Leopards in great shape seeks buyers well in all respects
(BRUSSELS2) After the Germans who are negotiating with Saudi Arabia for new tanks, here are the Dutch who are trying to sell their surplus Leopard tanks on the international market. They thought they had found a buyer, in the person of Indonesia, ready to buy 119 tanks from them. Alas... the government seems to be coming up against severe resistance from its parliamentarians. The Second Chamber of the Netherlands, which must give its opinion, seems ready to rock. The left opposition was against it. She received the reinforcement of the populists of the PVV who are against "the sale of military equipment to Muslim countries" as recalled Wim Kortenoeven, the leader of the chamber. The majority parties, in particular the VVD (liberals) are furious. "It's a hole in the defense budget" estimates their leader in the chamber, according to the Dutch daily Telegraaf which reports the information.
A booming second-hand market
The timing is crucial, however, as Defense Minister Hans Hillen remarks: “ The second-hand equipment market is difficult at a time when many Western countries are putting equipment up for sale following cost-cutting measures. »
Germany, for its part, is preparing to sign a contract for the sale of 270 new Leopard 2 type A7 + tanks to Saudi Arabia, "the Porsche 911 of military vehicles", specifies Die Zeit. A contract just as disputed according to the German newspaper which underlines to see these tanks used to suppress demonstrations, as in Bahrain, where the armed forces of Saudi Arabia intervened at the call of its neighbor.
