Trump administration pushing for sale of F-35s to UAE

 http://www.israelnationalnews.com/News/News.aspx/285585

The Trump administration has accelerated a push to sell the F-35 stealth fighter and advanced armed drones to the United Arab Emirates, American officials familiar with the discussions told The New York Times on Wednesday.

Administration officials in recent weeks gave a classified briefing about the F-35 to the Emirati military despite some concerns among National Security Council staff about the wisdom of disclosing details on one of the Pentagon’s most advanced weapons to a foreign government before a decision about a potential arms sale has been completed, according to the report.

 American officials deny that the new push to sell the advanced weapons is a direct reward for the Emirati role in the diplomatic breakthrough, announced by President Donald Trump last week, where the Emirates would become just the third Arab nation to recognize Israel.

However, officials do not dispute that the new momentum on the arms sale — after years of stalled requests by the Emirates to buy the fighter jet — is linked to the broader diplomatic initiative.