Qatar Signs $12 Billion Deal for U.S. F-15 Jets Amid Gulf Crisis

[Zarvan]

by
Anthony Capaccio
and
Nick Wadhams
June 14, 2017, 11:30 AM PDT June 14, 2017, 1:47 PM PDT

• Contract comes as Qatar seeks easing of Saudi-led embargo
• Decision is latest in string of mixed messages from the U.S.

Qatar will sign a deal to buy as many as 36 F-15 jets from the U.S. as the two countries navigate tensions over President Donald Trump’s backing for a Saudi-led coalition’s move to isolate the country for supporting terrorism.

Qatari Defense Minister Khalid Al-Attiyah and his U.S. counterpart, Jim Mattis, completed the $12 billion agreement on Wednesday in Washington, according to the Pentagon.

The sale “will give Qatar a state of the art capability and increase security cooperation and interoperability between the United States and Qatar,” the Defense Department said in a statement.

Read Why Tiny Qatar Angers Saudi Arabia and Its Allies

Tillerson has since sought to mediate the dispute from Washington, meeting with Saudi Arabia’s foreign minister on Monday. He was scheduled to meet the foreign minister of the U.A.E. -- another member of the Saudi coalition -- for dinner Wednesday night.

“I would characterize the mood and the approach to that as being one that is hopeful, that believes that the worst is behind us,” State Department spokeswoman Heather Nauert said Tuesday.

U.S. Presence
While Trump appeared to back Saudi Arabia and Tillerson took a more neutral tone, the Defense Department underscored its relations with Qatar, saying the U.S. was grateful to the country for its support of the U.S. presence there.

“We encourage all our partners in the region to work towards common solutions that enable regional security,” Lieutenant Colonel Damien Pickart, a spokesman for U.S. Air Forces Central Command, said in a statement when the crisis began.

Last year, after the State Department approved the jet sale, the Defense Security Cooperation Agency issued a report saying that the proposed sale “enhances the foreign policy and national security of the United State by helping to improve the security of a friendly country and strengthening our strategically important relationship.”

“Qatar is an important force for political stability and economic progress in the Persian Gulf region,” the agency said.

https://www.bloomberg.com/politics/...n-deal-for-u-s-f-15s-as-gulf-crisis-continues

 

[Full Moon]

Good for them and their defense in the long run. The current dispute between us should hopefully be temporary and end soon. The real enemy is and has always been the Persian Iranians on the other side.

 

[kasper95]

Everyone wants US on their side.hence the deals with us in a hurry

 

[damm1t]

Qatar signs $12 billion deal to buy F-15 jets from U.S.

(Reuters) - Qatar's Ministry of Defense said on Wednesday the country signed a deal to buy F-15 fighter jets from the United States for $12 billion.

The deal was completed despite the Gulf country being criticized recently by US President Donald Trump for supporting terrorism.

US Defense Secretary Jim Mattis and representatives from Qatar were set to meet Wednesday to seal the agreement, a source familiar with the deal told Reuters. Bloomberg News reported the deal was for 36 jets.

In November, the United States approved possible sale of up to 72 F-15QA aircraft to Qatar for $21.1 billion. Boeing Co is the prime contractor on the fighter jet sale to the Middle East nation.

Boeing declined to comment.

Trump on Friday accused Qatar of being a "high-level" sponsor of terrorism, potentially hindering the US Department of State's efforts to ease heightening tensions and a blockade of the Gulf nation by Arab states and others.

*Mod edit: Inappropriate and provocative posting.*

 

[Skies]

Dramatic and shameful show by Arabs.

Will US a feel confused about which side to choose (SA or Qatar) now like Pakistan?

 

[Naara-e-Mastana]

Shameful act . qatris should have some self respect .

 

[jetray]

Dramatic and shameful show by Arabs.

Will US a feel confused about which side to choose (SA or Qatar) now like Pakistan?

Why should they? they know what they are doing. They make money but let others kill each other.

 

[Hulk]

Could this be a strategic response to get out of the tangle they are in now with the help of united states?

 

[Hakikat ve Hikmet]

This is what I call business and making money!!!! And, Uncle Trump is all for that!!!!!

 

[StraightShooter]

If Saudi and Qatar bury the hatchet, Turkiye would have an egg on its face after rushing additional troops and food supplies to Qatar in the last one week.

 

[Hassan Guy]

Bahrain f-16 deal is next boyy

 

[The SC]

Qatar was forced to do it fast.. no trolling allowed..

 

[Yaseen1]

u.s will not side with anyone they are selling their obsolete technology to Arabs for economic gains and actually they are enemy of both qatar and saudi Arabia

 

[sohailbutt1987]

Can someone tell me, type of those 2 pods hanging under the air intakes?!

 

[Azeri440]

Can someone tell me, type of those 2 pods hanging under the air intakes?!

LANTIRN pods