U.S. reports arms deals of $72 bln to Gulf allies from 1981-2006

WASHINGTON, January 16 (RIA Novosti) - The United States rendered military services worth a total of $72 billion to six Arab states in the Persian Gulf from 1981 to 2006, the Congressional Research Service (CRS) said on Wednesday.

The six countries - Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Bahrain, Qatar, the United Arab Emirates and Oman - are members of the Cooperation Council for the Arab States of the Persian Gulf, and U.S. allies in the region.

Saudi Arabia was the largest recipient of U.S. arms transfers, purchasing weapons and military services worth $57 billion from 1981 to 2006, the CRS report said.

The U.S. White House unveiled on Monday plans to supply 900 high-precision bombs to Saudi Arabia worth $123 million. In connection with this, the CRS report says that Joint Direct Attack Munition bombs had previously only been supplied in the region by the United States to Israel, the United Arab Emirates and Oman.