The (Possibly Illegal) Art of the Billion Saudi Arms Deal...

[HipChick]

Other details of the package, though, have been somewhat shrouded in mystery—Congress, which will have to approve any new arms deal, has to yet to be notified of specific offerings—but it is said to include planes, armored vehicles, warships, and, perhaps most notably, precision-guided bombs.
"Lifting the suspension on precision-guided munitions is a big deal. It's a huge impact if it reinforces the Saudi bombing campaign in Yemen."

rump's new deal may fall prey to other obstacles. Earlier this week, the American Bar Association's Center for Human Rights released their expert opinion on arms sales to Saudi Arabia and concluded that future sales may not pass legal muster. "In the face of persistent reports of wrongdoing, Saudi Arabia has failed to rebut allegations or provide detailed evidence of compliance with binding obligations arising from international humanitarian law," the report states. "Under these circumstances, further sales under both the Arms Export Control Act and the Foreign Assistance Act are prohibited until the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia takes effective measures to ensure compliance with international law and the president submits relevant certifications to the Congress."
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Of course, what Trump often fails to realize is that optics go both ways. In addition to what human rights groups have called indiscriminate bombing of civilian targets, on multiple occasions, the Saudi coalition has blocked humanitarian aid from entering Yemen, contributing to the growing catastrophe that's left millions on the brink of starvation and millions more who have been forced to flee their homes. "It appears that war crimes are being committed in Yemen, and if the United States is supporting that war, in a way it is also culpable for those war crimes," says Abramson. "Most Americans don't want their country to be engaged in war crimes. That's another reason why we really need to pay attention to this."

http://www.motherjones.com/politics/2017/05/the-possibly-illegal-art-of-a-100-billion-saudi-arms-deal-trump-yemen-war

[Tanuki]

1. Kicking for exposure

[dchill]

2. K&R.