Some in Congress Oppose Saudi Arms Sale Proposed by Obama Administration

Congressman Ted Lieu (D Los Angeles) has led a 64-member bipartisan group in writing to President Obama in opposition of a proposed arms sale to Saudi Arabia. The group of legislators believe congress needs more time to debate the merits of providing more arms to Saudi Arabia in light of their recent conduct in Yemen.

Lieu writes,

"The actions of the Saudi-led Coalition in Yemen are as reprehensible as they are illegal. The multiple, repeated airstrikes on civilians look like war crimes. Hospitals, schools, and wedding parties are not legitimate military targets. Saudi Arabia is either intentionally targeting civilians or deliberately indifferent in executing its military operations – either case flies in the face of long-standing international standards of conduct. The United States of America should never support such atrocities in any way. They are not only immoral and unlawful, but they seriously harm our national security and moral standing around the world."

Lieu has previously raised concerns about Saudi Arabia's conduct in Yemen with the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff and Secretaries of State John Kerry and Ash Carter. Co-writers of the present letter are Reps. Ted Yoho (R-FL), John Conyers (D-MI), and Mick Mulvaney (R-SC).

The General Dynamics F-16 Fighting Falcon is a single-engine supersonic multirole fighter aircraft originally developed by General Dynamics (now Lockheed Martin) for the United States Air Force (USAF). Designed as an air superiority day fighter, it evolved into a successful all-weather multirole aircraft. Over 4,500 aircraft have been built since production was approved in 1976. Although no longer being purchased by the U.S. Air Force, improved versions are still being built for export customers, including the Saudi Royal Air Force.

FULL LIST OF CO-SIGNERS:

Amash, Bass, Blumenauer, Beyer, Brownley, Capps, Capuano, Chu, Cicilline, Clark (MA), Cleaver II, Cohen, Conyers, Crowley, Danny Davis, DeFazio, Doggett, Edwards, Ellison, Eshoo, Farr, Gabbard, Grayson, Grijalva, Hastings, Honda, Huffman, Jones, Hank Johnson, Keating, Lee, Lewis, Lieu, Loebsack, Lofgren, Lowenthal, Lujan, Lynch, Nolan, McDermott, McGovern, Moore, Mulvaney, Nadler, Napolitano, Neal, Norton, Pallone, Pascrell, Payne Jr., Peterson, Pingree, Pocan, Polis, Price, Rush, Schakowsky, Tonko, Tsongas, Van Hollen, Watson Coleman, Wilson, Yarmuth, Yoho

ENDORSED BY:

Oxfam, Amnesty International USA, International Christian Concern, Friends Committee on National Legislation (Quakers), Just Foreign Policy, Americans for Democracy & Human Rights in Bahrain, Hudson Institute's Center for Religious Freedom, Yemen Peace Project, Human Rights Watch, American Friends Service Committee (AFSC), Physicians for Human Rights, Christian Solidarity Worldwide – UK, In Defense of Christians, Jubilee Campaign USA, The Hudson Institute Center for Religious Freedom, International Christian Concern