Key US Democrat Holds Back Support for Gulf Munitions Sales over Yemen

Local Editor

A key Senate Democrat is holding back support for the sale of tens of thousands of precision-guided munition kits to Saudi Arabia, until the Trump administration justifies US military aid to Riyadh’s campaign in Yemen.

The three-year bloody war’s toll on civilians sparked an ever-louder outcry from lawmakers over the US refueling support and intelligence to the Saudi-led coalition, which is pounding Yemen on an almost daily basis.

The Senate Foreign Relations Committee’s top Democrat, Sen. Robert Menendez, announced in a letter to War Secretary Jim Mattis and Secretary of State Mike Pompeo last week that the administration must provide more public testimony and private briefings to lawmakers before he can be satisfied.

“I am not confident that these weapons sales will be utilized strategically as effective leverage … in Yemen, assist our partners in their own “self-defense”, or drive the parties toward a political settlement that saves lives and mitigates human suffering,” Menendez said in his June 28 letter.

“Even worse, I am concerned that our policies are enabling the perpetuation of a conflict that has resulted in the world’s worst humanitarian crisis,” he said.

The Trump administration, which has pushed to increase exports of American-made weaponry to create domestic jobs, asked Congress to review the sale of more than 120,000 precision-guided munitions to Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates, Reuters reported.

According to Menendez, the administration weeks ago briefed the sale to Congress, which has the power to review and disapprove of US arms sales; key members may object or delay them.

Source: News Agencies, Edited by website team