Please un-confuzzle me about Qatar...

[lspencer534]

As I understand it, when Trump visited the Arab States one of the things he talked to them about was Qatar's funding of terrorism. The Arab States then severed diplomatic ties between three Gulf States and Qatar, an embargo imposed on Qatar, with air, sea and land borders shut down, and Qatari diplomats and residents expelled from those Gulf countries.

So far we have Qatar being isolated to a large extent, perhaps at the insistence of President Trump. But...I see that the U.S. has agreed to sell Qatar about $12B worth of F-15 fighter jets and that the U.S. Navy will participate in a joint exercise with the Qatari Emiri Navy this coming weekend.

Isn't all of this contradictory, or is it just Foreign Policy as usual?

[DAB]

makes Boeing and Lockheed happy.

i'm still waiting for my free gun. or tank. i'm not that picky.

[VITE1]

Qatar is a country in the middle of a change. They recognize thier petrolatum reserves will run out in the coming decades and decided to become a banking capital. Since the early 2000's they have tried to attract as much banking as possible.

While the government Says it anti extremist they have many of the largest "Charities" based in their country that funnel money to terrorists.

Bottom line is they are muslims and what we SHOULD have done is sent in SpecOp's teams in decades ago to kill the money men in thier homes bedrooms.


But we failed, again, to recognize that islam is evil and must be confronted forcibly and with overwhelming violence.

[boracayjohnny]

The US often has confusing politics. This is just one example. Why? Trump is not saying. But I know shitty countries can be used as pawns to get to other deals/countries. Is Qatar shitty? I'd say so. They're a bunch of shitheads. They import workers from Third World countries to do things and then treat those workers like shit. That's across the board. I've also seen how US politicians let them do shady things. One example, US government contractors weren't allowed in Qatar. Why? Qataris just flexing.

[Bill]

The arms sale agreement was consummated under the Obama regime just like the agreement to take the refugees from Australia.

[Cybercowboy]

The arms sale agreement was consummated under the Obama regime just like the agreement to take the refugees from Australia.

Exactly. Trump could have cancelled the deal I guess but it was done by the last administration. Generally those are honored.

[Norm]

They'll get the jets, but some of the really super-duper high end technology won't go with it, mainly weapons systems, counter warfare systems, or a scaled down version of them, I would assume?

[lspencer534]

They'll get the jets, but some of the really super-duper high end technology won't go with it, mainly weapons systems, counter warfare systems, or a scaled down version of them, I would assume?

I think that's a safe assumption since Secretary of Defense "Mad Dog" Mattis handled the deal.

[boracayjohnny]

They'll get the jets, but some of the really super-duper high end technology won't go with it, mainly weapons systems, counter warfare systems, or a scaled down version of them, I would assume?

I believe you would be correct.

[MrPeabody]

Then there's this:

Al Udeid Air Base - Wikipedia

[DAB]

we'll take your money, but we are tired of taking your shit.

[DAB]

makes Boeing and Lockheed happy.

i'm still waiting for my free gun. or tank. i'm not that picky.

there you go, Boeing hits new high:

https://www.yahoo.com/finance/news/boeing-hits-record-highs-u-165000136.html

[boracayjohnny]

Then there's this:

Al Udeid Air Base - Wikipedia (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Al_Udeid_Air_Base)

The Deid. Heh. Theater HQ. The place where HQ launches a thousand indecisions or poorly made decisions. Example...

Me: (phone rings) insert appropriate military answer of phone in my office
HQ: Hey, we're diverting an aircraft for the emergency movement of cargo you have.
Me: Ummmm, no, no emergency cargo here.
HQ: Really?
Me: Yea, it's true.
HQ: It's 10 minutes out.
Me: Send it where it originally should go.
HQ: No
Me: Fukk

(Aircraft lands, 150 passengers without anywhere to stay, and it takes three days, missions cut just for them, and a total Charlie Foxtrot situation. Oh did I mention the pax were R&R returnees with very small bags and not much in those bags to support themselves as normal procedures. Some slept on the cement pad near my office. Good thing it was summer and not dead of freezing ass winter.)


More about The Deid; it's like not being on a deployment but getting deployment credit. One can go downtown to one of the many stateside chain restaurants, get three beers per day while on base, and even get fresh milk in the chow hall....err, Dining Facility aka D-FAC. Those in other places such as Iraq and Afghan, fukk you, dream on.

[Milton Fox]

It is a way for us to park some F15s in the Middle East. :cheers:

[Cybercowboy]

It is a way for us to park some F15s in the Middle East. :cheers:

It's not like we have some sort of remote control over them whenever we want!

(probably)

[boracayjohnny]

It's not like we have some sort of remote control over them whenever we want!

(probably)

I've read F16s are already being used as remote controlled targets.

Further, it's true foreign countries usually end up with the less technical versions. Also, the support train, read $$$$, is long and deep. That's the logistics, maintenance, and many other behind the scenes support needed to generate aircraft.

[mrvette]

I've read F16s are already being used as remote controlled targets.

Further, it's true foreign countries usually end up with the less technical versions. Also, the support train, read $$$$, is long and deep. That's the logistics, maintenance, and many other behind the scenes support needed to generate aircraft.

That backup is worth as much as the planes, and extends out at least 20 years, or for the life of the .gov we sold them to....

:shots: