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Senate Narrowly Backs Trump Weapons Sale to Saudi Arabia Senate Narrowly Backs Trump Weapons Sale to Saudi Arabia
(35 minutes later)
WASHINGTON — The Senate narrowly backed President Trump’s proposed arms sale to Saudi Arabia on Tuesday, in an unexpectedly close procedural vote that reflected mounting concern over the Saudi-led campaign in Yemen’s war.WASHINGTON — The Senate narrowly backed President Trump’s proposed arms sale to Saudi Arabia on Tuesday, in an unexpectedly close procedural vote that reflected mounting concern over the Saudi-led campaign in Yemen’s war.
Senators voted, 53 to 47, to pave the way to sell $500 million in precision-guided munitions to Saudi Arabia, batting back an effort to block the deal and saving Mr. Trump from what would have been a major embarrassment just weeks after he traveled to Riyadh and announced plans for $110 billion in arms sales.Senators voted, 53 to 47, to pave the way to sell $500 million in precision-guided munitions to Saudi Arabia, batting back an effort to block the deal and saving Mr. Trump from what would have been a major embarrassment just weeks after he traveled to Riyadh and announced plans for $110 billion in arms sales.
Mr. Trump has painted the deal as one that will improve the kingdom’s military capability as well as create American jobs.Mr. Trump has painted the deal as one that will improve the kingdom’s military capability as well as create American jobs.
But an announcement on Monday from Senator Chuck Schumer of New York, the minority leader, that he opposed the sale cleared the way for a number of Democrats to join a few Republicans, including one of the resolution’s sponsors, Senator Rand Paul of Kentucky, in trying to slow down the sale.But an announcement on Monday from Senator Chuck Schumer of New York, the minority leader, that he opposed the sale cleared the way for a number of Democrats to join a few Republicans, including one of the resolution’s sponsors, Senator Rand Paul of Kentucky, in trying to slow down the sale.
Opponents of the deal were sharply critical of the Saudi role in Yemen’s war and said Riyadh had not shown enough concern about the mounting toll of civilian casualties there. Opponents of the deal were sharply critical of the Saudi role in Yemen’s war and said Riyadh had not shown enough concern about rising civilian casualties there.
“Today I stand up for the thousands of civilians who are being killed in Yemen,” Mr. Paul said on the Senate floor before the vote. “Today I stand for the millions of voiceless children in Yemen who will be killed by the Saudi blockade. Today I stand up for saying we, the United States, should no longer be fueling the arms race in the Middle East. It’s come to no good.”“Today I stand up for the thousands of civilians who are being killed in Yemen,” Mr. Paul said on the Senate floor before the vote. “Today I stand for the millions of voiceless children in Yemen who will be killed by the Saudi blockade. Today I stand up for saying we, the United States, should no longer be fueling the arms race in the Middle East. It’s come to no good.”
Trump administration officials spent the hours before the vote frantically making phone calls and holding briefings with lawmakers to stave off a defeat, which would have been the first time in decades that a congressional body summarily rejected a weapons sale to Saudi Arabia. Last year, the Senate rejected a proposal to block a similar arms sale to Saudi Arabia, valued at $1.15 billion, by a much larger margin, 71 to 26.Trump administration officials spent the hours before the vote frantically making phone calls and holding briefings with lawmakers to stave off a defeat, which would have been the first time in decades that a congressional body summarily rejected a weapons sale to Saudi Arabia. Last year, the Senate rejected a proposal to block a similar arms sale to Saudi Arabia, valued at $1.15 billion, by a much larger margin, 71 to 26.
Administration officials warned beforehand that the outlook was bleak; Mr. Schumer’s announcement, in particular, had them worried that he had given political cover to Democrats who wanted to send a signal to Mr. Trump.Administration officials warned beforehand that the outlook was bleak; Mr. Schumer’s announcement, in particular, had them worried that he had given political cover to Democrats who wanted to send a signal to Mr. Trump.
“Nearly half of the U.S. Senate sent an overwhelmingly clear message to Riyadh that if it wants to return to a time of unequivocal U.S. support, it needs to stop killing civilians in Yemen,” said Andrea Prasow, the deputy Washington director at Human Rights Watch. “The Trump administration should take notice and use this statement as an opportunity to press the Saudis to change their behavior in Yemen — to focus on protecting civilians, and to be transparent about its conduct in this devastating war.”“Nearly half of the U.S. Senate sent an overwhelmingly clear message to Riyadh that if it wants to return to a time of unequivocal U.S. support, it needs to stop killing civilians in Yemen,” said Andrea Prasow, the deputy Washington director at Human Rights Watch. “The Trump administration should take notice and use this statement as an opportunity to press the Saudis to change their behavior in Yemen — to focus on protecting civilians, and to be transparent about its conduct in this devastating war.”
Yemen’s conflict began in 2014 when Iranian-backed Houthi rebels from the country’s north allied with rogue army units and stormed the capital, Sana, pushing the internationally recognized government into exile. In 2015, Saudi Arabia formed a military coalition that has been bombing the rebels, seeking to dislodge them from the capital and restore the government.Yemen’s conflict began in 2014 when Iranian-backed Houthi rebels from the country’s north allied with rogue army units and stormed the capital, Sana, pushing the internationally recognized government into exile. In 2015, Saudi Arabia formed a military coalition that has been bombing the rebels, seeking to dislodge them from the capital and restore the government.
All of the factions involved have been accused of war crimes, including indiscriminate attacks on civilian areas and the recruitment of child soldiers. The United Nations says more than 10,000 people have been killed, and much of the country is short of food.All of the factions involved have been accused of war crimes, including indiscriminate attacks on civilian areas and the recruitment of child soldiers. The United Nations says more than 10,000 people have been killed, and much of the country is short of food.
Human rights organizations have sharply criticized American support for the Saudi-led bombing in Yemen.Human rights organizations have sharply criticized American support for the Saudi-led bombing in Yemen.
The Trump administration has notified Congress that it plans to soon begin delivering precision-guided munitions to Saudi Arabia under a separate 2015 weapons deal, congressional officials said.The Trump administration has notified Congress that it plans to soon begin delivering precision-guided munitions to Saudi Arabia under a separate 2015 weapons deal, congressional officials said.