Ewan, I don't think we are very far apart in our opinions, just a subtley different approach. BAE stinks as a faceless corporation because, as I said before, the management doesn't do anything at all that doesn't suit BAE - I reiterate, I have lots of current first hand knowledge of the 'not team players' attitude.
But, there is an enormous amount at stake here that to my mind outweighs our desire to give BAE a kicking. It is in the national interest for any number of reasons (jobs, war on terrrrrrr, global strategic issues, economics). These things are a lot to give up so that we can strut around telling everyone how morally superior we are. The French will be impressed as they sneak in an take the contract. We live in a corrupt world, you only have to look at the internal workings of the EU and the commission. The US is not above applying significant pressure in other ways to get what they want.
If we were to continue this inquiry and antagonise the KSA into walking away from the contract, and perhaps diplomatic relations, the rest of the world will look upon is with pity not applaud our naive piety.