US Resuming Munitions Sale to Saudis
Local Editor
The Donald Trump administration is considering resuming sales of precision-guided munitions to Saudi Arabia as part of additional military and intelligence participation with the kingdom's bloody intervention in Yemen.
Officials said Washington, in return, wants new commitments from Riyadh to minimize civilian casualties in Yemen.
"We want the Saudis to show that they are committed to use these things properly," a US official told Reuters on condition of anonymity.
A second official, however, suggested that the request for additional safeguards was just a formality. "This is an unconditional sale. There are no conditions attached. The decision has been made to let the sale go through."
The Trump administration notified Congress last month that it wanted to sell about $390 million worth of guidance systems to Saudi Arabia.
The systems, manufactured by Raytheon Co., are designed to convert "dumb" bombs into precision-guided munitions that are supposed to hit targets more accurately.
During a two-day trip to Riyadh this week, US War Secretary James Mattis called for a "political solution" to the conflict in Yemen that has lasted for more than two years.
Even as Mattis was meeting with members of the Royal family, US officials suggested that military assistance was also needed to help bring an end to the war.
An announcement of the new weapons sale had been expected last month, but objections from some members of Congress and human rights groups complicated the matter.
A group of US senators introduced legislation earlier this month to set new conditions for US military assistance to Riyadh.
"The Saudis are important partners in the Middle East, but they have continued to disregard our advice when it comes to target selection and civilian protection," Sen. Chris Murphy, a Democrat from Connecticut, said in a statement.
The US support for the Saudi military campaign in Yemen-which includes arms sales, aerial refueling and providing intelligence-has long been controversial.
Source: News Agencies, Edited by website team
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