Originally Posted by Secrecy

Surprisingly, Saudi Arabia now acquired up to date export versions of U.S. Military Equipment. I was driving down on the loading dock in Brooklyn and found M-1A1, Paladin, and several Hummvees lined neatly down the aisle. At first I thought the shipment is going off to U.S. troops in Iraq, but as I checked the port destination: Saudi Arabia and sold to the Saudi Armed Forces.

Second, Flying Frog, please recognize the Saudi's efforts in their current training. They are already been proving to be a well-trained and well-equipped military.

The company I work for sells systems for the M1A1 such as fire control and thermal viewing systems. I am working on an infrared commander's viewer for Saudi and Kuwait. It is all first generation technology whereas the US is using third generation. That is not taking anything away from the equipment that they are buying because it served us well for 10 years.

This may still happen. Let's not forget they have a strategic asset in their oil.

Oil may also be what has condemned them.

Because of the massive amounts of money that oil brings to the country. The Saudi's are able to live through their life on welfare alone. No need to get jobs, no need to work hard and study. Unemployement in Saudi Arabia is growing, a lot of the work done is through imported workers. There is also a shortage of people majoring in technical fields with most people going for Religious Studies.

The Arabs used to be very innovative and one of the forefronts of technology in the world, the power of oil brought their society down to their level now. Without indigenous innovation, I do not see much hope for a new powerful Arab Army.

They can easily buy that technology in exchange for hard cash.

The rest they will make up for with fanaticsm and manpower. Kind of like the way the Chinese did in Korea, or the Russians did against Germany.

The people have no reason to join the military, they have no reason to train hard, they live comftorable lives without the need to work. Why would they join an amry and possibly get injured and die?

Technology can be bought, but like in what Missileer said, what they sell to them is old technology. Very few countries are willing to sell their best and most deadly weapons to another country.

Having the money, the most modern military equipment, does not mean anyboby CAN fight or for that matter WILL fight, much more win. This has been proven time and again throughout history. There should be the will to fight, the reason to fight, the belief that what you are fighting for is right and worth dying or killing for.

From ancient times to today, powerful armies have become victims of smaller, less powerful armies. Vietnam is a classic example, so was Afghanistan against the Soviets, who can say for sure that Iraqi rebels can't defeat the coalition tommorow? To many, those Iraqis are rebels and terrorist, but to some they are Freedom Fighters, they may not have much in common with each other except for the fact that they are fighting for a cause which they believe.

Having the money, the most modern military equipment, does not mean anyboby CAN fight or for that matter WILL fight, much more win. This has been proven time and again throughout history. There should be the will to fight, the reason to fight, the belief that what you are fighting for is right and worth dying or killing for.

Well said.

agreed, well said.

The will to fight is very important. The Arabs have fanaticsm and manpower on their side. If a brilliant future leader can harness that, then they will be a force to be recond with.

The scary part is they believe just that, that a future leader will unite them all and they will invade Europe once again and conquer the world.

Originally Posted by Kinection

Very few countries are willing to sell their best and most deadly weapons to another country.

Well Russia has just sold Iran their latest and deadliest missle, called Sunburn. Its a low-level sea-skimming supersonic anti-ship missle.

Cash speaks volumes to some countries, especially if they need it badly enough.

Gladius, you adress arabs and muslims as though they are one being; they are millions of different people of all classes and beliefs around the world.

They would be largely outnumbered if they were to unite, the world would defeat them.

I believe China and India would hvae finished them even before the USA and its allies got there.

I can't see it happening any time soon and if it does, it would be over quickly and painfully for them.

They are people, not machines, they have differnet viewpoints and opinions, even on their religion, and they can see danger.

They will not unite.

Don't worry it won't happen any time soon. Give maybe 10 or 20 years, if were lucky 50.

I don't think they are stupid either.

As far as them uniting, they won't by themselves, but it is part of their religious beliefs that someday a great leader will unite them. Wether they unite or not that's going to be up to them, not you to decide.

Lol, thank you thats what I've been trying to say; 'it is up to them to decide'.

And because of that notion whether beliefs or not i see it impossible they will unite; a lot of clever people would know they would get destroyed.

But anyway I'm too tired for this mini-war between us lol.

Lets just hope it never happens?

Cya.