The Gulf nation has sold 23 23 billion worth of advanced weapons, a strategic ally of the United States that recently signed a peace deal with Israel that was brokered by the Trump administration. Senior defense officials have already begun lobbying legislators to oppose a series of bilateral measures that could soon come to the floor, according to congressional aides.
Top Pentagon and State Department officials also briefed senators Monday night about the sale of weapons, including 50 F-35 aircraft, a large stockpile of missiles and 18 rapper drones – a significant improvement in the country’s military capabilities as it deploys proxies around it. Middle East. The Trump administration is one of several foreign-policy policies set in motion during the President’s transition period, which has contained bilateral fires in Afghanistan, including troop reductions.
A Senate aide familiar with the classified briefing said the U.A.A. There are “major issues” that need to be addressed as part of this deal. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo had previously said that the purpose of the transfer was “to prevent and defend against growing threats from Iran.”
Menendez, a top Democrat on the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, called Monday’s briefing “unsatisfactory” and said he plans to move forward with the December 11 deadline set by the legislative 30-day review period. Four resolutions, each addressing a specific military sale, are “privileged” in the Senate, meaning they can be brought to a vote without the consent of a majority party leadership. Menendez said it was possible he would only call “a few” of them.
But both the time of success and the obstacles are not towards them. Even if resolutions pass through both chambers of Congress, Trump is determined to veto them, and a two-thirds majority is too small to override the president’s veto. Moreover, Congress is working very fast this week and next week to pass government funding measures and an annual defense bill.
Biden may not be fully stymied if President-elect. He Could possibly hang Sales when it takes office in January using its executive powers. Onyant’s Blinken, Biden’s candidate for secretary of state, Said October The Biden team has “concerns about what commitments it may or may not make to the UAE” as part of a deal for F-35 aircraft.
Among the unanswered questions, senators said Monday attended a classified briefing, whether the UAE agreed to normalize relations with Israel was a reward for arms sales to the UAE. They also said that the state’s sophisticated technology ultimately puts the risk in the wrong hands.
“I want to make sure there are some ironclad defenses,” Sen. Said Tim Cain (D-Va.), A top member of the Foreign Relations Committee. “We cannot give that technology to the UAE if we are concerned about endangering the security of that technology.”
Although most Republican senators are expected to block arms sales, some are signaling concerns with the framework, including how it will affect Israel’s security.
Marco Rubio (R-Fla.), Chairman of the Senate Intelligence Committee, said, “We are interested in ensuring that Israel has secured the qualitative advantage through sales.” Marco Rubio (R-Fla.), Chairman of the Senate Intelligence Committee .) Said. “We’ll wait to learn more about that.”
Trump’s presidency has been marked by several battles with Congress, but the president’s foreign-policy decisions have become a little more contradictory than the ones involved – many of which have been run without consulting Capitol Hill, where deep skepticism about the Trump administration’s strategy has grown. Disorder with respect to Iran.
“I don’t think you buy peace with guns,” said G.O.P. Sponsor Paul said in an interview. “I do not think it is advisable to send sophisticated military weapons to the Middle East Powder CAG. I think that makes it more likely that Iran will continue to develop its surgery. “
Other concerns include the UAE’s poor record on human rights issues, the possibility of the surgery being mishandled, and the potential arms race in the Middle East threatening Israel.
“Do you think that by selling these armed drones and F-35s to the UAE, Iran is saying, ‘We probably don’t need more missiles now?’ No, they think they need more, “said Paul.
Senators also reacted to the timing of the deal, with some suggesting that the Trump administration is moving into transfers to undermine Biden’s team’s efforts to build a new path to the Middle East – particularly with Iran.
“I have real concerns about this kind of deal, especially when it comes to the new administration,” said Sen Jean Shaheen (DNH), a top member of the Foreign Relations Panel.
Most senators are not weighing in on the issue at the current stage, which is believed to support efforts led by Menendez. Sense. Todd Young (R-Ind.) And Lisa Murkowski (R-Alaska), for example, said they were still studying the issue and declined to say how they were swayed.
Paul predicted that the G.O.P. would step in to overturn arms sales to the UAE. It would be more difficult to attract support than it was for the proposed sale in Saudi Arabia recently. Last year Home And The Senate passed resolutions blocking equal sales to RiyadhIn the wake of the targeted assassination of government journalist Jamal Khashoggi and bilateral support for US support for a Saudi-led coalition in Yemen’s civil war.
Five GOPs, including Young and Murcocci, are in the works, said Le Sales. Senators voted with Democrats to stop that sale – which eventually happened when Trump vetoed the move – partly because “the passion was further ignited” after Khashoggi’s assassination, Paul Lee said.
“I think it will be harder to get 500 votes than Saudi Arabia.” “But the debate is still worth keeping.”
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