Argentina Buying 30-Year-Old Israeli Fighter Jets

[Matiasba]

The only useful thing of weapon industry is the quality and quantity of jobs it produces.

 

[mimyr]

I want to know who in Argentina thinks that the threat of invasion is great enough to justify spending millions of dollars of fighter jets. Also, what would be so bad in the event of such an invasion succeeding? Is Brazil going to rape and pillage? For the citizens, it probably wouldn't be much different from a re-election.

 

[Matiasba]

But i thought Peron was a wonderful friendly man. Matty told us so!

If you go and actually read what I wrote, you will see the part when I talked of the militars and the weapon industry, practically the same said by camberiu, and how nationalistics militars supported him. You will also read what I said of peronism being authoritarian (twice), demagogic and sympathetic with Mussolini.

And last, please, show me when did I say it was friendly.

Go, do it, and then come here.

 

[Matiasba]

I want to know who in Argentina thinks that the threat of invasion is great enough to justify spending millions of dollars of fighter jets. Also, what would be so bad in the event of such an invasion succeeding? Is Brazil going to rape and pillage? For the citizens, it probably wouldn't be much different from a re-election.

I think this or any purchase obbeys to international pressure. This is a huge bussiness, the war or the posibility of it. So there are billions and billions spent every year, every country must do it, you just cant avoid it. You can have anti war policies as little states do, and in some ways this CFK government is anti war too, giving a very tiny percentage of GDP to defense, etc, but the thing is also as camberiu pointed that Argentina has this sector traditionally envolved with planes and weapons in general, and although they dont have that much power as they did, they represent an important number, and still have some power.

So, to sum up, you have international pressure, and also internal pressure. I guess those are the factors why they decided the purchase.

 

[Redpossum]

The only useful thing of weapon industry is the quality and quantity of jobs it produces.

Well, to put my capitalist hat on for a moment, what you say is very true of arms production for domestic military use. But if your arms industry is primarily for export, as in the example of the Swiss in the 19th century, or Sweden in a more recent age, it can be as good a source of profit as any other cash export goods.

 

[thorsten]

Yes, the evil international pressure forces Argentina to buy 30 year old military airplanes...

 

[ARbound]

I think this or any purchase obbeys to international pressure.

*snip*

So, to sum up, you have international pressure, and also internal pressure. I guess those are the factors why they decided the purchase.

I could have guessed, it's ALWAYS someone else's fault. Typical Argentine response: it's the Brits, no, er, I mean Yanquis, no no, ummm IMF, yeah, it's their fault and the world bank too!

I'd like to see Queen Cristina go to the Villas or Jujuy or Salta and say: "I'm sorry, you can't have jobs or better social programs, but we need to buy 30 year old fighter jets. Oh, and there is no threat to us from anyone, it's those damned rich white countries making us do it!"

Country: Argentina, Republic of
Capital City: Buenos Aires
Official Language: Castilian (Spanish)
President: Cristina Fernandez de Kirchner
Government Type: Ineptocracy

 

[GS_Dirtboy]

Even if Argentina was able to purchase Kfir's and get them flying they are still heavily outgunned by both Chile and Brasil. Chile just purchased F-16 Block 60's and Brasil just announced it is purchasing Saab Grippens. I have flown Kfirs and can assure you that both of those aircraft would eat Kfirs for lunch. It also would not surprise me if Brasil is in negotiations with certain countries for transfer of steal technology. I also suspect Brasil to be developing their own stealth technology.

Every time I fly Aerolineas Argentinas I say, "Thank God we are in an Embraer!"

 

[Redpossum]

I just hate to see Argentina doing business with the Zionists; I'd much prefer to see Argentina pursue a BDS policy and move closer to BRICS. But it's not my country, so my opinion means sweet Fanny Adams, and I have no right to criticise.

 

[camberiu]

Even if Argentina was able to purchase Kfir's and get them flying they are still heavily outgunned by both Chile and Brasil.

I don't think that really matters, as Chile and certainly not Brazil represents any threat to Argentina. After the defeat in the Falklands and the fall of the military junta, Brazil moved very quickly to demilitarize the border with Argentina. Entire army divisions were relocated to the Amazon, bases were closed and weapons programs (including the nuclear one) were summarily axed.
Since then, Brazil has been bending over backwards to make Argentina feel like a trusted ally, but with mixed results so far. Brazil has openly supported Argentina's claims over the Falkland islands, invited Argentina to participate in the nuclear submarine program as an equal partner, and many other things. Argentina was responsive to those partnership initiatives until the Ks came into power. Since then Argentina has resumed its historical insular posture, by openly violating the Mercosur treaty, not showing up to joint military exercises, refusing to take part in bi-national initiatives and so forth. If it was up to Brazil, both countries would have a much tighter relationship right now.

Argentine planes operating on the deck of the Brazilian aircraft carrier Sao Paulo, back when Argentina was much more willing to partner with Brazil.