Qatar and Saudi Arabia, an arms race or a competition of who can buy more

[Scorpion]

I am not sure how accurate this news but for sure not spat. Trump just phoned King Salam yesterday. The US can not pull the Patriot system without prior arrangement with Saudi Arabia. There is a rental contract going on. We have a shortage now and RSAD even rented out some Patriot from Greece. Unless the Patriot that were sent for maintenance came back that I do not know of. As far as the TAAD concern, I think one or more groups out of what have been sent yet to conclude but those sent first yes trained and certified already. The THAAD delivery was supposed to take place by the end of 2022 but I have heard from a friend first batch is coming by the end of this year or early next year. This news was first published by WSJ citing anonymous source and from there it spread out. I can not comment on the accuracy of the Patriot being pulled out but if it was i would been a bilateral agreement.

The two batteries in Saudi Arabia were helping protect the country’s oil fields and are likely to be replaced by Saudi Patriot batteries, according to the official, who asked not to be identified discussing the change. More than 12 Patriot batteries and one THAAD battery, which can intercept ballistic missiles at higher altitudes, remain in the region, the official added.

Mr Trump denied the move was a snub to Saudi Arabia’s Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, despite fury among normally pro-Riyadh Republican senators over the oil price war launched by the prince in February

U.S. Withdrawing Some Patriot Missile Batteries From Middle East

The U.S. has removed two of its four Patriot antimissile batteries from Saudi Arabia and another two in the Mideast partly because tensions with Iran have eased from a peak earlier this year, according to a U.S. official.

www.bloomberg.com

US pulls missiles out of Saudi Arabia as Iran tensions cool

The United States is moving Patriot missile systems out of Saudi Arabia and reducing military forces across the Middle East, in another sign that tensions with Iran may be ebbing.President Trump and Pentagon officials confirmed that two of the missile defence systems were being withdrawn from the

www.thetimes.co.uk