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| Israel-Palestine |
| US shutting down major defense deals with Israel over tech transfers to ChiComs |
| 2005-05-18 |
| FromEast-Asia-Intel, subscription req'd. WASHINGTON — U.S. government sources said several key military projects with Israel have been suspended or significantly slowed down in 2005. "It's all about China," a government source said. "The Pentagon, with full support of the administration, does not want to deal with Israeli products or technology that could be sent to China." Unlike the Clinton Admin., where anything went, w/r/t the Chicoms. In fact the Pentagon is pressing Israel for information about 100 deals with China that have security and strategic implications. One casualty of the Pentagon decision has been the Mobile Tactical High Energy Laser project. The U.S. Army has refused to request funding for the joint Israeli-U.S. program for Fiscal Year 2006 despite high interest in a laser system to defend against missiles, rockets and mortars. "The anger in Washington against Israel over China is incredible and has not subsided. It's hardball right now." The dispute stemmed from an Israeli decision to upgrade the Harpy attack unmanned aerial vehicle for China in 2004. Government sources said several Harpy UAVs, purchased in 1997, were delivered to Israel for an overhaul in a move that was concealed from the United States. Bad move, Israel. You need foreign exchange, but not that way. Since then, the Pentagon has refused to deal with Israeli Defense Ministry Director-general Amos Yaron or his assistant, Yekutiel Mor. Instead, the Pentagon has submitted a list of 500 questions seeking information on 100 Israeli deals with China involving military, security and dual-use projects. "The issue is not whether the Army requires a laser," said a congressional aide who monitors the program. "It's whether the Army needs a laser project with Israel. There are many in Congress who feel the same way." "The rule of thumb is if that if the [Israeli] technology is not absolutely necessary to the U.S. military, then the Pentagon won't buy it," the official said. The Pentagon has also kept Israel out of the Joint Strike Fighter program. Sources said Israel Air Force representatives have not been invited to JSF meetings and have been denied access to the Washington office. "The Pentagon says it won't try to stop Israeli civilian technology to China," an official said. "But it wants to make sure that nothing dual-use could be transferred to China's military projects. This is where it gets tricky." The sources said the Pentagon has also sought to keep Israeli companies that deal with China out of the United States. They said the Defense Department has warned that it would not purchase systems from U.S. companies if their technology comes from Israeli contractors having links to China. |
| Posted by:Alaska Paul |
| #1 The Europeans and anyone else for that matter has to make the same choice. |
| Posted by: phil_b 2005-05-18 17:51 |