Democrats looking to block UAE arms sales, as Trump announces new deals
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US law requires congressional review of major arms deals, and lets members of the Senate force votes on resolutions of disapproval that would block such sales.
PHOTO: REUTERS
WASHINGTON – US congressional Democrats on May 15 sought to block arms sales to the United Arab Emirates (UAE) over its alleged involvement in Sudan’s civil war and concern about cryptocurrency ties, the same day Republican President Donald Trump announced US$200 billion (S$259 billion) in new deals with the Gulf state.
Democrats Chris Murphy, Chris Van Hollen, Brian Schatz and Tim Kaine and Bernie Sanders, an independent who caucuses with Democrats, introduced resolutions of disapproval in the Senate that would block three arms sales to the UAE.
Mr Gregory Meeks, the top Democrat on the House of Representatives Foreign Affairs Committee, and Ms Sara Jacobs, the top Democrat on the panel's Africa sub-committee, introduced resolutions of disapproval in the House of Representatives.
The senators cited concerns that have been raised about Abu Dhabi arming Rapid Support Forces (RSF) paramilitaries in Sudan’s civil war. The UAE has repeatedly denied such charges.
They also cited the announcement by MGX, an investment firm backed by the Emiratis, that it would use a stablecoin launched by Mr Trump's World Liberty Financial crypto venture for its US$2 billion investment in crypto exchange Binance.
A series of Trump family crypto-related ventures, including a “meme coin” launched in January, have drawn criticism from government ethics experts and political opponents over potential conflicts of interest.
In a statement, Mr Murphy said he wanted to force a full Senate debate on what he termed “nuclear-grade corruption”.
The House members said the Trump administration had decided to move ahead with the UAE sales despite Mr Meeks’ hold on such transactions over of his concerns about the conflict in Sudan.
“The Trump administration’s end-run around Congress is irresponsible and will further embolden the UAE to violate the UN’s Darfur arms embargo and continue its support for the RSF and the killing of innocent civilians,” Mr Meeks and Ms Jacobs said in a statement.
Trump expects stronger UAE ties
The White House and the UAE Embassy in Washington did not immediately respond to requests for comment.
However, both Republican and Democratic US administrations have long viewed the Gulf state as a vital security partner, and the UAE has denied providing weapons to the RSF.
Mr Trump pledged to strengthen US ties to the Gulf state as he announced the deals.
“I have absolutely no doubt that the relationship will only get bigger and better,” he said in a meeting with UAE President Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan.
US law requires congressional review of major arms deals, and lets members of the Senate force votes on resolutions of disapproval that would block such sales.
Although the law does not let House members force such votes, resolutions must pass both chambers of Congress, and potentially survive a presidential veto, to go into effect.
No block has ever succeeded and survived a veto.
Among the sales targeted in the resolutions were a US$1.32 billion sale of helicopters and equipment, US$130 million for F-16 aircraft components and accessories and US$150 million for Apache, Black Hawk and Chinook aircraft parts, logistics and support. REUTERS