East types in Saudi Arabia, why don't you sell a load of military hardware to them blokes in Iran ?

Them Middle-East types in Saudi Arabia, yes, their head-gear is not the same as the head-gear as them blokes in Iran. But, it's the Sunnis who are killing us in Europe.  The Shia Muslims, that's Iran, that's Hezbollah, they're not actually killing us in Europe. How about you reach out to the Shia Muslims in Iran ??

Saudi Arabia isn't trying to build a nuclear weapon. And isn't under  U.N. sanctions. Russia is doing a good job of keeping them supplied.