Special to WorldTribune.com

WASHINGTON — Saudi Arabia has again topped a list of the world’s
leading defense clients over the last decade.

The Congressional Research Service asserted that the Gulf Cooperation
Council kingdom was the top weapons procurer in 2010. In a report by Richard
Grimmett, CRS said Saudi Arabia received $1.2 billion worth of weapons from
Western and other foreign suppliers last year.

“The data are official, unclassified, United States Defense Department figures compiled by the Defense Security Cooperation Agency, unless otherwise indicated,” the report, titled “U.S. Arms Sales: Agreements with and Deliveries to Major Clients, 2003-2010,” said.

CRS said Saudi Arabia also signed the largest amount of weapons deals from 2007 through 2010, with $13.8 billion in orders. Following Riyad, was the United Arab Emirates, with $10.4 billion, and Egypt, with $7.8 billion.

Egypt also came in second in worldwide deliveries in 2010, with $830 million. Egypt’s neighbor, Israel, was No. 5 on the list, with $640 million. Both countries have been the leading recipients of U.S. military aid.

The report, dated Dec. 16, was prepared for members and committees of Congress. CRS said Saudi Arabia intensified weapons orders in 2007 after coming in second to Egypt, with $4.5 billion, from 2003 through 2006. In 2010, Egypt signed $1.8 billion worth of defense accords.

“The data have been restructured for this report by DSCA from a fiscal
year format to a calendar year format,” the report said. “Thus a year in
this report covers the period from January 1 to December 31, and not the
fiscal year period from October 1 to September 30.”

  Congressional Research Service, Defense Security Cooperation Agency, Gulf Cooperation Council, No. one: Saudis spent $13.8 billion on Western weapons from 2007-2010, U.S. Defense Department