*WASHINGTON: *US senators across the political spectrum on Wednesday movedto block President Donald Trump’s plan to sell $8.1 billion in arms toSaudi Arabia and other Arab allies as lawmakers’ frustration with thekingdom soars.
The Trump administration last month said it would use emergency powers todefy Congress and provide munitions, aircraft maintenance and othermilitary components to Saudi Arabia along with the United Arab Emirates.
The move infuriated lawmakers who believe the weapons could be used to killcivilians in war-ravaged Yemen, where the Saudis and Emiratis lead acoalition supporting pro-government forces, and millions of residents areat risk of starvation.
Senator Lindsey Graham, a Republican who is usually in lockstep with Trump,voiced hope for “strong bipartisan support” in preventing the sales.
“While I understand that Saudi Arabia is a strategic ally, the behavior ofMohammed bin Salman cannot be ignored. Now is not the time to do businessas usual with Saudi Arabia,” Graham said, referring to the kingdom’spowerful crown prince.
Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said the administration would not follow theusual process of submitting the sales to Congress due to an emergencycaused by Iran, Saudi Arabia’s regional rival which has backed the Houthirebels who control much of Yemen.
The senators nonetheless said they would go ahead and introduce resolutionsof disapproval — as they could for sales that are formally submitted — foreach of the 22 arms deals, which also include a transfer of US arms fromthe United Arab Emirates to Jordan.
The chances of success are uncertain as Trump could veto any disapprovalresolutions. The Senate and House of Representatives both need two-thirdsvotes to override him.
Trump — who has hailed the Saudi alliance as good for the US arms business— in April vetoed a resolution that would have ended US military supportfor the Saudi-led forces in Yemen.
CNN, meanwhile, reported that US intelligence has shown that Saudi Arabia —generally a loyal US customer — has stepped up its ballistic missileprogram with support from China.
The United States, but not China, is part of a 1987 pact of nations thatrestricts missile exports, but Saudi Arabia has been keen to preserve anedge over Iran, which manufactures its own missiles.
CNN, quoting unnamed sources, said that US lawmakers were incensed that theTrump administration initially did not disclose the classifiedinformation on the missiles.
Read Top Stories
Senators in April sharply criticised Pompeo at a public briefing over notsharing information, but the substance behind the dispute appeared crypticat the time.
Anger with Saudi Arabia has grown in Congress since the October killing ofSaudi journalist Jamal Khashoggi, who wrote columns for The Washington Postand lived in Virginia.
He was strangled and his body dismembered after he entered the Saudiconsulate in Istanbul to sort out marriage paperwork, according to Turkishand US officials.
Senator Chris Murphy, a Democrat who has been among the most outspokencritics of Saudi Arabia, said that only Congress could change the dynamicsbetween the two countries and work to end the humanitarian crisis in Yemen.
“Saudi Arabia treats us like the junior partner in this relationship,chopping up US residents and torturing others, all the while demanding weremain silent and sell them more weapons,” Murphy said.
Lawmakers have also been outraged over the Trump administration’s eagernessto send nuclear technology and expertise to Saudi Arabia — again skirtingthe normal US process as Riyadh has not signed a so-called Section 123agreement to guarantee peaceful use.
Senator Tim Kaine, who pressed the Energy Department for more detail on thetransfers, said that two of the seven transfers took place after theslaying of Khashoggi — including one on October 18, 2018, just 16 daysafter he died.
“President Trump’s eagerness to give the Saudis anything they want, overbipartisan congressional objection, harms American national securityinterests and is one of many steps the administration is taking that isfueling a dangerous escalation of tension in the region,” Kaine said in astatement.
Saudi Arabia, the world’s top crude exporter, has launched an ambitious, $80billion plan to build 16 nuclear reactors. But Crown Prince Mohammed hasprovoked concerns by saying the kingdom would seek a nuclear weapon if Iranobtains one. -APP/AFP
