The Biden government continues a $ 23 billion arms sale to the United Arab Emirates (UAE) approved under the Trump administration.
‘We can confirm that the government intends to continue with the proposed defense sales to the UAE, even as we continue to review details and consult with Emirates officials to ensure that we have developed mutual understanding regarding “Emirati commitments before, during and after delivery,” a State Department spokesman told The Hill. HuffPost first reported the plan.
Former President Trump
Donald Trump: Trump: McConnell ‘helpless’ to stop Biden from granting court Romney on NRSC to award Trump: Not ‘my preference’. McConnell sidesteps Trump and calls him ‘dumb son of’ nb – ‘MORE only announced the sale last year after the UAE agreed to form diplomatic relations with Israel. The package includes 50 F-35 Lightning II aircraft, as many as 18 MQ-9B unmanned aerial systems, and air-to-air and air-to-ground projectiles.
The Department of State said in January that it was interrupting sales so that Biden’s administration could review the package.
The sales degenerated from Democrats who were critical of Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates’ roles in Yemen’s civil war against the Houthi rebels, which killed thousands of civilians and led to a serious humanitarian crisis.
The State Department spokesman insisted that Biden’s government would communicate with the UAE that the weapons should be used properly and that they would not be delivered until 2025.
“The estimated delivery dates for these sales, if implemented, are scheduled for after 2025 or later. “We therefore expect a robust and sustained dialogue with the UAE to build any defense transfers that meet our mutual strategic objectives in order to build a stronger, interoperable and more capable security partnership,” the spokesman said.
“We will also continue to work with the UAE and all recipients of U.S. defense articles and services to ensure that U.S. defense equipment is adequately secured and used in a manner that respects human rights and fully complies with armed conflict laws,” he said. the spokesperson added.
In addition to the United Arab Emirates’ role in Yemen, lawmakers on both sides of the aisle have expressed concern about the potential of the sale to defuse Israel’s military advantage in the region. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu
Benjamin (Bibi) Netanyahu MORE and Defense Minister Benny Gantz said they would not oppose the sale of “certain weapons systems” in Abu Dhabi after the US promised to provide unspecified upgrades to Israel’s armies.