Bipartisan Senate Group to Suspend US Arms Exports to Saudi Arabia

Local Editor

A bipartisan group of senators introduced a bill that would halt US arms exports to Saudi Arabia as a response to the “barbaric” murder of Saudi Journalist Jamal Khashoggi, continued detention of activists and “indiscriminate” bombing campaign in Yemen.

The “Saudi Arabia Accountability and Yemen Act of 2018” bill was introduced on Thursday by Bob Menendez and Todd Young along with Jack Reed, Lindsey Graham, Jeanne Shaheen, and Susan Collins.

The senators referred to the US Treasury Department’s Thursday decision to impose economic sanctions on 17 Saudis involved in Khashoggi murder, as well as an earlier announcement of an end to US refueling of Saudi aircraft bombing Yemen, and said the measures were not enough.

“Saudi Arabia must be held accountable for its increasingly brazen behavior,” Senator Reed, a ranking member of the Senate Armed Services Committee, said.

"Ending aerial refueling support of the Saudi-led coalition in Yemen and imposing sanctions on some Saudi officials who participated in the murder of US resident Jamal Khashoggi are welcome, but not sufficient."

Menendez also said the decision to suspend aerial refueling for the Saudi coalition absent an actual strategy for ending this conflict is an empty action. 

“That is why this bill makes clear that Congress demands an immediate cessation of hostilities, urgently calls on all parties to prioritize protection of Yemeni civilians, and makes certain that only a political settlement will end this war,” he noted.

Senator Shaheen said Saudi Arabia’s "barbaric murder of Jamal Khashoggi, continued detention of activists and indiscriminate bombing campaign in Yemen merit a strong, bipartisan response,” and the bill can deliver such a response.

The bill would require sanctions within 30 days on anyone involved in Khashoggi’s death, including “any official of the government of Saudi Arabia or member of the royal family” determined to be involved.

It would also require a report within 30 days on the kingdom’s human rights record.

Source: News Agencies, Edited by website team