The United States Government has agreed to supply Saudi Arabia with $100, 000, 000 worth of equipment for its armed forces, it was announced today by Mecca radio. The equipment will include armored personnel carriers, trucks and other vehicles, workshops for truck maintenance, tools and spare parts. (In Washington, the State Department today confirmed the Saudi Arabian announcement.)
The sale, which represents another step in the deepening U.S. involvement in the Middle East arms race, was under discussion for the past two years, but agreement was not reached until earlier this month. Saudi Arabia has turned to the United States for additional arms to oppose the Soviet-equipped military forces of Egypt. Saudi leaders fear that Egyptian President Nasser is seeking to extend his influence, as the British withdraw from the South Arabian peninsula.
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