The World - News from March 12, 1986

The Administration formally notified Congress that it wants to sell $354-million worth of advanced missiles to Saudi Arabia--a deal supporters of Israel quickly tried to stop. An Administration spokesman said Saudi Arabia needs the 1,066 Sidewinder air-to-air missiles, 800 shoulder-fired Stingers and 100 Harpoon naval missiles to meet “security requirements.” But Sen. Alan Cranston (D-Calif.) began circulating a resolution to reject the sale, saying he opposes it “because of the hostility the Saudis have shown for fundamental U.S. national security interests in the Mideast.”