Article Posted on : - May 13, 2011

WASHINGTON (BNS): The United States is reviewing its defence trade relationships with countries in the Middle East due to the recent political upheaval in the region, a news report said.

The US has put "on pause" some of its planned transactions with countries in the region, said a Defence News report quoting James Miller, principal deputy undersecretary of defence for policy.

Miller told the House Committee on Foreign Affairs during a May 12 hearing that the administration is looking at the implications for defence trade on a country-by-country basis, as well as assessing the region as a whole.

The United States provides military aid to Israel, Jordan, Lebanon, Egypt, Bahrain and Yemen.

According to the report, in Bahrain where the United States maintains a naval headquarters, recent foreign military financing has gone toward improving the country's air defences, upgrading the avionics of its F-16 fleet and improving its counter-terrorism capabilities.

Quoting the US Congressional Research Service report, it said the Obama administration requested $106 million in US economic and military assistance for Yemen in 2011. For 2012, it has requested $116 million in State Department and USAID-administered economic and military aid.