🚀 go-pugleaf

In article <1992Oct7.081524.18172@mont.cs.missouri.edu>, rich@pencil.cs.missouri.edu (Rich Winkel) writes:
> /* Written 12:03 am  Oct  4, 1992 by newsdesk in cdp:ips.englibrary */
> /* ---------- "MIDDLE EAST: RUSSIA LEAVES THE GULF" ---------- */
> Title: MIDDLE EAST: RUSSIA LEAVES THE GULF A WESTERN ARMS MARKET
> 
> abu dhabi, oct 1 (ips/christine hauser) -- with russia
> suspending the delivery of submarines to iran, a sale the united
> states claims could have upset the military balance in the
> region, the gulf remains a western arms market.

	"Remains" is misleading, inferring that only western nations have armed
gulf nations.  It is only after the US demonstrated hands-down superiority of
weapons that most middle east countries began obtaining US arms.  Prior to
this, the XSSR, China, and France were the leading arms suppliers.

> oil-rich gulf countries jolted by iraq's invasion of kuwait in
> 1990, have been stockpiling arms from western traders. the
> frenzied buying has sparked off a virtual arms race in the region
> where no country wants to risk being left behind.

	Understandable, given that Iraq has attacked Kuwait again.  (Iraq
attacked a Kuwait border station, probably in respsonse to the new border.)

> according to rough estimates, some 20 billion dollars worth of
> military hardware has been acquired by the region since the end
> of the gulf war. the market is monopolised by the united states
> and its western allies including britain.

	Understandable, given the thrasing that XSSR/Chinese/French weapons
took in the war.  (Although French tanks on the allied side did very well.)

> the sale of submarines to iran was russia's first attempt to
> develop new markets for its weapons. the former soviet union had
> dealt primarily with communist regimes and allies like india.

	And Iraq.  Don't forget where all the AK-47s in Serbia are coming from.

Brett--------------------------------------------------------------------------
	"Why the courts don't tell a husband who has been living off his wife
to go out and get a job is beyond my comprehension."--Joan Lunden
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