U.S. President George W. Bush delivered a sophisticated weapons sale for Saudi Arabia on Jan. 14, trying to bolster defenses against threats from U.S. adversary Iran and muster support in the oil-rich kingdom for a long-stalled Mideast peace agreement.

U.S. President George W. Bush and Saudi Arabia's King Abdullah walk behind an honor guard at a ceremony in Riyadh on Jan. 14. AP PHOTO

Coinciding with Bush's arrival in Riyadh, the administration officially notified Congress it will offer Saudi Arabia sophisticated Joint Direct Attack Munitions -- or "smart bomb" — technology and related equipment. The deal envisions the transfer of 900 of the precision-guided bomb kits, worth $123 million, that would give Saudi forces highly accurate targeting abilities.

Some lawmakers fear the systems could be used against Israel but Congress appears unlikely to block the deal because of Saudi Arabia's cooperation in the war on terrorism and in deterring aggression from Iran.

The United States has notified Congress of five other packages for Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates and Kuwait, including Patriot missiles. The total amount of eventual sales as part of the Gulf Security Dialogue is estimated at $20 billion.

The sales are a key element in Bush's strategy to shore up defenses against Iran, which the president has deemed the world's top state sponsor of terrorism. Saudi Arabia and other Gulf states, with majority Sunni Muslim populations, harbor deep suspicions about Shiite Iran's rising power and want to make sure the United States remains committed to keeping Tehran's ambitions in check. At the same time, Arab allies are worried that the world economy would suffer heavily if the U.S. dispute with Iran turns into a military confrontation.