US Senators seek to block Trump's $23 billion deal in arms sale to UAE

At least three US senators on vember 18 attempted to block Trump ministration’s $23 billion deal in arms to UAE, including vanced fighter aircraft F-35. As has been tified to Congress, deal, if sealed, will make UAE first Arab country to possess US’ stealthy F-35 warplanes. To date, Israel is only nation to have military superiority in its region due to possession F 35, and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu h earlier objected to US-UAE deal, Israeli intelligence minister Eli Cohen informed state-run press. With days numbered in office, US President Trump is prepared to sell Reaper drones, air-to-air missiles, and or weapons systems to UAE.

Condemning Trump’s deal that could weaken military hold of Israel in Gulf region and spark an arms race, a bipartisan group of senators passed a measure to halt weapons' sale. Sen. Robert Menendez of New Jersey, top Democrat on Senate Foreign Relations Committee, and Sens. Chris Murphy (D-Conn.) and Rand Paul (R-Ky.), in charge of a ninterventionist foreign policy introduced four joint resolutions of disapproval weeks after US State Department was tified about Trump ministration’s plans of selling munitions in Gulf nation.

“ UAE is our ally, but re is escaping that Emiratis have a history of transferring U.S. arms to extremist militias, and have violated international law in Libya and Yemen,” Senator Murphy said.

Meanwhile, in a statement, Menendez said that he h attempted to warn Trump ministration that circumventing deliberative processes for considering a massive infusion of weapons to a country in a volatile region with multiple ongoing conflicts is “downright irresponsible.”  senators also charged that standard protocol for arms sales to foreign nations required a congressional review period, ding, that Trump ministration h dodged reasoning about how “national security risks inherent in proposed sale” will be dealt with in region, according to sources of politico.

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[An F-35 fighter jet pilot and crew prepare for a mission at Al-Dhafra Air Base in UAE. Photo: Staff Sgt. Chris Thornbury/U.S. Air Force/AP]

30-day period to block deal

Trump’s deal includes 50 F-35s worth $10.4 billion, up to 18 MQ-9B drones worth $2.97 billion, and a pack of air-to-air and air-to-ground munitions worth $10 billion. Meanwhile, Congress has a 30-day period to block deal with resolutions such as one passed under laws that govern arms sales to foreign countries. Post 10 days of introducing resolutions, senators can vote to decline to deal. Currently, 3 of total 8 vetos of US president Trump are against many such resolutions that seek to stall sale of weaponry to foreign nations. 

US Lawmakers stress US’ commitment to safeguarding Israel’s military interest as inscribed in 2008 law as a driver to stop arms sale. Despite US-brokered Abraham Accords signed at White House ceremony to rmalize ties between Israel and UAE, Israeli PM Netanyahu expressed objection to US’ sale of munition and weaponry to Arab Gulf nation, saying, Israel’s security and military superiority in region was of utmost significance, sources of a state-run Israeli daily, Yediot Ahrot revealed. 

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(Im Credit: AP)