By Said K. Aburish | Information Clearing House
Not for the first time, Saudi Arabia has demonstrated that it can use its political and financial power.
By threatening to cancel a huge contract for the Eurofighter Typhoon, the Saudis have forced Tony Blair to stop the Serious Fraud Office investigation into the bribery payments to members of their royal family by British Aerospace(BAe).
The SFO (Serious Fraud Office) has been investigating the Yamama II Saudi armament contract for two years. Experts described it as the largest arms deal in history. Many suspected it carried the largest single bribe in history. Though signed in 1988 and it has so far produced £43 ($86) billion worth of business, it is expected to produce £40 ($80) billion more in spare parts and maintenance work.
The government-to-government deal signed by Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher has been controversial from the start. During the negotiations for Yamama II, Wafic Said, the man identified by many as having steered the deal towards Britain, was known to have dined with Mrs Thatcher at No. 10 Downing Street. More...
