Defence & Security

NoozzVIEW; US arms sweeten Saudi

In a classic case of putting his money where his mouth is, President Bush backed his repeatedly outspoken rhetoric against the current hard-line regime in Iran by using his stopover in the Saudi capital Riyadh to announce details of a massive US$20 billion arms deal for his main Sunni Arab allies in the Gulf. Leading the pack of those the US is depending upon to stand up against any Iranian aggression and Al Qaeda-backed terrorism is the world’s largest oil producer, Saudi Arabia, which is due to receive the lion’s share of the new package – some $9bn worth of weaponry that is to include precision-guided “smart” bombs for the first time.

France gains a naval toehold in the Gulf

In a major strategic shift, France is setting up its first permanent naval base in the Gulf, just across from Iran, President Nicolas Sarkozy announced during a visit to the United Arab Emirates. The 400-strong military base will be built in Abu Dhabi, the wealthiest and most influential of the Emirates, and will include a significant intelligence operation, French officials said. It will make France one of a small number of Western countries alongside the United States to have a military presence in a region that is of increasing geopolitical importance both because of its lucrative gas and oil resources and because of its proximity to Iran.

Entrust, EJADA partner to bring layered security solutions to Middle East

In an ongoing effort to bolster channel support across the globe, EJADA Company Limited and Entrust Limited a subsidiary of Entrust, Inc. announced a partnership agreement to offer Middle East financial and telecommunications enterprises and government agencies layered security solutions that protect information and digital identities.

Gulf states fear Iran's intentions, but not convinced of military option

The Arab Gulf states have big fears about Iran's intentions, but they are not convinced about the military option against Iran, particularly following the failure of the current US administration to translate its military victories in Afghanistan and Iraq into political gains for it and for its allies. This is the conclusion of an assessment of the situation provided by a Gulf official who has followed up President George Bush's meetings and statements during his Middle East tour.

Leading electronic security company announces regional expansion into the Middle East

ADT, the world's leading provider of electronic fire and security solutions and part of Tyco International, officially announced its expansion into the Middle East at the Intersec event in Dubai. This is the first time that ADT has presented its global capabilities and experience to customers and prospects in the region. Initially, ADT will focus on delivering solutions for the transport & logistics, finance & banking, technology and tourism sectors. 'Although new to the market in this part of the world, ADT will be drawing on its global expertise and the heritage of Tyco Fire & Security in the region, which includes work on projects such as the Emirates Palace, The Palm tunnel and the National Bank of Dubai. This means we already have the local infrastructure in place to deliver on projects as a total solutions provider,' added Mr Krisanda.