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Friday 16 November 2018
Senate lets Bahrain weapon sale proceed; Yemen unease grows
By KEVIN FREKING and LISA Congress authorizes such Rep. Tulsi Gabbard, D-Ha- pledge to block a pend- New Jersey Sen. Bob
MASCARO support. waii. “We must end all U.S. ing U.S. arm sales to Saudi Menendez, the top Dem-
Associated Press “It is long overdue that we support for Saudi Arabia’s Arabia, saying he has the ocrat on the committee,
WASHINGTON (AP) — The end U.S. complicity in Sau- genocidal war in Yemen votes to stop it. said he is opposing the
Senate rejected an effort di Arabia’s atrocities,” said now.” A previous effort against Saudi arms sale because
Thursday to block $300 he’s concerned the weap-
million in weapon sales to ons are being used inap-
Bahrain, but there’s grow- propriately in the Yemen
ing unease in Congress conflict. But he took issue
about the U.S. role support- with Paul’s effort because
ing the Saudi Arabia-led the particular arms sale to
coalition’s military cam- Bahrain is “not part of a
paign in Yemen. comprehensive strategy
Sen. Rand Paul, R-Ky., to end the civil war in Ye-
forced the vote to send a men.”
message to President Don- GOP Sen. Bob Corker of
ald Trump that the United Tennessee, the commit-
States is “done with the tee chairman, also sought
war in Yemen.” to differentiate between
Facing a veto threat from Bahrain and what is taking
the White House, the reso- place in Yemen and Saudi
lution failed 77-21. Arabia.
But Paul, who remains He said he has asked for
close to Trump, is not alone a high-level briefing with
in raising concern about Pentagon officials over
the toll the war is taking the war and the death of
in Yemen. In the House, Khashoggi.
Democratic lawmakers “I’m obviously very upset
voiced frustration Wednes- with what has happened
day after Republican lead- with the journalist. I think a
ers blocked consideration price needs to be paid,”
of a resolution from Rep. Corker said.
Ro Khanna, D-Calif., that But Corker said Bahrain is
would direct the president home to a naval base with
to end the U.S. military’s 7,800 U.S. service members
support of Saudi-led forces In this July 17, 2018 file photo, Sen. Rand Paul, R-Ky., talks during a television interview on Capitol protecting U.S. interests
within 30 days, and until Hill in Washington. and serving as a buffer
Associated Press
against Iran. He said that
blocking an arms sale to
Bahrain is a member of the Saudi arm sales last year an ally over “something
Saudi-led coalition at war fell just a few votes short. that has nothing to do with
with Iran-aligned rebels in The Trump administration them, but has something
Yemen since March 2015. has not yet notified Con- to do with another country
The conflict in Yemen, the gress it’s ready to proceed is not a pragmatic, nor a
Arab world’s poorest coun- with the next sale of Saudi sensible step.”
try, began with the 2014 arms, averting a show- Paul said he would like to
takeover of the capital, down over the issue, for vote directly on the U.S.’s
Sanaa, by the Houthis who now. involvement in the war in
toppled the internationally On Thursday, the White Yemen, but he could only
recognized government. House issued a veto threat get an indirect vote on a
The Saudi-led coalition has against the Bahrain resolu- coalition partner.
been fighting the rebels tion, saying the sales of 120 “I’m not asking that we
since 2015 in an attempt to Guided Multiple Launch end our alliance,” Paul
restore that government to Rocket System pods and said. “I’m only saying stop
power. 110 Army Tactical Missile one sale of arms to send
The focus on the Yemen System pods are intended the message that we are
conflict comes amid fresh for the defense of Bahrain, done with the war in Ye-
scrutiny of Saudi Arabia af- which is home to various men.” Paul, a leading non-
ter the death of journalist U.S. military forces. interventionist, said it’s folly
Jamal Khashoggi. “The utilization of this for Americans to think that
He was killed during a visit ground-based system their support for Bahrain
to the Saudi Consulate last would enhance Bahrain’s doesn’t translate into sup-
month in Istanbul. ability to protect itself port for a war that Con-
Turkey alleges the Saudis against threats to territo- gress has not specifically
were responsible for his rial sovereignty, particularly authorized.
death and the U.S. an- from Iran,” the White House Lawmakers have discussed
nounced Thursday it was wrote. Members of the Sen- updating the war powers
imposing sanctions on 17 ate Foreign Relations Com- authorizations that were
Saudi officials who it said mittee largely sided with approved in the aftermath
were responsible for or the administration even as of the attacks of Sept. 11,
complicit in the killing. they expressed concern 2001, but Congress has yet
Paul’s effort followed his over the Yemen conflict. to do so.q
