Click it and Unblock the Notifications
US eyes potential mn bomb sale to Israel
Washington,
Apr
21:
The
Bush
administration
today
announced
the
first
officially
disclosed
sale
of
US
military
equipment
to
Israel
since
the
end
of
Israel's
armed
conflict
with
Lebanon
in
2006.
In
a
notice
to
Congress,
the
Pentagon's
Defense
Security
Cooperation
Agency
said
Israel
had
requested
as
many
as
3,500
MK-84
''general
purpose''
bombs,
spares
and
repair
parts
plus
US
government
technical
assistance
in
a
deal
worth
up
to
65
million
dollars
if
all
options
are
exercised
General
Dynamics
Corp
would
be
the
prime
contractor.
Such
congressional
notices
are
required
by
law,
and
do
not
mean
a
sale
has
been
concluded.
''Israel's
strategic
position
makes
it
vital
to
United
States'
interests
throughout
the
West
Asia,''
the
notice
said.
It
said
US
policy
has
been
to
promote
West
Asia
peace,
support
Israeli
commitment
to
peace
with
its
Arab
neighbors,
enhance
regional
stability
and
promote
Israeli
readiness
and
self-sufficiency.
''It
is
vital
to
the
US
national
interest
to
assist
Israel
in
developing
and
maintaining
a
strong
and
ready
self-defense
capability,''
the
Pentagon
added.
The
last
notification
of
a
proposed
sale
to
Israel
meeting
public
disclosure
requirements
occurred
July
14,
two
days
after
the
start
of
the
2006
Lebanon
war,
and
involved
a
sale
of
JP-8
aviation
jet
fuel
worth
up
to
210
million
dollars.
Congress
sets
certain
thresholds
for
disclosure
of
sales
of
US
military
hardware.
Reuters
