NATION : U.S. to Delay Saudi Arms Plan

The United States and Saudi Arabia have agreed to drop a proposed $7-billion arms package for the Arab kingdom until after the Persian Gulf crisis, the State Department announced today.

“We agreed that resolution of the gulf crisis was our first priority and we need to further assess Saudi arms needs in the context of the post-crisis environment,” said State Department spokesman Richard Boucher.

“Strong defense forces are an important element of regional stability and the U.S. will continue to assist Saudi Arabia building such capabilities,” he said.

The $7-billion package was part of an original proposal to sell Saudi Arabia about $22 billion in weaponry over the next four years. But the Bush Administration dropped that proposal when it ran into heavy opposition in Congress, particularly among pro-Israel members.