Congressional Resolution of Disapproval on Saudi Arms Sale

On January 14, the Defense Security Cooperation Agency notified Congress of a possible Foreign Military Sale to Saudi Arabia of Joint Direct Attack Munitions. The total value of the sale could be as high as $123 million. The notice of the sale to Congress is required by law. Congress has 30 days to pass a joint resolution to stop the deal, but a two-thirds majority is required in both houses in order to override a presidential veto.

As they have consistently promised to do since a package of arms sales to Gulf Cooperation Council countries was first announced in July 2007, several Members of Congress, led by Rep. Anthony Weiner, introduced a join resolution of disapproval of the proposed sale on January 15. Below is the text of the resolution. As of January 16, the bill has 52 co-sponsors in the House.


H.J.RES. 76

110th CONGRESS
2d Session
H. J. RES. 76

Disapproving the issuance of a letter of offer with respect to a certain proposed sale of defense articles and defense services to the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
January 15, 2008

Mr. WEINER (for himself, Mr. ALTMIRE, Mr. BACA, Ms. BALDWIN, Ms. BERKLEY, Mr. BLUMENAUER, Mr. BOSWELL, Mr. BRADY of Pennsylvania, Mr. BRALEY of Iowa, Ms. CASTOR, Mr. COHEN, Mr. COSTELLO, Mr. CROWLEY, Mr. CUMMINGS, Ms. DELAURO, Mr. FATTAH, Mr. FERGUSON, Mr. FILNER, Mr. GRIJALVA, Mr. GUTIERREZ, Mr. HALL of New York, Mr. HARE, Mr. HASTINGS of Florida, Mr. HINCHEY, Ms. HIRONO, Mr. HOLT, Mr. JONES of North Carolina, Mr. KAGEN, Ms. KAPTUR, Mr. KLEIN of Florida, Mr. KUCINICH, Ms. LEE, Mr. LIPINSKI, Mrs. MALONEY of New York, Mr. MICHAUD, Mrs. MYRICK, Mr. NADLER, Mr. PASCRELL, Mr. RANGEL, Mr. ROTHMAN, Ms. LINDA T. SANCHEZ of California, Ms. SCHAKOWSKY, Ms. SCHWARTZ, Ms. SHEA-PORTER, Mr. STARK, Mr. THOMPSON of California, Mr. TOWNS, Ms. WASSERMAN SCHULTZ, Ms. WATERS, Mr. WEXLER, Ms. WOOLSEY, Mr. WU, and Mrs. TAUSCHER) introduced the following joint resolution; which was referred to the Committee on Foreign Affairs


JOINT RESOLUTION

Disapproving the issuance of a letter of offer with respect to a certain proposed sale of defense articles and defense services to the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.

Resolved by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, That the issuance of a letter of offer with respect to the proposed sale of defense articles and defense services to the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (described in the certifications transmitted to the Speaker of the House of Representatives and the Chairman of the Committee on Foreign Relations of the Senate pursuant to section 36(b) of the Arms Export Control Act on January 14, 2008 (Transmittal Number 08-18)) is hereby prohibited.

New Report on Saudi Arms Deal

Yesterday, the Bush administration initiated the formal 30-day notification process for the proposed sale of 900 Joint Direct Attack Munitions (JDAMs) to Saudi Arabia. In response, my colleagues Travis Sharp and Katie Mounts released a report they have been working on for some time arguing that the administration continues to use deadly technologies as the flawed currency of friendship with foreign nations.

The report concludes that instead of working with countries to improve political freedom, the $20 billion sale rewards an oppressive Saudi monarchy whose human rights record has not met expectations of improvement following the accession to the throne of King Abdullah in August 2005. Moderate Muslims throughout the world resent American involvement in the perpetuation of oppressive regimes through the sale of advanced weaponry. Read the report online here.

IAEA DG ElBaradei Criticizes US Arms Deal

In an interview for the Austrian Profil Magazine (German language) published today, IAEA Director General Mohamed ElBaradei criticized US moves to sell arms to Gulf Cooperation Council Countries, including Saudi Arabia and ramping up military aid to Egypt and Israel. ElBaradei said the strategy was not helpful to security in the Middle East and the money would be better spent on regional development projects.

Gulf Arms Deal Poorly Veiled Attempt to Mask American Policy Disaster

The proposed US arms deal to the Gulf Cooperation Council countries – Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, Kuwait, Qatar, Bahrain and Oman – is a poorly veiled attempt to mask the disaster of American policy in the region that has boosted Iran and weakened popular support for Arab regimes. At the announcement of the deals, US officials acknowledged that the common goal of the military aid packages and arms sales is to strengthen pro-Western countries against Iran as it seeks to extend its power in the region. Citing the Iranian threat as the main rationale for this deal is a convenient approach for the Administration to receive Israeli and Congressional acquiescence for selling the significant new military technology, meanwhile bolstering profits for US defense contractors.

The proposed US arms deal with the Gulf Cooperation Council Countries, as well as the new military aid packages to Egypt and Israel would have disastrous consequences in Iran. After the fall of Sadam Hussein, Iran became the most conventionally superior force in the Gulf region. Iran currently spends around $4 billion on its military forces each year. The proposed arms deal would provide such a huge inflow of arms into the region that it could tip the balance in Tehran in favor of those who want to pursue nuclear weapons. They will argue that the only way for Iran to survive is to have a nuclear deterrent.

The reality is that the proposed arms deal to the Gulf Cooperation Council Countries may not produce much real military capability for many years, if at all. Iran’s military capability improvements thus far have focused on unguided rocketry, guided anti-ship missiles, coastal warfare and perhaps mines. It is essentially a capability to deter a US attack on Iran. If the US were to attack Iran, it could respond by using its force to significantly raise the costs of shipping in the Gulf and cut off oil exports from countries in the region. If the US does want to attack Iran in the future, it would need to significantly ramp up the forces of allies in the Gulf to quickly neutralize any Iranian response. Thus, the proposed arms deal is not so much “defensive” as it is strategically offensive, but it will take many more deals to ramp up the capabilities required.

The arms sales will only undermine true dialogue and diplomacy. Rather than ratcheting up tensions through arms sales in the region as has been US policy for the last two decades, the US should devote its resources to sustained dialogue with Iran on the range of issues at the core of tensions between the two countries. And instead of rewarding Saudi Arabia with a massive arms contract, the US should negotiate with the country to stop its sponsorship of terrorism in Iraq.

There is still time to prevent the arms deal as it must still go through Congress. Several House members, including Nadler (D-NY), Weiner (D-NY), Engel (D-NY) Woolsey (D-CA), Lee (D-CA) and Ferguson (R-NY) have announced their intention to try to block the sale. Congress can block major arms sales by passing a joint resolution of disapproval that the President has to sign.