House members seek to block proposed arms sales to Saudi Arabia

The Saudis aren’t good guys and they’ve cozied up to Trump.

From a strategic perspective one can’t blame them. Iran looms across the Persian Gulf and Shiite Muslims (The Saudis are Sunni.) are on the rise across the region from Lebanon, through what is left of Syria, and into Iraq. To the south there is also Shiite (partly) Yemen where Saudi Arabia is waging a war. The Saudi royal family is feeling some heat.

Of course the Saudi royal family should feel some heat. They head one of the most brutal regimes in the world. Public executions happen. Women can’t even drive. And whether we should be selling this crew a whole bunch of new arms to expand their war in Yemen (only Yemen?) is an important question. Throwing gasoline onto a fire is not typically a smart move. Especially if that fire is in the Middle East.

(From Amash.House.Gov)

A bipartisan group of six representatives, led by Reps. Justin Amash (R-Mich.) and Mark Pocan (D-Wisc.), today introduced a joint resolution of disapproval, H.J. Res. 102, to block proposed sales of precision-guided munitions and other offensive weapons to the Government of Saudi Arabia. The joint resolution is cosponsored by Reps. Thomas Massie (R-Ky.), Barbara Lee (D-Calif.), Walter Jones (R-N.C.), and Jim McGovern (D-Mass.).

Congress was notified of the proposed sales, which are part of a larger arms deal with Saudi Arabia reportedly worth $110 billion, on May 19.

“Saudi Arabia has one of the worst human rights records and has supported many of the extremists terrorizing the people of the Middle East and the world,” said Amash. “These arms sales extend a reckless policy from the Obama administration and prior administrations, and they come at a time when the Saudi government is escalating a gruesome war in Yemen.”

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