US goes ahead with Arms deal worth $8 billion to two Islamic Countries
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WASHINGTON –The United States (US) has decided to go ahead with arms sales to Saudi Arabia, UAE and Jordan, the Radio Pakistan reported.
In a statement, the US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said these sales will support their allies, enhance Middle East stability and help these nations to defend them.
On Friday, US President Donald Trump cleared the sale of weapons worth billions of US dollars to Saudi Arabia and other countries, despite strong resistance to the plan from both Republicans and Democrats.
The administration has informed congressional committees that it will go ahead with 22 arms deals worth some $8 billion, congressional aides said, sweeping aside a long-standing precedent for congressional review of such sales.
Some lawmakers and congressional aides had warned earlier this week that Trump, frustrated with Congress holding up weapons sales like a major deal to sell Raytheon Co precision-guided munitions to Saudi, was considering using a loophole in arms control law to go ahead with the sale by declaring a national emergency.
The White House and State Department did not immediately respond to requests for comment.
