US Pledges $20 Billion in Arms to Middle East

The US announced plans to sell billions of dollars worth of weapons to Saudi Arabia, as well as to renew arms deals with Egypt, Israel and other allies. Goals behind the US plan include strengthening ties with allies and countering Iran’s growing influence in the region. However, some allies express concerns about more weapons flowing into the volatile region. Analysts point out that some governments could collapse in the region and the weapons could easily fall into the hands of extremists who despise neighboring nations or the US. The US has not decided on the exact categories of weapons for the packages. If the US finalizes the sales, the weapons will undoubtedly complicate diplomacy in the region and encourage Iran to hurry in developing its own arms technology. – YaleGlobal