Defying Congress, Trump sets $8 billion-plus in weapons sales to Saudi Arabia, UAE
S E E D E D C O N T E N T
U.S. President Donald Trump leaves the Oval Office to speak to the news media before boarding Marine One to depart for travel to Japan from the South Lawn of the White House in Washington, U.S., May 24, 2019.
REUTERS/Leah Millis
Members of Congress had been blocking sales of offensive military equipment to Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates for months, angry about the huge civilian toll from their air campaign in Yemen, as well as human rights abuses such as the murder of Saudi journalist Jamal Khashoggi at a Saudi consulate in Turkey.
Lawmakers and congressional aides warned earlier this week that Trump, frustrated with Congress holding up weapons deals including the sale of bombs to Saudi Arabia, was considering using a loophole in arms control law to go ahead by declaring a national emergency.
“President Trump is only using this loophole because he knows Congress would disapprove ... There is no new ‘emergency’ reason to sell bombs to the Saudis to drop in Yemen, and doing so only perpetuates the humanitarian crisis there,” said Senator Chris Murphy.
Murphy, a Democrat, made public on Twitter on Wednesday that Trump was considering the loophole in the Arms Control Export Act to clear the sales.
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The President of the United States may do pretty much anything he feels necessary, in the event of a national emergency.
- He can decree tariffs without Congressional approval - by declaring that the EU and Canada are security risks.
- He can authorize an arms sale that Congress has specifically forbidden, by declaring a "sudden emergency"... although the Saudi/Houthi situation has been unchanged.
President Trump can do anything he wishes, by the simple expedient of... lying outrageously.
Golly, the democrats ought to do something about all those Constitutionally given presidential powers. After all, the Executive branch is co-equal to Congress and the Judiciary.
Wait.... Aren't these the same morons that were responsible or 9/11/01? I mean...why not give them more weapons?!!!!
Trump is a fu*king moron!!!!
Now, now... let's not exaggerate... Only fifteen of the nineteen 9/11 terrorists were Saudis. And Bin Laden.
But hey! They're allies...
Is Saudi Arabia itself at fault ?
Is Kenya it self at fault, for "Billy Chemirmir" ?
Beating the drums of war....
This morning, 1500 more troops to the ME....
Not really.