Republicans, Democrats Seek to Block Trump’s Sale of Weapons to Saudi Arabia
(ANTIWAR.COM) — A bipartisan group of senators are planning the introduction of 22 “resolutions of disapproval” related to President Trump’s recently approved arms sales to Saudi Arabia, intended to cover each of the individual arms deals involved.
Sen. Bob Menendez (D-NJ) said the move shows the Senate isn’t going to stand idly by “while the president erodes Congressional review and oversight of arms sales.” A number of lawmakers oppose all arms sales to the Saudis since the murder of Jamal Khashoggi. Three Republicans (Sens. Rand Paul, Lindsey Graham, and Todd Young) are said to be on board with the resolutions, If combined with all Democrats and Democrat-leaning independents, would make this a 50-50 split. One more Republican would mean it would pass.
President Trump sought to circumvent the Congressional opposition, by declaring a fake state of emergency that would justify bypassing the Congressional oversight of the matter.
Trump has long insisted that the arms sales to the Saudis are economically important, and has suggested he didn’t want to jeopardize them for the murder of one journalist. That didn’t sit well with some in Congress, and the attempt to bypass them entirely seems to be going over even worse.
By Jason Ditz / Republished with permission / ANTIWAR.COM / Report a typo
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