By Georgi Gotev | EURACTIV.com
File photo. A USAF F-35 Lightning II fighter jet in action during the Singapore Airshow at the Changi Exhibition Centre in Singapore, 12 February 2020.
[Wallace Woon/EPA/EFE]
An effort to stop President Donald Trump’s high-tech weapons deals with the United Arab Emirates fell short on Wednesday (9 December) in the US Senate as Trump’s fellow Republicans opposed resolutions of disapproval seeking to block the sale of drones and advanced F-35 fighter jets.
The Senate voted 50-46 and 49-47, mostly along party lines, to stop consideration of the resolutions, killing them at least until President-elect Joe Biden takes office on 20 January.
Biden, a Democrat, is expected to review the sales.
Early on Wednesday, the Trump administration had issued a formal notice of its intention to veto the measures if they passed the Senate and House of Representatives.
The White House said the sales support US foreign policy and national security objectives by “enabling the UAE to deter increasing Iranian aggressive behavior and threats” in the wake of its recent peace deal with Israel.
Backers of the sale also described the UAE as an important US partner in the Middle East.
The two weapons packages are a major component of a planned $23 billion sale of high-tech armaments to the UAE. Opponents said the transactions were being rushed through, without sufficient assurances that the equipment would not fall into the wrong hands or fuel instability in the Middle East.
Some US lawmakers also criticized the UAE for its involvement in the war in Yemen, a conflict considered one of the world’s worst humanitarian disasters.
The administration told Congress in November it had approved the massive sale to the UAE of products from General Atomics, Lockheed Martin Corp and Raytheon Technologies Corp.
Some lawmakers also worried that the weapons transfers might violate US guarantees that Israel will retain a military advantage in the region. But Israel, which enjoys strong support in Congress, has said it does not object to the sales.
Accusing Trump of cutting short or sidestepping Congress’ typical review of major weapons sales, lawmakers have tried repeatedly during Trump’s four-year presidency to block his plans for arms sales.
None of the efforts succeeded, either dying in the Republican-led Senate or, if passed, failing to win the two-thirds majorities in the Senate and House to override Trump’s vetoes.
US Senate votes down motions to block UAE arms sales
Resolutions opposing sale of F-35 jets, Reaper drones narrowly fall short of majority
An effort to stop President Donald Trump’s high-tech weapons deals with the United Arab Emirates fell short on Wednesday (9 December) in the US Senate as Trump’s fellow Republicans opposed resolutions of disapproval seeking to block the sale of drones and advanced F-35 fighter jets.
The Senate voted 50-46 and 49-47, mostly along party lines, to stop consideration of the resolutions, killing them at least until President-elect Joe Biden takes office on 20 January.
Biden, a Democrat, is expected to review the sales.
Early on Wednesday, the Trump administration had issued a formal notice of its intention to veto the measures if they passed the Senate and House of Representatives.
The White House said the sales support US foreign policy and national security objectives by “enabling the UAE to deter increasing Iranian aggressive behavior and threats” in the wake of its recent peace deal with Israel.
Backers of the sale also described the UAE as an important US partner in the Middle East.
The two weapons packages are a major component of a planned $23 billion sale of high-tech armaments to the UAE. Opponents said the transactions were being rushed through, without sufficient assurances that the equipment would not fall into the wrong hands or fuel instability in the Middle East.
Some US lawmakers also criticized the UAE for its involvement in the war in Yemen, a conflict considered one of the world’s worst humanitarian disasters.
The administration told Congress in November it had approved the massive sale to the UAE of products from General Atomics, Lockheed Martin Corp and Raytheon Technologies Corp.
Some lawmakers also worried that the weapons transfers might violate US guarantees that Israel will retain a military advantage in the region. But Israel, which enjoys strong support in Congress, has said it does not object to the sales.
Accusing Trump of cutting short or sidestepping Congress’ typical review of major weapons sales, lawmakers have tried repeatedly during Trump’s four-year presidency to block his plans for arms sales.
None of the efforts succeeded, either dying in the Republican-led Senate or, if passed, failing to win the two-thirds majorities in the Senate and House to override Trump’s vetoes.
US Senate votes down motions to block UAE arms sales
Resolutions opposing sale of F-35 jets, Reaper drones narrowly fall short of majority
News Service December 10, 2020
File photo Photograph: US AIR FORCE
The US Senate rejected two resolutions Wednesday seeking to block $23 billion worth of arms sales to the United Arab Emirates.
Senators voted 47-49 on a resolution opposing the sale of F-35 jets and 46-50 on one opposing the sale of Reaper drones, falling short of a simple majority, or 51 votes, in the 100-member Senate.
The resolutions were introduced by Democratic Senators Robert Menendez and Chris Murphy and Republican Senator Rand Paul.
Speaking ahead of the votes, Paul said it is time to carefully study the situation in the Middle East and to consider the effects of an accelerating arms race in the region.
"This is why our government should not be rushing into approving this sale," he said.
Menendez, a ranking member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, said many aspects of the proposed sale remain conceptual.
"We are being asked to support a significant transfer of advanced US technology without clarity on a number of key details regarding the sale or sufficient answers to critical national security questions," he said.
The UAE's Ambassador to the US, Yousef al-Otaiba, welcomed the votes, saying the "continued US support enables the UAE to take on more of the burden for our collective security – ours, yours and our partners.”
"It improves US-UAE interoperability and allows us to be more effective together. It makes us all safer. Open, tolerant and future oriented, the UAE is charting a new positive path for the Middle East. We are committed to regional de-escalation and dialogue," said the UAE mission in Washington, D.C.
The Trump administration formally notified lawmakers on Nov. 10 of its intent to sell more than $23 billion worth of arms to the UAE, including F-35 stealth fighter jets, Reaper drones, air-to-air and air-to-ground missiles and other munitions.
Abu Dhabi fully normalized relations with Israel as part of President Donald Trump's push to have Arab states open diplomatic ties with the country. Despite warm relations with the UAE, Israeli lobbies have expressed discomfort with advanced arms sales to the tiny Arab country.
SEE: PERMANENT ARMS ECONOMY
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