News - World: Democratic Sen. Richard Blumenthal (Conn.) and Rep. Ro Khanna (Calif.) introduced a bill on Tuesday that would suspend all U.S. arm sales to Saudi Arabia for one year. 

Blumenthal and Khanna proposed the legislation in response to the decision by OPEC+, of which Saudi Arabia is a leading member, to cut oil production by 2 million barrels per day. 

OPEC+ is made up of the 13 OPEC member countries plus 11 nonmembers, including Russia, that coordinate their oil-exporting policies with OPEC. 

If passed, the legislation would prohibit the exportation of munitions containers, weapon support, support equipment, spare and repair parts, technical and logistical support services, and related “elements of logistical and program support.” 

Blumenthal and Khanna wrote an op-ed in Politico on Sunday calling on Congress to cut off arm sales to Saudi Arabia until it ends its “embrace” of Russian President Vladimir Putin. 

Democrats have slammed Saudi Arabia over the OPEC+ decision, which is expected to raise gas and oil prices even as inflation and supply issues linger.

Earlier, US National Security Council spokesman John Kirby said that President Joe Biden believes it is necessary to re-evaluate Washington's relations with Saudi Arabia after OPEC+ announced last week that it would cut oil production.

US President Joe Biden had expressed his "disappointment" with the "OPEC +" decision to reduce oil production. He directed the release of additional volumes of oil from the US strategic reserve.

US President Joe Biden quickly abandoned the commitments he made early in his term: to end US support for offensive operations in Yemen, including ending arms sales, making human rights a central component of US foreign policy, and ensuring that those responsible for human rights abuses will be held accountable for their crimes against innocents in Yemen.

The Biden administration was well aware that its weapons sent to the Gulf states that are members of the coalition were used over the past war years to carry out unlawful attacks against the civilian population in Yemen.

However, in September 2021, it approved the annual US defense budget, as the amendment calling for ending support for Saudi offensive operations and airstrikes in Yemen suddenly disappeared.

In September 2021, the US House of Representatives passed a provision in the annual defense bill that ends US support for SLC offensive operations and airstrikes in Yemen. However it was omitted from the final bill which was later passed into law.

The Yemeni missile and drone strikes against sensitive targets in Abu Dhabi and Riyadh on January 17 and on January 23 came as an opportunity for the US administration to hold more military investment. The Biden administration was quick to confirm its commitment to sell $23 billion worth of combat aircraft, bombs, and other munitions to the UAE.

American companies have also awarded maintenance contracts worth $28 million to Saudi combat aircraft. All this is in violation of not only international law but also US law itself: the Foreign Aid Act, laws banning the sale of arms and increasing military assistance to countries that seriously violate human rights.

Among those agreements is the sale of $650 million worth of missiles to Saudi Arabia also from Raytheon, which Congress has given the green light despite suggestions to block them. Last December, the administration said it "remains committed" to the proposed $23 billion sale of F-35 aircraft, MQ-9Bs, and munitions to the United Arab Emirates — despite strong human rights concerns.

Continuing to arm the SLC not only fails to meet US obligations under international law, it also violates US law. Therefore, the majority of right-wing observers believe that it is difficult to imagine when the Yemeni war will end. Unless Washington decides to do so.

Source: Agencies