selling armed American drones

Kratos Mako drone

Since America is apparently the first-est with the best-est, it may be understandable that rules governing the sale of armed American drones should be loosened. American companies would definitely benefit and Donald Trump promised to "make America great again." Of course such a loosening must have the appearance of caring and law and international circumspection, but you can hear the cha-ching of arms-makers' cash registers ... the great American sales force is about to swing into action.

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - President Donald Trump will soon make it easier to export some types of lethal U.S.-made drones to potentially dozens more allies and partners, according to people familiar with the plan.

Trump is expected to ease rules for such foreign sales under a long-delayed new policy on unmanned military aircraft due to be rolled out as early as this month, the first phase of a broader overhaul of arms export regulations....

Even though Trump will stop short of completely opening up sales of top-of-the-line lethal drones, it will mark a major step toward overcoming a long-standing U.S. taboo against selling armed drones to countries other than a handful of Washington’s most trusted allies. Military drones have changed the face of modern warfare, with U.S. models in greatest demand....

A Trump administration official, responding to a request for comment on the story, said the U.S. government is seeking to “minimize the self-inflicted bureaucratic and administrative hurdles to U.S. competitiveness in the global aerospace markets.”...

The official insisted, however, that any sales of armed drones would be in accordance with U.S. law and require that buyers adhere to international standards.

An increase in drones sales “could put these weapons in the hands of governments that act irresponsibly with their neighbors and against their own populations,” warned Jeff Abramson, a senior fellow with the Arms Control Association, a non-partisan Washington-based organization focused on global weapons proliferation threats. 

Industry sources say other manufacturers are considering expanding their product lines.

The overall loosening of drone export rules would also help producers such as Boeing, Northrop Grumman, General Atomics and Lockheed Martin, two industry sources said.

Make America great again ... toss in "international standards" ... round up the believers and thieves... and


Elsewhere:

BRUSSELS (AP) -- The European Union says international donors have raised 456 million euros ($560 million) to build a desalination plant in the Gaza Strip to provide around 2 million people with safe drinking water.

At a pledging conference in Brussels on Tuesday, the EU offered more than 77 million euros, which combined with other donations will meet around 80 percent of the plant's costs.