F-5G S FOR JORDAN: A SLAP IN THE FACE

• Document Type: CREST
• Collection: General CIA Records
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): CIA-RDP84B00049R001503870016-6
• Release Decision: RIPPUB
• Original Classification: C
• Document Page Count: 3
• Document Creation Date: December 21, 2016
• Document Release Date: June 17, 2008
• Sequence Number: 16
• Publication Date: April 14, 1982
• Content Type: CABLE

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C O N F I D E N T I A L. AMMAN 03275
E.O. 12065: GDS 04/14/88 (ROGERS, BRUCE C.)OR-P
TAGS: PEPR MASS JO US
SUBJECTS F-5G'S FOR JORDAN: "A SLAP IN THE FACE"
1. (U) APRIL 14 JORDAN TIMES QUOTES A NEW YORK
TIMES ARTICLE REPORTINGA US COMPROMISE ARMS SALE
TO JORDAN WHICH WOULD EXCLUDE F-16'S AND MOBILE
I?HAWK MISSILES BUT PERMIT THE SALE OF F-5G
AIRCRAFT,
2. (U) AN EDITORIAL IN THE SAME ISSUE CALLED
THE "COMPRCMISE" A SLAP IN THE FACE OF THE
CONFIDENTIAL
State Dept. review completed.
OIA/LFMEA, OSWR/CIG, O$WR/TTC, ss
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ARABS. IT STATED THAT THE FUNDAMENTAL TENET OF.
.THE REAGAN MIDDLE EAST POLICY IS THE MAINTENANCE
OF ISRAEL'S QUALITATIVE. MILITARY EDGE, SELLING
F-5G'3 TO JORDAN WHILE SELLING F-16'S TO ISRAEL
;IS.INSULTING AND WILL FURTHER STRAIN OLD U.S.
FRIENDSHIPS IN THE MIDDLE EAST. (FULL TEXT IN
.LAST PARAGRAPH).
.3. (C) COMMENT: THE EDITORIAL EXPRESSED WHAT
MANY JORDANIANS HAVE TOLD US: A U.S. REFUSAL TO
FILL JORDAN'S LEGITIMATE DEFENSIVE NEEDS, I.E.,
-PROVIDE SOPHISTICATED AIRCRAFT AND AIR DEFENSE
SYSTEMS,WHILE SELLING ISRAEL THE MOST ADVANCED
TECHNOLOGY DEMONSTRATES ISRAELI CONTROL OVER
U.S. FOREIGN POLICY. THE OBVIOUS LESSON, MANY
JORDANIANS CONCLUDE, IS TO LOOK ELSEWHERE To
MEET JORDAN'S DEFENSIVE NEEDS.
4. BEGIN TEXT
REAL FRIENDS DON'T SLAp
THE NEW YORK TIMES HAS REPORTED THAT THE REAGAN
ADMINISTRATION IS PREPARING A "COMPROMISE" DEAL
TO SELL JORDAN THE F-5G TIGERSHARK FIGHTER JET WHILE
DENYING JORDAN THE SALE OF IMPROVED HAWK MISSILES OR
THE F-16 FIGHTER JET. IT ADDED THAT THE DEAL IS
LOOMING AS A TEST CASE FOR THE REAGAN ADMINISTRATION'S
MIDDLE EAST POLICY, WHICH, IT QUOTED REAGAN ADMINIS-
TRATION OFFICIALS AS SAYING, WAS "TO CONTINUE TO
SUPPORT ISRAEL WHILE TRYING ALSO TO WIN NEW ARAB
FRIENDS."
IF THE TIMES REPORT IS ACCURATE, OUR INITIAL FEELING
IS THAT A REAGAN MIDDLE EAST POLICY BASED ON A PROPOSED
COMPROMISE SUCH AS THIS IS NOT ONLY UNLIKELY TO WIN NEW
ARAB FRIENDS, BUT IS VIRTUALLY CERTAIN TO FURTHER
STRAIN THE-TIES OF FRIENDSHIP THAT HAVE EXISTED FOR
MANY YEARS WITH SOME VERY OLD AND SINCERE ARAB FRIENDS,
THE FUNDAMENTAL TENET OF WHAT THE REAGAN ADMINISTRATION
IS DOING IN THE MIDDLE EAST IS THAT ISRAEL MUST MAIN-
TAIN A QUALITATIVE TECHNOLOGICAL ADVANTAGE OVER THE
COMBINED FORCES OF ALL THE ARAB STATES. THAT TENET
CONFIDENTIAL
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IS UNACCEPTARLE TO THE ARABS, AND IS AT THE HEART OF
THE SLOWLY DISINTEGRATING WEB OF TRADITIONALLY FRIENDLY
TIES BETWEEN THE UNITED STATES AND MANY ARAB COUNTRIES.
WE ARE AMAZED YET AGAIN BY THE NAIVE, SIMPLISTIC, IN-
SULTING AND ARROGANT ATTITUDE AMONG AMERICAN DECISION-
MAKERS THAT ARAB STATES WILL ACCEPT $O-CALLED COMPROMISE
DEALS THAT SACRIFICE ARAB DIGNITY AND SELF-RESPECT AT
THE ALTAR OF AMERICAN SUBSERVIENCE TO ISRAELI FEARS AND
POLITICAL BLACKMAIL. IT SOUNDS LIKE WHAT WE MAY BE
GETTING FROM WASHINGTON IS A BIG FAT SLAP IN THE FACE.
THIS HARDLY SEEMS THE WAY TO WIN -- OR KEEP -- FRIENDS.
END TEXT. VIETS
END OF .:MESSAGE
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