The Trump administration used an emergency loophole in an arms control export law to kickstart $7 billion of weapons to Saudi Arabia.
Secretary of State Mike Pompeo notified Congress of the decision on Friday. The move bypasses normal congressional review of arms sales, according to AP.
Pompeo cited threats Saudi Arabia faces from Iran as the justification for selling precision guided munitions, other bombs and ammunition and aircraft maintenance support to the kingdom. The US will also sell arms to the United Arab Emirates and Jordan. Under usual circumstances, members of Congress have a review period during which they can introduce legislation to stop certain arms sales.
Pompeo said he decided “that an emergency exists which requires the immediate sale” of the weapons “in order to deter further the malign influence of the government of Iran throughout the Middle East region.”
He said the sales “must occur as quickly as possible in order to deter further Iranian adventurism in the Gulf and throughout the Middle East.”
With Post Wires