Why Are We Still Paying the Saudis?
Dear Editor,
Why are we still funding the Saudi led war against the Yemeni people? The Saudis have demonstrated time and time again that their interests are not aligned with ours. From the horrifying killing and mutilation of journalist Jamal Khashoggi to the blockade in Yemen that has killed thousands of women and children to the recent refusal to increase oil production, the Saudi’s have shown us their true nature. The kingdom cares nothing for human rights or human lives, and is quite willing to support the Russian invasion of Ukraine by keeping global oil prices high. Yet we are still selling them military war craft and weapons and maintaining what they’ve purchased from us. At minimum that makes us complicit in the horrors. It is also counter-productive to our own aims and needs.
During the Trump Administration bi-partisan bills to end our support of the Saudi war (and keep needed funds here at home) passed both houses. But after his visit to that country, Trump vetoed the bill. He considered the Crown Prince a personal friend. Once in office Biden also agreed to continued weapons sales to Saudi Arabia, but after the latest declaration by the Saudis and the UAE about oil prices Biden and many in Congress are mad as hell. We should be too. The human rights abuses in Yemen should have been enough to stop the funding. We have turned a blind eye to all of that for far too long. Now that the Saudis are showing no compassion when so much of the world, including us, needs some give-back to support our economies we get a slap in the face instead.
There are several bills in Congress now that seek to let the Saudi government know how we feel. They range from a few months to 1 year or more halt in weapons sales to that country. Contact our elected officials: Gosar, Sinema, and Kelly to pass these bills, and pass HJ Res 87 & SJ Res 56 before the end of this Congressional session! Urge Biden to sign them too. Stop the madness.
Leslie Morpeth
