AI to Trump: Don’t Approve Arms Sales to Saudi, Bahrain
Local Editor
Amnesty International is urging US President Donald Trump not to approve pending arms sales to Saudi Arabia and Bahrain.
In a letter to Trump released publicly Tuesday, the human rights group urged the President not to sign off on the sales because of the Saudi-led coalition's conduct in Yemen's war.
"There is substantial risk that Saudi Arabia, Bahrain and other coalition members could use new US arms to further devastate civilian lives in Yemen," the organization wrote in the letter.
"This could implicate your administration in war crimes or violations of international humanitarian law. Amnesty International researchers have already found both unexploded US bombs and identifiable fragments of exploded US bombs among the ruins of Yemeni homes and other civilian objects."
Late in President Obama's tenure, the Obama administration halted a planned sale of $300 million in precision guided munitions to Riyadh over concerns about the mounting civilian death toll in Yemen.
As of February, 4,667 civilians have lost their lives and 8,180 injured in the conflict so far, according to the United Nations.
The Obama administration's decision to halt the sale came after increasing pressure from human rights groups and some lawmakers, who were dismayed the decision to curb support was limited to the one sale.
But new Secretary of State Rex Tillerson approved the resumption of the sale, according to multiple reports. The sale, however, needs White House approval before it moves forward.
Meanwhile, the administration is also reportedly set to approve a $3 billion dollar sale of F-16 fighter jets to Bahrain.
In its letter, Amnesty said the arms sale to Saudi Arabia could allow the country to modify thousands of air-to-ground munitions that could be used in strikes against civilians and violate international law.
In addition to wanting to stop the two arms sales, Amnesty also asked Trump to place a "comprehensive embargo" on all arms sales that could be used by parties to the Yemen conflict so long as there is risk of war crimes or other violations.
"If approved, this deal would essentially have President Trump throwing gasoline on a house fire and locking the door on his way out," Margaret Huang, Amnesty International USA executive director, said in a statement.
"Arming the Saudi Arabia and Bahrain governments' risks complicity with war crimes, and doing so while simultaneously banning travel to the US from Yemen would be even more unconscionable. President Trump must not approve this arms deal."
Source: News Agencies, Edited by website team
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