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A package of precision-guided missile technology for Saudi Arabia, valued around $300 million, and a $4 billion deal to provide F-16 fighter jets to Bahrain are now ready for clearance from the White House, a US official involved in the transfers told The Washington Times.
During his final months in office, former president Barack Obama had blocked the transfer of precision munitions to Riyadh because of the outcry over large-scale civilian casualties resulting from Saudi airstrikes in Yemen.
The Pentagon has been providing logistics and surveillance support to Saudi Arabia in its military aggression against Yemen, the kingdom’s impoverished southern neighbor, which has killed at least 11,400 civilians since its onset in March 2015, according to a latest tally by a Yemeni monitoring group.
The Obama administration also notified Congress that it would not complete approval for Bahrain to buy as many as 19 F-16 fighter jets from Lockheed Martin Corp. until the kingdom could demonstrate progress on human rights.
The US already uses Bahrain as a base of operations for the US Navy in the Persian Gulf. Since 2011, the overwhelming majority of the people of Bahrain took to the streets to demand political reform. The regime, backed by Saudi Arabia, then launched a crackdown on the peaceful opposition that included conducting thousands of arrests and systematic torture.
The arms packages, if approved, would underscore the priorities of the new administration.
“These are significant sales for key allies in the [Persian] Gulf who are facing the threat from Iran and who can contribute to the fight against [Daesh],” the official who spoke with The Times said on condition of anonymity.
“Whereas the Obama administration held back on these, they’re now in the new administration’s court for a decision — and I would anticipate the decision will be to move forward.”
However, the White House will face opposition in Congress where Democrats and a number of Republicans have called for restrictions on sales of weapons to the two monarchies, in particular to Saudi Arabia which has been pounding Yemen since March 2015.
In August, 64 House members signed a letter calling on Obama to delay the sale of cluster munitions to the kingdom, and in September, a bipartisan group of US senators introduced a resolution to block a multi-billion dollar sale of battle tanks and other military equipment to the Saudi regime.
The Obama administration ultimately approved the deal on tanks transfer. However, the former president did not give the final go-ahead to the now-pending package of precision-guided weapons technology.
However, the US official told The Times that the Trump administration was now poised to embrace the deal. “If they’re going to drop stuff, it should be precision-guided rather than dumb.”
Saudi Arabia has purchased billions of dollars worth of American warplanes and other weaponry that it is using in its military campaign in Yemen.
The military aggression has destroyed much of Yemen's infrastructure. It has also claimed the lives of over 11,400 Yemenis, including women and children, according to the latest tally by a Yemeni monitoring group.
Yemen's foreign minister said Wednesday his government has asked for a "reassessment” of a U.S. anti-terrorism raid last month that apparently caused the deaths of several women and children, but he denied reports that the government requested a suspension of American ground operations.
“Yemen continues to cooperate with the United States and continues to abide by all the agreements,” Abdul-Malik al-Mekhlafi said, according to the Associated Press. He said the government “is involved in talks with the U.S. administration on the latest raid.”
His remarks followed news reports that Yemen's government had demanded a halt to U.S. special operations. He said the reports are “not true,” according to the AP.
Yemen's government controls only part of the country, which has been divided by civil war. A Saudi-led coalition is fighting Houthi rebels, which are supported by Iran. The chaos has allowed al-Qaeda to grow in strength.
The Jan. 28 raid against al-Qaeda militants in central Yemen resulted in the death of Navy SEAL, William "Ryan" Owens and wounding of six servicemen. A U.S. aircraft was destroyed so that it wouldn't fall into the hands of militants after it became disabled during the raid.
The Pentagon said the raid resulted in the capture of a trove of intelligence and the deaths of 14 al-Qaeda fighters.
The New York Times reported Tuesday that American officials said Yemen, angered by the civilian deaths, has withdrawn permission for U.S. special operations ground missions against suspected terrorists there.
originally posted by: crazyewok
If you looked at the King of Saudi arabia arse you would likly find oranage fake tan there............
Instead of new weapons they should be added to the travel ban list!
However, the White House will face opposition in Congress where Democrats and a number of Republicans have called for restrictions on sales of weapons to the two monarchies, in particular to Saudi Arabia which has been pounding Yemen since March 2015.
originally posted by: Zaphod58
The block on the F-16 sale to Bahrain was one of the things that made me scratch my head. They gave weapons to so called moderate rebels in Syria, and sold weapons to pretty much anyone that had enough money, but Bahrain, who has been a strong ally, and has given us basing rights for years, has to "improve their human rights". No set goal, no details beyond an incredibly vague, open ended statement.
originally posted by: burdman30ott6
originally posted by: Jonjonj
Bahrain is also heavily involved with Iran, and vice versa (historically speaking).
Another Shiite vs Sunni conflict...
A package of precision-guided missile technology for Saudi Arabia, valued around $300 million, and a $4 billion deal to provide F-16 fighter jets to Bahrain are now ready for clearance from the White House, a US official involved in the transfers told The Washington Times.
originally posted by: crazyewok
If you looked at the King of Saudi arabia arse you would likly find oranage fake tan there............
Instead of new weapons they should be added to the travel ban list!
The Post reported that by the time of Trump's May financial filing, four of those companies in which Trump was the president or director were still active. Trump has in the past said he wants to protect the oil-rich Arab kingdom.
During a rally on August 21, the day Trump created four of those companies, he said he gets along well with Saudi Arabia.
"They buy apartments from me," Trump said during the Alabama rally. "They spend $40 million, $50 million. Am I supposed to dislike them? I like them very much.”
In January of this year, Trump said on Fox News he "would want to protect Saudi Arabia.
"I would want to protect Saudi Arabia," he said during the interview. "But Saudi Arabia is going to have to help us economically. They were making, before the oil went down ... they were making $1 billion a day.”
During his presidential campaign, the president-elect often called out his Democratic rival, Hillary Clinton, for accepting money from Saudi Arabia for the Clinton Foundation.
originally posted by: crazyewok
a reply to: AMPTAH
Actually there is a idea.....
The USA should give Iran and Saudi arabia a few hundred nukes......the catch being there targeting computers can only target each other......then let the games begin