Senate fails to block missile sale to Saudi Arabia
The Biden administration has said the AIM-120C missiles are to help Saudi Arabia defend itself against hostile drone attacks from Yemen.
The US Senate declined to adopt a measure to block the Biden administration’s plan to sell air-to-air missiles to Saudi Arabia as the Gulf kingdom remains embroiled in Yemen’s civil war.
The Senate late on Tuesday voted 30-67 against the joint resolution, which was introduced by Sens. Rand Paul (R-KY), Bernie Sanders (I-VT) and Mike Lee (R-UT). The Intercept first reported Paul’s plan to block the $650 million arms sale.
Lawmakers from both parties have repeatedly rallied in recent years to stop US weapons transfers to Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates but have had little success.
The bipartisan opposition emerged in recent years amid international condemnation of the Riyadh-led coalition’s conduct in Yemen’s war, as well as Riyadh’s killing of Saudi dissident journalist Jamal Khashoggi.
