Military Assistance: Information on U.S. Weapons Deliveries to the Middle East (21-SEP-01, GAO-01-1078)
The United States government provides military equipment,
services, and training to countries in the Middle East region
through a variety of military assistance programs. From fiscal
year 1991 through fiscal year 2000, the U.S. government delivered
$74 billion in military equipment, services, and training to
countries in the Middle East. The Foreign Military Sales and
Foreign Military Financing programs account for about 96 percent
of the value of military items in the US delivered to the region.
The U.S. weapon systems delivered include F-16 and F/A-18 fighter
aircraft, Apache and Cobra helicopters, M1A1 Tanks, and AMRAAM,
ATACMS, and Stinger missiles. Conditions on the use of US
military equipment, services, and training delivered to countries
in the Middle East, with few exceptions, are limited to standard
conditions that the U.S. government places on all transfers of US
military items. By law, the U.S. may provide military items to
foreign governments only for internal security, legitimate
self-defense, participation in collective agreements that are
consistent with the United Nations' charter, or civic action.
-------------------------Indexing Terms-------------------------
REPORTNUM: GAO-01-1078
ACCNO: A01789
TITLE: Military Assistance: Information on U.S. Weapons
Deliveries to the Middle East
DATE: 09/21/2001
SUBJECT: Foreign military arms sales
Foreign military assistance
Foreign military sales policies
Foreign military training
Weapons systems
International agreements
AMRAAM
Apache Helicopter
ATACMS Missile
Cobra Helicopter
DOD Excess Defense Articles Program
DOD Foreign Military Financing Program
F-16 Aircraft
F/A-18 Aircraft
International Military Education and
Training Program
M1A1 Tank
Stinger Missile
Foreign Military Sales Program
TOW-2A Missile
TOW-2B Missile
Advanced Medium Range Air-to-Air Missile
Hornet Aircraft
Middle East
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GAO-01-1078
Report to the Honorable John Conyers, Jr., House of Representatives
United States General Accounting Office
GAO
September 2001 DEFENSE TRADE Information on U. S. Weapons Deliveries to the
Middle East
GAO- 01- 1078
Page 1 GAO- 01- 1078 Military Assistance
September 21, 2001 The Honorable John Conyers, Jr. House of Representatives
Dear Mr. Conyers: The U. S. government provides military equipment,
services, and training to countries in the Middle East region 1 through a
variety of military assistance programs. 2 You asked us to identify (1) the
amounts and types of military equipment, services, and training the U. S.
government has delivered to the Middle East from fiscal year 1991 through
fiscal year 2000, and (2) the conditions placed on the use of selected U. S.
weapon systems delivered to the Middle East. We briefed you and your staff
on August 2, 2001. As you requested, this letter provides the information
covered in that briefing.
From fiscal year 1991 through fiscal year 2000, the U. S. government
delivered about $74 billion in military equipment, services, and training to
countries in the Middle East. This included military items purchased by
these countries through the Foreign Military Sales program, as well as those
financed with grant funds provided through the Foreign Military Financing
program. In addition, military equipment, services, and training is provided
on a grant basis through the International Military Education and Training
program and under the Excess Defense Articles and Emergency Drawdown
authorities. The Foreign Military Sales and Foreign Military Financing
programs account for about 96 percent of the value of military items the
United States delivered to the region. The U. S. weapon systems delivered
include F- 16 and F/ A- 18 fighter aircraft, Apache and
1 We included the following countries in the Middle East region in our
review: Bahrain, Egypt, Israel, Jordan, Kuwait, Lebanon, Oman, Qatar, Saudi
Arabia, Syria, United Arab Emirates, and Yemen. In addition, we included the
Palestinian Authority in our review due to its location in the Middle East.
2 For the purposes of this report, military assistance programs refers to
security assistance programs administered by the Department of Defense.
United States General Accounting Office Washington, DC 20548
Results in Brief
Page 2 GAO- 01- 1078 Military Assistance
Cobra helicopters, M1A1 tanks, and AMRAAM, 3 ATACMS, 4 and Stinger missiles.
State and Defense Department officials told us that conditions on the use of
U. S. military equipment, services, and training delivered to countries in
the Middle East, with few exceptions, are limited to standard conditions
that the U. S. government places on all transfers of U. S. military items.
By law, the United States may provide military items to foreign governments
only for internal security, legitimate self- defense, participation in
collective arrangements that are consistent with the United Nations?
charter, or civic action. 5 Use conditions are contained in general mutual
defense treaties and other international agreements, and sales agreements
for military equipment, services, and training sold to foreign governments.
In addition to the standard use conditions, we identified a limited number
of cases where the U. S. government applied specific use conditions to
weapon systems delivered to the Middle East. For example, U. S. manportable
air defense systems (such as Stinger missiles) may not be assembled for
training or testing by the foreign government without prior notice to U. S.
military personnel located in overseas offices. 6
The U. S. government provides military equipment, services, and training to
countries in the Middle East through several military assistance programs,
including the Foreign Military Sales program, Foreign Military Financing
program, International Military Education and Training program, Excess
Defense Articles authority, and Emergency Drawdown authority. These programs
are generally governed by the Arms Export Control Act, as amended, 7 and the
Foreign Assistance Act of 1961, as amended. 8
3 Advanced Medium Range Air- to- Air Missile. 4 Army Tactical Missile
System. 5 Military equipment and training may be used in developing
countries to assist foreign military forces to construct public works or to
engage in other activities helpful to the economic and social development of
a country.
6 The U. S. government requires that this condition be applied to all
deliveries of manportable air defense systems, except for transfers to
Australia, Japan, New Zealand, and North Atlantic Treaty Organization
countries.
7 22 U. S. C. sect. 2751 et seq. 8 22 U. S. C. sect. 2151 et seq. Background
Page 3 GAO- 01- 1078 Military Assistance
Through the Foreign Military Sales program, the U. S. government sells
military equipment, services, and training to foreign governments under
sales agreements managed by the Defense Department. Although the Arms Export
Control Act generally requires the U. S. government to recover the full
estimated costs from the foreign government purchaser, U. S. grant funds
provided under the Foreign Military Financing program can be used to
purchase military items through the Foreign Military Sales program.
Through the Foreign Military Financing program, the U. S. government
provides selected countries with grant funds to purchase military equipment,
services, and training. As stated above, these funds can be used to purchase
military items through the Foreign Military Sales program, or in some cases
can be used to purchase such items directly from U. S. companies. In
addition, Israel may use a portion of these grant funds to purchase military
items directly from its indigenous companies. Purchases made directly from
companies are generally referred to as direct commercial sales.
The U. S. government funds military training for foreign governments through
the International Military Education and Training program. In addition, it
provides military equipment, services, and training to foreign governments,
on a grant basis, under the Excess Defense Articles 9 and Emergency Drawdown
10 authorities. Under these authorities, the U. S. provides military items
directly from Defense Department stocks.
Through these military assistance programs, the U. S. government places
conditions on deliveries of U. S. military equipment, services, and training
to foreign governments. These conditions restrict the use of such equipment
to certain authorized purposes and restrict the transfer of the equipment to
third parties. Conditions may also specify security measures to be taken to
protect the equipment or require special inventory checks by U. S.
personnel. For the purpose of this review, we focused on use restrictions.
9 22 U. S. C. sect. 2321j. 10 22 U. S. C. sect. 2318.
Page 4 GAO- 01- 1078 Military Assistance
The U. S. government delivered about $74 billion in military equipment,
services, and training to countries in the Middle East from fiscal year 1991
through fiscal year 2000. Table 1 shows the total value of U. S. military
assistance that was delivered, by country, for the 10- year period. The data
is arranged by each of the five military assistance programs we included in
our review. 11 The amounts shown for the Foreign Military Financing program
represent only the portion that was used for direct commercial sales. 12 The
remainder of the Foreign Military Financing funds are included as part of
the Foreign Military Sales totals since these funds were used to purchase
items through that program. Table 1 shows the value of deliveries of
military items purchased by countries in the Middle East through the Foreign
Military Sales program or purchased as direct commercial sales using funds
provided through the Foreign Military Financing program, as well as military
items provided on a grant basis through the International Military Education
and Training program and under the Excess Defense Articles and Emergency
Drawdown authorities. Over the last 10 years, the Foreign Military Sales and
Foreign Military Financing programs have accounted for about 96 percent of
the value of military items the United States has delivered to the Middle
East. The four largest recipients of military items in the Middle East have
been Saudi Arabia, Israel, Egypt, and Kuwait. Syria and the Palestinian
Authority did not receive U. S. military assistance during this period. 13
11 The five programs we reviewed account for the majority of military
assistance dollars to the Middle East, although the U. S. government has
other means of delivering military assistance to foreign governments. For
example, military equipment, services, and training can also be provided
through Peacekeeping Operations, International Narcotics Control and Law
Enforcement, and Nonproliferation, Anti- terrorism, Demining, and Related
Programs.
12 The total value of Foreign Military Financing grant funds appropriated to
the Middle East during fiscal years 1991 to 2000 is over $33 billion,
including $19 billion to Israel, $13 billion to Egypt, and $567 million to
Jordan. However, these appropriated amounts have not all been disbursed as
of August 2001.
13 While the Palestinian Authority did not directly receive U. S. military
assistance, the U. S. government indirectly provided the Palestine Police
with $4 million in fiscal year 1994 and $5 million in fiscal year 1995 for
non- lethal assistance. This assistance consisted of trucks, jeeps,
uniforms, and medical equipment obtained from Defense Department stocks
under Emergency Drawdown authority for Israel and then provided to the
Palestine Police. Amounts and Types of
U. S. Military Assistance Delivered to the Middle East
Page 5 GAO- 01- 1078 Military Assistance
Table 1: Value of U. S. Military Assistance Deliveries to the Middle East,
Fiscal Years 1991- 2000 a
Dollars in millions
Country Foreign Military Sales
Foreign Military FinancingCommercial Sales Excess Defense
Articles Emergency Drawdown
International Military Education
& Training Total
Saudi Arabia $33,526.7 0 0 0 0 $33,526.7 Israel 6,365.6 $10,812.4 $767.4
$818.0 0 18,763.4 Egypt 10,030.9 2, 097.9 539.4 13.5 $12.3 12,694.1 Kuwait
5,520.0 0 0 0 0 5, 520.0 United Arab Emirates 1,380.0 0 0 0 0 1, 380.0
Jordan 351.6 57.6 386.4 139.3 11.9 946.9 Bahrain 615.7 0 402.8 0 1.3 1,
019.7 Lebanon 135.7 0 58.8 0 4.0 198.5 Oman 95.1 0 56.4 0 1.5 153.1 Yemen 5.
8 0 0 0 0. 5 6.3 Qatar 4. 8 0 0 0 0 4.8
Total $58,031.8 $12,967.9 $2,211.3 $970.8 $31.6 $74,213.4
a Totals may not add due to rounding. Source: GAO analysis of Defense
Department data.
The weapon systems that the U. S. government has delivered to countries in
the Middle East include fighter aircraft, helicopters, tanks, missiles, and
cluster bombs. Figure 1 identifies some of the weapon systems that have been
delivered to specific countries.
Page 6 GAO- 01- 1078 Military Assistance
Figure 1: Selected U. S. Weapon Systems Delivered to the Middle East a
a Lebanon, Qatar, Syria, and the Palestinian Authority have not received any
of the above U. S. weapon systems from fiscal years 1991 through 2000.
Source: GAO?s analysis of the Defense Department?s data.
Page 7 GAO- 01- 1078 Military Assistance
State and Defense Department officials told us that conditions on the use of
U. S. military equipment, services, and training delivered to countries in
the Middle East, with few exceptions, are limited to standard conditions
that the U. S. government places on all transfers of military items.
According to these officials, the U. S. government carefully reviews each
proposed military transfer to prevent sensitive military items from going to
countries that would misuse them or to limit the military technology
provided. 14 For example, Army officials told us that the TOW 15 2B missile
is sold to only a few countries, because it has more capability than the TOW
2A. Of the countries identified in figure 1, only Kuwait has received the
TOW 2B missile. Several State and Defense Department officials cited this
review process as the reason the U. S. government generally does not place
specific use restrictions, in addition to standard use conditions, on
military items transferred to foreign governments.
U. S. laws governing military assistance include conditions on the transfer
of U. S. military equipment, services, and training. Both the Arms Export
Control Act 16 and the Foreign Assistance Act 17 define the purposes for
which U. S. military items can be transferred. These purposes are internal
security, legitimate self- defense, participation in collective arrangements
that are consistent with the United Nations? charter, or construction of
public works or other economic and social development activities.
The U. S. government signed mutual defense treaties and other international
military assistance agreements with foreign governments in the Middle East
when military assistance was first provided to those countries. These
treaties and international agreements include, by reference, the use
conditions found in the Arms Export Control or Foreign Assistance Acts, or
in some cases, include similar language to the use conditions provided by
these acts. For example, a 1988 memorandum of understanding between the
United States and Egypt for the coproduction of the M1A1 tank states that
defense articles, services, and technology transferred to Egypt must be used
in accordance with the Arms Export
14 See Foreign Military Sales: Review Process for Controlled Missile
Technology Needs Improvement (GAO/ NSIAD- 99- 231, Sept. 29, 1999) for
information on the review process for military transfers.
15 Tube- launched, Optically- tracked, Wire- guided. 16 22 U. S. C. sect. 2754.
17 22 U. S. C. sect. 2302. Conditions on the Use
of U. S. Military Equipment Delivered to the Middle East
Page 8 GAO- 01- 1078 Military Assistance
Control Act. In another example, a 1952 mutual defense assistance agreement
states that Israel may use U. S. military equipment only to maintain its
internal security, for legitimate self- defense, or to participate in United
Nations collective security arrangements. This is similar to the language
contained in the Arms Export Control and Foreign Assistance Acts.
The Defense Department uses sales agreements when it sells U. S. military
equipment, services, and training to foreign governments through the Foreign
Military Sales program. These sales agreements contain a number of standard
terms and conditions, including conditions similar to those found in the
Arms Export Control and Foreign Assistance Acts or in military assistance
agreements. The standard use conditions require the purchaser to use the
defense articles sold only for the purposes specified in any mutual defense
assistance agreement, bilateral treaty, or regional defense treaty. If no
such agreements or treaties exist, then defense articles are only to be used
for internal security, individual self- defense, or civic action.
We reviewed over 80 sales agreements for weapon systems sold to the Middle
East and found that those for man- portable air defense systems (such as
Stinger missiles) contained use conditions in addition to the standard use
conditions. The sales agreements require foreign governments to notify U. S.
military personnel located in overseas offices prior to assembling the
components of the man- portable air defense systems for training or testing.
In addition, these components may not be assembled except in the event of
hostilities or imminent hostilities, as part of regularly scheduled
training, for testing, or to defend high- priority installations or
activities.
We also identified a limited number of instances where additional use
conditions were placed on a particular weapon system delivered to specific
countries in the Middle East. These conditions were not included in the
sales agreements, but were conveyed to the foreign governments through
memoranda of understanding or formal discussions. For example, prior to
selling fighter aircraft to one country in the Middle East, the U. S.
government received assurances from the foreign government, through formal
discussions, that the aircraft would not be based near one of the country?s
borders. In another example, the U. S. government signed a memorandum of
understanding by which the foreign government agreed to use the U. S. weapon
system only within that country?s borders.
Page 9 GAO- 01- 1078 Military Assistance
We provided copies of this report to the Departments of Defense and State.
Neither department provided written comments. However, both had technical
suggestions, which we incorporated as appropriate.
To identify the amounts and types of U. S. military equipment, services, and
training provided to countries in the Middle East from fiscal year 1991
through fiscal year 2000, we reviewed data on Foreign Military Sales,
Foreign Military Financing, and International Military Education and
Training programs. In addition, we reviewed data on military items provided
under Excess Defense Articles and Emergency Drawdown authority. We excluded
data on military items sold directly to the Middle East by U. S. companies,
except for those paid for with Foreign Military Financing grant funds. To
aggregate the military assistance data, we used delivery values for all but
one of the programs we reviewed. For the delivery value of military items
that foreign governments purchased directly from companies using Foreign
Military Financing grant funds, we used the amounts obligated by those
countries for each fiscal year because that information was not available
for deliveries. Defense Department officials told us that the amounts
obligated would most closely correspond with military item deliveries.
Defense Department officials also told us that under the Foreign Military
Sales program, the term delivered indicates that a sales agreement has been
signed and implemented, but due to production lead- time or other factors,
physical delivery of the items may take place at a later date.
To identify the conditions the U. S. government places on the use of
military equipment, services, and training, we reviewed the Arms Export
Control Act, the Foreign Assistance Act, key mutual defense treaties and
other international military assistance agreements, Defense Department
guidance, and over 80 sales agreements for selected weapon systems. We also
interviewed State and Defense Department officials responsible for U. S.
military assistance programs to discuss use conditions on military items.
We performed our review from May through September 2001 in accordance with
generally accepted government auditing standards.
We are sending copies of this report to the Chairman and Ranking Minority
Member, Committee on International Relations, U. S. House of
Representatives; the Chairman and Ranking Minority Member, Committee Agency
Comments
Scope and Methodology
Page 10 GAO- 01- 1078 Military Assistance
on Foreign Relations, U. S. Senate; and other interested committees and
subcommittees of the House and Senate. We are also sending copies to the
Secretaries of State and Defense, and the Director, Office of Management and
Budget. We will also make copies available to others on request.
Please contact me at (202) 512- 4841 if you have any questions concerning
this report. Key contributors to this assignment were Thomas J. Denomme,
John Neumann, Jeffrey D. Phillips, John Van Schaik, and Michael C. Zola.
Sincerely yours, Katherine V. Schinasi Director Acquisition and Sourcing
Management
(120072)
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