“Exporting extra missiles to Saudi Arabia does nothing however additional this battle and pour gasoline on already raging fires,” stated Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.), who launched the laws with Sens. Rand Paul (R-Ky.) and Mike Lee (R-Utah).
The vote cut up the Senate Democratic Caucus, however the overwhelming majority of GOP senators voted to again the Biden administration’s proposed sale.
“Saudi Arabia is actually surrounded by violent threats conceived, funded and orchestrated by Iran,” Senate Minority Chief Mitch McConnell stated. “A vote to dam the sale of defensive navy techniques to Saudi Arabia would undermine one in all our most vital regional companions.”
Senate International Relations Chair Bob Menendez (D-N.J.), who has opposed weapons gross sales to Riyadh previously, stated the Trump administration “was all too blissful to promote to the Saudis” whereas the Biden administration “has largely suspended” gross sales of offensive weapons.
“Make no mistake, the Saudi-led coalition bears the brunt of the duty for the devastation in Yemen,” Menendez stated. “But I, together with most members of this physique, have at all times supported the usage of weapons techniques in protection of civilian populations.”
Former President Donald Trump confronted criticism from Democrats and Republicans alike for his willingness to again Saudi Arabia’s coalition within the Yemen civil warfare, and for his public backing of Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman’s denial of involvement within the brutal 2018 homicide of Washington Put up columnist Jamal Khashoggi. Trump and his nationwide safety deputies persistently pressured Congress to desert efforts to crack down on Saudi Arabia.
President Joe Biden was equally criticized earlier this yr when he declined to impose sanctions on the crown prince even after releasing an intelligence report stating that the Saudi chief accredited the killing of Khashoggi.
