Obama lifts bar on exporting the Predator with offer to Gulf states
ABU DHABI -- The administration of President Barack Obama has allowed the marketing of an advanced unmanned aerial vehicle to Gulf Arab allies.The Predator UAV has long been restricted to exports to NATO states.
The MQ-9 Predator B (Reaper) Reuters/David Gray
Executives said Gulf Cooperation Council states, particularly the UAE, have expressed interest in Predator as a strategic multi-role UAV. They said strong interest by Gulf Arab militaries could lead to the establishment of a production line at General Atomics that would modify Predator as a purely persistent intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance platform.
In November 2009, a variant of Predator, manufactured by General Atomics, was introduced at the Dubai Airshow in the United Arab Emirates.
"We are hoping for approval soon," General Atomics business development director Chris Ames said.
General Atomics has developed an export version of Predator for the export market. Executives said that unlike the heritage Predator, the export variant could not be equipped with missiles and rockets.
The U.S. military has used Predator extensively in Afghanistan, Iraq and Pakistan. Increasingly, Predator has been used in attack operations against Al Qaida and Taliban.
Italy, a participant in the NATO mission in Afghanistan, has been the only export client of Predator. But in 2009, the administration began processing the request by General Atomics for Predator export.
One option was the modification of an existing platform, the maritime version of the MQ-9 Predator B. In December 2009, the U.S. Customs and Border Protection took delivery of Guardian, the first maritime variant of the Predator B, which contains a marine search radar
Let's have a pool about WHEN (not if) these are used OPENLY against american interests and people? Will if be from KSA, Kuwait, or a cash strapped Dubai (UAE) or Bahrain?
Or an overthrown ally
8 comments:
Unbelievable.
Every day I wake up thinking, "What will they (Obama admin) do to us today?"
They never fail to disappoint.
The President has SWORN in public to defend the US against threats "...both foreign and domestic..."
How can WE deend ourselves against HIM?
He IS the threat...the domestic threat!
In say IMPEACH the bstard!
Cal
President Hussein's father was a muslim, his indonesian step-father was a muslim, so he naturally has
a muslim soul. President Hussein is the greatest threat to US- but the
senators( both democrats and republicans)would see through his
game and restrain him from doing harm to US. President Hussein is only a glib orator, motivational speaker, a windbag and does not fit the cast of The President of US.
KSA.
Epaminondas,
I have one question regarding this. Why? Why did Obama do this? Does he genuinely not realize that these people do not have our best interests at heart? These states really only act like our allies for two reasons, one they want our money and two they don't want us to attack them.
Damien, When it comes to acceptance of objective reality, OBAMA IS MORON.
He truly believes the dialectic is correct and reality must conform to it.
idiots and retards..dont you see america is a bankcrupt country ..printing trillions USD daily to support wars not forced on americans but from bushy desire to be the police of the world..by inventing fictitious wmd and other lies together with your british mongreal tony blair.. money that could be better spent for american healthcare, creating jobs etc..are you blind? American by the thousands are homeless and on food stamps..bush and his team should be taken to court for crime against humanity.. specifically against american..
idiots and retards..dont you see america is a bankcrupt country ..printing trillions USD daily to support wars not forced on americans but from bushy desire to be the police of the world..by inventing fictitious wmd and other lies together with your british mongreal tony blair.. money that could be better spent for american healthcare, creating jobs etc..are you blind? American by the thousands are homeless and on food stamps..bush and his team should be taken to court for crime against humanity.. specifically against american..
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