Due to a combination of its energy wealth, the need to ensure its shipping lanes remain open and protected, and the complexities of its neighborhood, the UAE has continued its arms shopping spree first initiated in the 1990s. Along the way the country has bought some of the world's most sophisticated weaponry from the U.S. and France.rnWhereas the continuation of nearly two decades of significant arms importation would cause tremendous strain on many other nations' economies, the UAE's vast energy reserves, years of high oil revenues, and emphasis on economic diversification have allowed the country to proceed apace as a key buyer on the global arms market. While the initial delve into serious arms purchases in the 1990s grew from the threat emanating from Saddam Hussein's Iraq, today's buying is driven more by concerns over Iran and Islamic terrorism.
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