War Threats against Iran (II)
BERLIN/DOHA (Own report) - EADS is seeking to sell 60 Eurofighter jet fighters to the United Arab Emirates, thereby continuing the arms buildup of the Arabian Peninsula's dictatorships. In the war on Libya, Eurofighters passed the test for deadly efficiency and specialist circles advertize that it could now provide the Emirati air force with the best firepower. Saudi Arabia is already equipped with this EU jet fighter. The Persian Gulf dictatorships are considered the West's most important allies in a possible war with Iran, which western establishment circles envisage for next year. This is why, for years the countries on the Arabian Peninsula were supplied the most modern combat equipment and integrated in joint combat maneuvers. The Emirate Qatar, with which Berlin is intensifying its cooperation, has, since some time, been playing a major role. During the war on Libya, it was not only engaged with combat planes, it also had sent ground troops to support the West's allied rebels. German President, Christian Wulff will soon visit Qatar to intensify Berlin's relations to that dictatorship, which is offering more often to help Europe and the USA - in the meantime, possibly even in Syria.
Battle-Tested
As confirmed by the German-French EADS Corp. the United Arab Emirates (UAE) are interested in buying up to 60 Eurofighter "Typhoon" fighter jets. The Emirates are planning a complete modernization of their air force. They want to scrap their French Mirage 2000 jets and replace them with new machines. A few weeks ago, EADS was asked to make a proposal. According to specialist circles, EADS can hope for a premium, particularly after the Eurofighter flew successful missions during the attack on Libya and since then, is considered battle-tested and therefore even more attractive. The deal with the Emirates could run up into the double-digit billions.
Arms Buildup
With its pursuit of the deal, EADS is continuing Berlin's arms buildup efforts for the dictatorships on the Arabian Peninsula. Saudi Arabia had been delivered the first Eurofighter "Typhoons" years ago. German arms exports to the six dictatorships of the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) [1] increased from 129 million Euros in 2007 to around 358 million Euros in 2008 and 790 million Euros in 2009. According to the German government's Arms Export Report for 2009, the UAE, alone, was registered to have bought more than half a billion Euros worth of arms, ranking it in a close second place, after the USA, among German arms customers.[2] Already in 2007, the Saudi military budget was at US $59 billion - the fifth largest military budget in the world. The West is accompanying the arms buildup in the Gulf dictatorships with joint maneuvers that render joint combat missions conceivable. Over the past few years, maneuvers have been regularly held at the Al Dhafra Airbase in the UAE. Participating alongside the armed forces of the USA, are those of Great Britain, later also France, Saudi Arabia and Qatar. The German Bundeswehr has also taken part in the past.[3] The intention is to integrate the Emirates, as regular partners, in the combat exercises.
"War can be Scented"
There can be no doubt that the GCC dictatorships, disposed to support a war against Iran. The al Saud clan, as the "guardian of the Holy Sites of Islam," lays claim to playing a prominent role in the Arab world. Iran, with its great political and economic potentials, could develop into a predominating power at the Persian Gulf.[4] From the beginning, their rivalry has always been wrapped around religion, with the Saudi Sunnites being in confrontation with the Iranian Shiites. The tension between Riyadh and Teheran intensified when, in 1979, Iran developed into a religious state. The founding of the GCC, May 25, 1981, constituted the Saudi effort to prepare itself for the impending conflict. According to a recent article in the Lebanese press, since Iran's 1979 "Islamic Revolution," a sort of "cold war" has reigned between the two countries, and the Saudi media leave no doubt that a transition to a hot war is not to be ruled out. For example, recently when an alleged Iranian assassination plot was uncovered in the USA, a Riyadh journal wrote, Saudi Arabia has the right "to mobilize against this sort of terrorism." Another al Saud owned journal wrote that it is now clear that Iran "is the true enemy" of the country. Concerning Saudi-Iranian relations, a commentator of a non-Saudi Arab language daily drew the conclusion that "war can be scented."[5]
Auxiliary Force
The war may have already begun within the framework of proxy conflicts. It is said that the "Free Syrian Army" rebels are now being supported by Qatari troops against Syria. The Assad government in Damascus is considered Teheran's ally. The overthrow of this government means Iran losing more influence in the Arab world. Qatar and Saudi Arabia, in the meantime, are spearheading the Arab League forces opposing Assad. In fact, if the reports affirming Qatari military intervention on the side of the Syrian rebels prove to be true, this will not be unprecedented. In the war against Libya, it is now known, Qatar intervened with not just six fighter planes. It sent also ground troops in support of the Libyan insurgents, as well as marketed the oil exported by the rebels and provided a large amount of supplies and finances. In a résumé of the assistance to the Libyan rebels, serving as the West's ground forces, provided by the Qataris one reads that beyond the mentioned activities, the Qataris had also installed "the first television station for the rebels," which "was just as important as NATO for the overthrow of Gadhafi."[6]
Military Cooperation
German President Christian Wulff will soon visit the Qatari capitol Doha. The German Foreign Ministry considers the political relations between Berlin and Doha not only as "traditionally good," but, since about two years, they are being "further intensified." This has been manifested in the visits of the German Chancellor (May 2010), the German President (Feb. 2011), the German Foreign Minister (Jan. 2010) as well as other high-ranking delegations visiting Qatar. Not only German President Wulff, but also German Minister of the Economy, Roesler will travel to the Persian Gulf region in December and visit Doha. Tensions with Iran will certainly be one of the subjects during those talks. This had been discussed over a year ago, when the Emir of Qatar visited Berlin in September. His discussion partners were not limited to the German Chancellor. September 30, 2010 he negotiated with the Defense Minister, at the time, Karl-Theodor zu Guttenberg. Besides relations to Iran, also on the agenda were the development of the military and the security policy relations between Germany and the Qatari Emirate, which is increasingly intervening on the side of the West.
Further background information can be found here: War Threats against Iran.
[1] Dem GCC gehören Bahrain, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar, Saudi-Arabien und die Vereinigten Arabischen Emirate an.
[2] see also Militärpartner am Golf (II), Stabile Conditions and Hegemonic Conflict at the Gulf (II)
[3] see also German Arab Maneuvers
[4] see also Hegemonic Conflict at the Gulf
[5] "Man riecht den Krieg"; www.zenithonline.de 17.10.2011
[6] Die kleinste Großmacht in Arabien; www.faz.net 28.10.2011