Congress may re-examine special arms deals with Israel
The US policy of giving Israel a Qualitative Military Edge policy over its neighbors has been called into question now that they are fighting on the same side against the Islamic State.
WASHINGTON — Key lawmakers say they're open to re-examining a decades-old arms policy that guarantees Israel a technological advantage over its neighbors now that they're all facing the same threat.
The concept, known as Qualitative Military Edge (QME), dates back to the 1960s when Arab states were ganging up against the tiny nation. Today some of those same states are Israel's first line of defense against the Islamic State (IS), prompting concerns that the policy could undermine both US strategic interests and Israel's safety.
The issue received renewed scrutiny this week when King Abdullah paid Capitol Hill a visit just as IS released video of a captured pilot being burned alive. The king complained of delays in getting the aircraft parts, night-vision equipment and precision bombs Jordan needs to fight back, according to senators present.
"We understand the need to ensure the integrity of third-party transfers, the protection of critical US technologies, and our commitment to the maintenance of a Qualitative Military Edge (QME) for Israel," members of the Senate Armed Services Committee wrote in a letter to Secretary of State John Kerry and Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel. "However, Jordan’s situation and the cohesiveness of the coalition demands we move with speed to ensure they receive the military materiel they require for ongoing operations against [IS]. We believe that Jordan’s requests need to be addressed expeditiously, commensurate with their urgent operational needs in the fight against [IS]."
