# USA Arms Sales-Arsenal of Democracy?

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/usa-arms-sales-arsenal-of-democracy/722382>\
**Category:** Great Debates\
**Created:** [June 12, 2015, 8:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/usa-arms-sales-arsenal-of-democracy/722382 "2015-06-12T20:00:02Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 3\
**Page:** 1

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![The\_Stainless\_Steel\_Rat](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/the_stainless_steel_rat/32/5727_2.png) [@The\_Stainless\_Steel\_Rat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Stainless_Steel_Rat)\
**Post date:** [June 12, 2015, 8:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/usa-arms-sales-arsenal-of-democracy/722382/1 "2015-06-12T20:00:02Z")

</div>

I really didn’t know which section to put this in, but since it may start some discussions I thought it best to begin in GD. If the moderators disagree, please feel free to move it.

Anyway…The US of A, by law, must let people (starting with Congress) know about major arms deals (those that are Government-to-Government; Corporation-to-Foreign Government is a bit dicier). So on this (unclassified) site is the major arms deals that the Government (with Congresssional Notification and approval) have done since 2008. [Major Arms Sales | Defense Security Cooperation Agency](http://www.dsca.mil/major-arms-sales)

Interesting points to consider as you peruse.

- For all the Anti-Islam/pro-Israeli rethoric in DC and elsewhere, politicians don’t mind US Industry selling some top-line stuff to Arab (and other predominately Muslim) countries.

- Speaking of Israel (who does have a rather robust defense industry of their own), see this one: Interesting. [Israel – JP-8 Aviation Fuel, Diesel Fuel, and Unleaded Gasoline | Defense Security Cooperation Agency](http://www.dsca.mil/major-arms-sales/israel-jp-8-aviation-fuel-diesel-fuel-and-unleaded-gasoline)

- The amount of stuff we supplied to Iran (a lot of which may yet fall into the hands of ISIS) may surprise some folks.

So. I guess the question is, given the information provided, is or has the US been acting wisely these past few years on what they are selling and whom they are selling it to?

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![andros](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/e480ec/32.png) [@andros](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/andros)\
**Post date:** [June 12, 2015, 8:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/usa-arms-sales-arsenal-of-democracy/722382/2 "2015-06-12T20:29:19Z")

</div>

The past few years? It’s not like this is something new.

I can’t say I’d call it wise, no.

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![Ravenman](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ravenman/32/2929_2.png) [@Ravenman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ravenman)\
**Post date:** [June 12, 2015, 10:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/usa-arms-sales-arsenal-of-democracy/722382/3 "2015-06-12T22:15:47Z")

</div>

Law requires that U.S. arms sales preserve a qualitative military advantage compared to other countries in the region. So for example, we aren’t going to sell F-35s to Saudi Arabia.

Do you mean we sold arms to Iraq that may fall into ISIL’s hands? You wrote Iran, with whom we’ve had no sanctioned arms deals for quite some time.