Trump defies Congress, clears arms sales to S. Arabia, UAE
WASHINGTON:US President Donald Trump, saying there is a national emergency because of tensions with Iran, swept aside objections from Congress and cleared the sale of $8 billion worth of weapons to Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates and Jordan.
The Trump administration informed congressional committees on Friday that it would go ahead with 22 military sales to the Saudis, United Arab Emirates and Jordan, infuriating lawmakers by circumventing a long-standing precedent for congressional review of such sales.
In documents sent to Congress, Secretary of State Mike Pompeo listed a wide range of products and services that would be provided to the three countries. They include Raytheon precision-guided munitions (PGMs), support for Boeing Co F-15 aircraft, and Javelin anti-tank missiles, which are made by Raytheon and Lockheed Martin Corp.
Some lawmakers and congressional aides had warned earlier this week that Trump, frustrated with Congress holding up weapons deals like the sale of the Raytheon-made bombs to the Saudis, was considering using a loophole in arms control law to go ahead by declaring a national emergency.
Lawmakers had been blocking sales of offensive military equipment to Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates for months, concerned about the huge civilian toll of the two countries’ air campaign in Yemen.
Congressional sources said Friday’s order included all the defence equipment that members of Congress had been blocking.
“I am disappointed, but not surprised, that the Trump administration has failed once again to prioritise our long-term national security interests or stand up for human rights, and instead is granting favours to authoritarian countries like Saudi Arabia,” Senator Bob Menendez said in a statement.
Menendez is one of the members of Congress who reviews such sales because he is the ranking Democrat on the Senate Foreign Relations Committee.
Another, the Republican Foreign Relations Committee chairman, Senator Jim Risch, said he had received formal notification of the administration’s intent to move forward with “a number of arms sales”. In a statement, Risch said: “I am reviewing and analysing the legal justification for this action and the associated implications.”
In his memorandum to Congress justifying the sale, Pompeo listed years of actions by Iran. “Iranian malign activity poses a fundamental threat to the stability of the Middle East and to American security at home and abroad,” he wrote, and cited “a number of troubling and escalatory indications and warnings” from Tehran.
Congressional aides questioned the contention that the weapons had to do with Iran, saying the equipment and services listed by the administration includes large amounts of offensive weapons, like the tank ammunition.
Published in Dawn, May 25th, 2019
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Comments (12) Closed
Arms that worsen political situation but fill US coffers.
Why are the Saudis arming and why is Trump arming them? Fear of Iran by the Saudis.
only buisness ...
Only time will tell the real motive of Iran-US standoff. In power politics of world, Might is Always Right. Interestingly, it's the first visible benefit US has accrued economically. $8 Bn, not a small fraction.
All this weaponry bought by the Saudis in billions of dollars hasn't been able to cap the yemeni houthis who seem to be ever more capable of striking targets deep into Saudi territory with armed drones and missiles...
That was the whole reason for increasing tensions with Iran by making gulf states insecure and sell them weapons.
Will the Arabs know how to use the weapons?
More pressure for the Iranians
Sell, sell and sell is the mantra of all capitalistic societies of the world headed by the U.S. and it's so-called allies, who don't care what is sold but as long as any product or service made in their country is sold, they are happily because it brings economic prosperity to their land and people.
As expected, money takes preference over moral values. Not for the first time.
Trump will do every thing to please his side kick the M(aster) BS and fill HIS coffers. What ever happens to the world is not his concern. He wants to maintain his red carpet treatment that he got on his inaugural visit to SA. Trump's only purpose in life is to be surrounded by people who will never stop buttering him.
So the ultimate drama of US has been disclosed.
Comments (12) Closed
Arms that worsen political situation but fill US coffers.
Why are the Saudis arming and why is Trump arming them? Fear of Iran by the Saudis.
only buisness ...
Only time will tell the real motive of Iran-US standoff. In power politics of world, Might is Always Right. Interestingly, it's the first visible benefit US has accrued economically. $8 Bn, not a small fraction.
All this weaponry bought by the Saudis in billions of dollars hasn't been able to cap the yemeni houthis who seem to be ever more capable of striking targets deep into Saudi territory with armed drones and missiles...
That was the whole reason for increasing tensions with Iran by making gulf states insecure and sell them weapons.
Will the Arabs know how to use the weapons?
More pressure for the Iranians
Sell, sell and sell is the mantra of all capitalistic societies of the world headed by the U.S. and it's so-called allies, who don't care what is sold but as long as any product or service made in their country is sold, they are happily because it brings economic prosperity to their land and people.
As expected, money takes preference over moral values. Not for the first time.
Trump will do every thing to please his side kick the M(aster) BS and fill HIS coffers. What ever happens to the world is not his concern. He wants to maintain his red carpet treatment that he got on his inaugural visit to SA. Trump's only purpose in life is to be surrounded by people who will never stop buttering him.
So the ultimate drama of US has been disclosed.