Famine in Yemen to Reach Biblical Proportion by US Weapons: Senator Rand Paul
American senator Paul Rand rebuked Trump administration's plan to sell hundreds of billions in arms to Saudi Arabia, as the regime continues its deadly aggression against neighboring Yemen.
Leading a bipartisan bid to reject Donald Trump's plan to sell the kingdom more precision-guided munitions, the US Senator for Kentucky cited a refugee group as saying that "The impending famine in Yemen may reach biblical proportions" and warned his colleagues that the catastrophe" is being done without your permission, but with your weapons".
The sale is part of a broader arms agreement that permits the US to make up to $350 billion in arms sales and training commitments to Saudi Arabia over 10 years.
Rand urged the senate to reject trumps plan to "stop Carnage" in Yemen, adding "we have a chance to tell Saudi Arabia we have had enough".
The republican senator criticized Saudi Arabia's last three decades record, saying the US-backed despotic regime has been the "number one exporter of jihadist philosophy", and "the number one exporter of ‘Let's hate America".
"They teach it in the schools in our country, they teach it in schools in Indonesia, they corrupt the religion of Islam throughout the world, and we are going to give the them weapons. I think it is a huge, huge mistake," Paul Rand said.
He cautioned the US senators should pay attention to the fact that who gets the US arms.
"I don't think we should sell them (arms) to Saudi Arabia if they might wind up at the hands of ISIS, I don't think we should sell missile to Saudi Arabia if they punish people for protest, if they punish people for speaking out by beheading them and crucifying them. I am not for selling them no more rifle much less precision-guided missiles."
"I am embarrassed that people would bring up trying to feather the nests of corporations in order to sell these weapons," Paul said. "Saudi Arabia is not a reliable ally."
However, Forty-seven senators voted to halt a sale that could deepen the conflict in Yemen, while fifty-three senators voted to provide the arms to Saudi Arabia, clearing the way for the sale to be finalized.
"Today, a bipartisan group of senators took a stand against the escalating war Saudi Arabia is waging with Yemen," Paul said.
"This is just the beginning, and we will continue to take a stance against waging an undeclared war and fueling an arms race in the Middle East. I applaud those who voted with me to block this proposed arms sale, and I hope this sends a clear message to Saudi Arabia that the United States will not just stand by as they massacre their unarmed neighbors."
Senator Chris Murphy, another opponent of the deal, despite coming up short, declared a partial victory as the resolution of disapproval secured 20 more votes than did a similar measure he and Paul authored in September to stop the sale of more than $1 billion worth of American-made tanks and other weapons to Saudi Arabia.
"Today's vote total would've been unthinkable not long ago, but Congress is finally taking notice that Saudi Arabia is using U.S. munitions to deliberately hit civilian targets inside Yemen," Murphy said.
Saudi Arabia backed by some despotic regimes launched a deadly aggression on Yemen and simultaneously placed an embargo on the impoverished nation on 27 March 2015 in a bid to restore power back to Abd Rabbuh Mansur Hadi, who resigned as Yemeni president and fled to Riyadh.
The 2.5-year bombardment has claimed lives of over 13,000 Yemenis have inflected heavy damages on infrastructure of the already impoverished Yemeni nation, shuttering some 300 hospitals and clinics, as well as destroying the country's health, water, and sanitation systems.
Yemen's Health Ministry said on Tuesday, Saudi regime's siege on Yemeni nation has claimed lives of some 10,000 of patients, who were prevented from travelling abroad for treatment.
World Health Organization (WHO) said on Monday the cholera epidemic has killed at least 923 in Yemen since late April.
The organization's Yemen office also said over 124,000 suspected cases of cholera have been registered across the country since April 27.
LINK: https://www.ansarpress.com/english/7090
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