US President Donald Trump and Saudi Arabia's King Salman signing the deal [Mandel Ngan/AFP]
WASHINGTON (Reuters) - After pausing half a billion dollars in arms deals with Saudi Arabia out of concern over casualties in Yemen, President Joe Biden’s administration may shift U.S. policy not only to cancel past deals that pose human rights concerns, but limit future military sales to “defensive” weapons.
Four sources familiar with the administration’s thinking said officials are assessing the array of military equipment and training included in sales to the Saudis to determine what can be considered defensive.
Those deals would be allowed.
A State Department spokesperson said, “Our focus is on ending the conflict in Yemen even as we ensure Saudi Arabia has everything it needs to defend its territory and its people,” adding Biden has pledged to end U.S. military support for the military campaign against the Houthis.
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It would help Saudi Arabia immensely of Bite Me stopped the deal. Saudi Arabia would have to reevaluate and improvise. They would get smarter, tougher and leaner.
ReplyDeleteInstead of American advisers they would get Israeli advisers. Instead of 50 million dollar American planes they wo0uld get drones.
Instead of flying high and hitting with standoff attacks they would use drone swarms and infantry. The Houthi core territory would be within artillery distance of average artillery.
And American companies would not do so well and down the line politicians would suffer too.
Joe Biden: Lizzie Panilli, uh, excuse me, Pannill, and uh, what am I doing here? I’m going to lose track here. And, uh… Mayor Turner… My family spent a lot of time here in Houston by the way. And, uh, hey John Eddy, how are you buddy I didn’t see you there?… I could be known for as president. I would be the end, the president who end during his era ended cancer as we know it. (cough)
ReplyDelete