US backlash

U.S. Exported Arms Worth $10.9B via FMS in '08

U.S. defense companies delivered $10.9 billion worth of weapons to
foreign hands through the Foreign Military Sales program in 2008
according to the Federation of American Scientists.

FMS agreements jumped from $9.5 billion in 2005 to more than $18
billion in 2006, then to $36 billion in 2008

Pentagon issued a report of the Annual Military Assistance Report from
the Defense Department this summer, after filing a Freedom of
Information Act 2001 request for export of weapon systems. The request
was confirmed.

The report says that Israel led the pack of weapons buyers with $1.36
billion in purchases. Almost a third of that - $419 million - was
spent on "petroleum, gases and fuels," according to the report.
Another $427 million went to "other equipment" on unknown foreign
origins.

Israel displaced Poland, which spent almost $1.5 billion as the top
weapons buyer in 2007. Poland dropped to fifth place in 2008 with $733
million in weapons purchases.

Poland became a major weapons buyer in 2002, when it ordered 48 F-16
fighters. Deliveries of the planes accounted for the bulk of Poland's
purchases in 2007 and 2008.

Other top buyers in 2008 were Saudi Arabia, $809 million; South Korea,
$799 million; Egypt, $788 million and Poland, $733 million.

South Korea was pushed closer to the top of the buyers list in 2008 by
the delivery of two Aegis shipboard combat systems worth $300 million,
Schroeder said.

Major Saudi purchases included aircraft spare parts and five types of
missiles. Details on the missiles and their purchase prices were
redacted from the report.

Egypt bought aircraft parts and four types of missiles.

Israel's purchases included 15 F-16Ds worth almost $400 million and
guided bombs and other munitions worth $120 million.

Pakistan became the 10th-biggest weapons customer in 2008, buying $271
million worth of arms, including 867 TOW anti-tank missiles, 155mm
howitzers and communications equipment.

Pakistan was banned from buying U.S.-made weapons less than a decade
ago, Schroeder said.

So was Iraq, which spent $442 million in 2008 to buy items ranging
from ammunition and rifles to communications gear.

Under the Foreign Military Sales program, U.S. companies deal with
foreign governments through the Pentagon's Defense Security
Cooperation Agency (as named). The agency manages sales and
deliveries, and in some cases provides grants and loans to the buyers
to finance the deals.

But the major question is that an additional sales resulted $437
million in 2008 & $356 million in 2007 added up to US treasury by
Pentagon's Defense Security Cooperation Agency bu sales of defence
products. But the customer list was not revealed by federal agencies.