28-04-09 UAE guns for advanced weaponry

The United Arab Emirates (UAE) has been purchasing advanced weaponry from leading suppliers of military hardware at an alarming rate,fuelling what some believe could be a new conventional arms race in the Middle East.The Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (SIPRI),which conducts scientific research into issues of conflict and peaceful resolution,says the UAE was the world's 15th largest arms importer between 1999 and 2003.However,by 2008,it had become the third-largest,behind China and India.However,by 2008,it had become the third-largest,behind China and India.Mustafa al-Ani,the head of the security and defence department at the Dubai-based Gulf Research Centre, believes the UAE's new arms strategy is based on what its defence ministry believes is "reliable threat identification". He says the UAE and other Arab countries of the Gulf Co-operation Council believe that Iran could be a potential threat in case its disagreement with the West over its nuclear programme escalated into military engagement."After settling its border disputes with Saudi Arabia and Oman,theoretically,the UAE no longer feels threatened by any of its neighbours.The threat is coming from across the Gulf - Iran," al-Ani told Al Jazeera."The UAE's recent arms purchases indicate that it has identified air,missile and naval threats," he said