The Senate Foreign Relations Committee, after postponing a decision twice, is scheduled to vote tomorrow on whether to reject the Administration’s proposed sale of a $350 million air defense system to Jordan. The House International Relations Committee voted Thursday to reject the deal.
Congressional opponents of the sale, which includes 14 batteries of “Hawk” surface-to-air missiles, eight “Vulcan” anti-aircraft gun batteries and 300 “Redeye” shoulder-fired missiles, claim it will upset the military balance in the Middle East. But the Administration contends the sale is needed to ensure that King Hussein’s government remains moderate and friendly to the United States.
The Administration reportedly agreed in negotiations with Congress last week to cut the “Hawk” sale to six batteries but then hardened its stand when Hussein rejected any reduction in the arms package.
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