Thursday, May 9, 2013

Russian weapon sales "destabilize" Middle East, but US weapons provide security?

John Kerry's disingenuous remarks about Russian military sales to Syria are all over the news today.

Kerry's concerns seem to be an echo of Israeli concerns that the sale of Russian S-300 anti-aircraft missile batteries may complicate Israel's ability to overfly Syria with impunity.

Israel's right to violate the sovereign air space of her neighbors is considered the normal state of affairs in the region. Anything that might impede Israel's ability to do so would be "destabilizing."

The question of how Israel's habitual violation of international law might be destabilizing to the region is of course never raised.

Nor is anyone asking how America's far more substantial arms sales to the region can fail to be destabilizing. The $10 billion deal announced last month, the $3.5 billion deal with UAE in 2011, the $30 billion deal with the Saudis in 2010... none of these are destabilizing.

But let's not be too hard on Kerry. He's just doing his job.

Shilling for Israel, and serving as Secretary of Sales for the US armaments industry.

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