SUBSCRIBE TO OUR FREE NEWSLETTER
Daily news & progressive opinion—funded by the people, not the corporations—delivered straight to your inbox.
5
#000000
#FFFFFF
5
#000000
#FFFFFF
A United States Air Force F-16 fighter jet test-fires a Raytheon AIM-120 air-to-air missile over the Gulf of Mexico near Eglin Air Force Base in Okaloosa County, Florida. (Photo: Capt. Justin Marsh/USAF)
Warnings of 'More Death and Suffering' in Yemen as US Moves to Sell Saudis Missiles
The Biden administration called the proposed sale of $650 million in air-to-air missiles "fully consistent" with its efforts to end the war that's killed, wounded, displaced, and starved millions of Yemenis.
Nov 04, 2021
Anti-war activists on Thursday accused the Biden administration of throwing fuel on the flames of the Saudi-led war in Yemen after the U.S. State Department notified Congress it approved a new $650 million missile sale to the repressive Middle Eastern monarchy.
Defense News reports the Pentagon said the Saudi government requested to purchase 280 AIM-120C-7/C-8 advanced medium-range air-to-air missiles and 596 LAU-128 missile rail launchers in a deal that would also include spare parts, support, and logistical services. The missiles would be fitted to Saudi warplanes including Eurofighter Typhoons and McDonnell-Douglas F-15s.
"Meanwhile," tweeted the women-led peace group CodePink, "one Yemeni child continues to die every 10 minutes as a result of the humanitarian crisis caused by the Saudi-led war on Yemen."
The missiles are made by Raytheon, whose board Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin joined upon retiring as head of U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM) in 2016.
A State Department spokesperson called the proposed sale "fully consistent with the administration's pledge to lead with diplomacy to end the conflict in Yemen while also ensuring Saudi Arabia has the means to defend itself from Iranian-backed Houthi air attacks."
Peace advocates scoffed at the claim that selling more weapons to the Saudis would help bring about peace.
Unless blocked by Congress, the sale would be the first to Saudi Arabia since President Joe Biden's February announcement that the U.S. was ending support for "offensive operations"--including weapons transfers--in the atrocity-laden Saudi-led war that has killed and wounded hundreds of thousands of Yemenis, while displacing hundreds of thousands more and exacerbating famine-like conditions through a crippling economic blockade.
Prior to February's announcement, the Biden administration imposed a temporary freeze on all arms sales to Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates pending a review of deals inked during the tenure of former President Donald Trump.
Critics say the new sale is at least the third violation of Biden's "offensive operations" promise this fall. In May, Pentagon officials acknowledged the U.S. was still servicing Saudi warplanes via contractors, and in September, peace and human advocates denounced the State Department's approval of a $500 million contract to maintain the kingdom's military helicopters.
In late September, the U.S. House passed an amendment by Rep. Ro Khanna (D-Calif.) to the 2022 National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) that, if approved by the Senate and signed by Biden, would end U.S. logistical support and weapons transfers to Saudi Arabia.
This post has been updated to clarify that Congress does not need to approve weapons sales but can block them.
We are at a crossroads
This country and this world are at a monumental crossroads. US voters have an opportunity to beat back the forces of fascism and confront the billionaires who are rigging the economy, our media system, and our democracy, making it increasingly impossible for ordinary people to get by. We’re not just talking about the election. We’re talking about what must be done once these fascist elements are vanquished from power. We need a bolder set of solutions than what either major party has so far been willing to offer and a working-class movement ready to fight like hell for it. Trump didn't emerge from nowhere. The conditions that fueled MAGA authoritarianism were created by decades of radical neoliberal economic policies and a corrupt political system dominated by corporate interests. They slashed taxes on the super-rich, promising that the benefits would trickle down. They said giveaways to the corporate titans would make life more affordable for the rest of us. It was all bullshit. And when a bitter, betrayed populace searches for someone to blame, right-wing demagogues have little trouble finding scapegoats. People know when they're being lied to, but you won't hear any of this from the corporate media. Only independent journalism—powered and funded by people who believe in building a better world—can deliver truly trustworthy daily news. If you share our vision, please contribute whatever you can to sustain our work. |
Our work is licensed under Creative Commons (CC BY-NC-ND 3.0). Feel free to republish and share widely.
Anti-war activists on Thursday accused the Biden administration of throwing fuel on the flames of the Saudi-led war in Yemen after the U.S. State Department notified Congress it approved a new $650 million missile sale to the repressive Middle Eastern monarchy.
Defense News reports the Pentagon said the Saudi government requested to purchase 280 AIM-120C-7/C-8 advanced medium-range air-to-air missiles and 596 LAU-128 missile rail launchers in a deal that would also include spare parts, support, and logistical services. The missiles would be fitted to Saudi warplanes including Eurofighter Typhoons and McDonnell-Douglas F-15s.
"Meanwhile," tweeted the women-led peace group CodePink, "one Yemeni child continues to die every 10 minutes as a result of the humanitarian crisis caused by the Saudi-led war on Yemen."
The missiles are made by Raytheon, whose board Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin joined upon retiring as head of U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM) in 2016.
A State Department spokesperson called the proposed sale "fully consistent with the administration's pledge to lead with diplomacy to end the conflict in Yemen while also ensuring Saudi Arabia has the means to defend itself from Iranian-backed Houthi air attacks."
Peace advocates scoffed at the claim that selling more weapons to the Saudis would help bring about peace.
Unless blocked by Congress, the sale would be the first to Saudi Arabia since President Joe Biden's February announcement that the U.S. was ending support for "offensive operations"--including weapons transfers--in the atrocity-laden Saudi-led war that has killed and wounded hundreds of thousands of Yemenis, while displacing hundreds of thousands more and exacerbating famine-like conditions through a crippling economic blockade.
Prior to February's announcement, the Biden administration imposed a temporary freeze on all arms sales to Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates pending a review of deals inked during the tenure of former President Donald Trump.
Critics say the new sale is at least the third violation of Biden's "offensive operations" promise this fall. In May, Pentagon officials acknowledged the U.S. was still servicing Saudi warplanes via contractors, and in September, peace and human advocates denounced the State Department's approval of a $500 million contract to maintain the kingdom's military helicopters.
In late September, the U.S. House passed an amendment by Rep. Ro Khanna (D-Calif.) to the 2022 National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) that, if approved by the Senate and signed by Biden, would end U.S. logistical support and weapons transfers to Saudi Arabia.
This post has been updated to clarify that Congress does not need to approve weapons sales but can block them.
Anti-war activists on Thursday accused the Biden administration of throwing fuel on the flames of the Saudi-led war in Yemen after the U.S. State Department notified Congress it approved a new $650 million missile sale to the repressive Middle Eastern monarchy.
Defense News reports the Pentagon said the Saudi government requested to purchase 280 AIM-120C-7/C-8 advanced medium-range air-to-air missiles and 596 LAU-128 missile rail launchers in a deal that would also include spare parts, support, and logistical services. The missiles would be fitted to Saudi warplanes including Eurofighter Typhoons and McDonnell-Douglas F-15s.
"Meanwhile," tweeted the women-led peace group CodePink, "one Yemeni child continues to die every 10 minutes as a result of the humanitarian crisis caused by the Saudi-led war on Yemen."
The missiles are made by Raytheon, whose board Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin joined upon retiring as head of U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM) in 2016.
A State Department spokesperson called the proposed sale "fully consistent with the administration's pledge to lead with diplomacy to end the conflict in Yemen while also ensuring Saudi Arabia has the means to defend itself from Iranian-backed Houthi air attacks."
Peace advocates scoffed at the claim that selling more weapons to the Saudis would help bring about peace.
Unless blocked by Congress, the sale would be the first to Saudi Arabia since President Joe Biden's February announcement that the U.S. was ending support for "offensive operations"--including weapons transfers--in the atrocity-laden Saudi-led war that has killed and wounded hundreds of thousands of Yemenis, while displacing hundreds of thousands more and exacerbating famine-like conditions through a crippling economic blockade.
Prior to February's announcement, the Biden administration imposed a temporary freeze on all arms sales to Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates pending a review of deals inked during the tenure of former President Donald Trump.
Critics say the new sale is at least the third violation of Biden's "offensive operations" promise this fall. In May, Pentagon officials acknowledged the U.S. was still servicing Saudi warplanes via contractors, and in September, peace and human advocates denounced the State Department's approval of a $500 million contract to maintain the kingdom's military helicopters.
In late September, the U.S. House passed an amendment by Rep. Ro Khanna (D-Calif.) to the 2022 National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) that, if approved by the Senate and signed by Biden, would end U.S. logistical support and weapons transfers to Saudi Arabia.
This post has been updated to clarify that Congress does not need to approve weapons sales but can block them.
We've had enough. The 1% own and operate the corporate media. They are doing everything they can to defend the status quo, squash dissent and protect the wealthy and the powerful. The Common Dreams media model is different. We cover the news that matters to the 99%. Our mission? To inform. To inspire. To ignite change for the common good. How? Nonprofit. Independent. Reader-supported. Free to read. Free to republish. Free to share. With no advertising. No paywalls. No selling of your data. Thousands of small donations fund our newsroom and allow us to continue publishing. Can you chip in? We can't do it without you. Thank you.
To inform. To inspire. To ignite change for the common good.
News & Opinion
Trending
Common Dreams, Inc. Founded 1997. Registered 501(c3) Non-Profit
Privacy Policy