114 Lawmakers Oppose $20B Package for Saudi Arabia

[babylonsister]

Opposition to Saudi arms deal grows
By Kevin Bogardus
August 02, 2007

A bipartisan effort in Congress to stop a proposed multibillion-dollar arms deal with Saudi Arabia is gaining steam, and 114 lawmakers have now declared their opposition to the plan, which the Bush administration says would stabilize the Middle East.

Reps. Anthony Weiner (D-N.Y.), Shelley Berkley (D-Nev.), Robert Wexler (D-Fla.) and Mike Ferguson (R-N.J.) have gathered signatures for a letter to President Bush stressing members’ opposition to the deal. Weiner and others released the letter at a Thursday press conference.

“If a sale containing weapons for Saudi Arabia is proposed to Congress under the Arms Export Act of 1976, we intend to stop it,” reads the letter to Bush.

Under the act, Congress is given 30 days to review any large arms package — such as the one being proposed between Saudi Arabia and several other Middle Eastern allies, including Egypt and Israel — once lawmakers receive official notification from the administration. Congress could then offer a joint resolution of disapproval, which could block the deal.

While Ferguson was the lone Republican to support the effort earlier this week, the number of GOP lawmakers who vowed to take action has swollen to 18.

more...

http://thehill.com/leading-the-news/opposition-to-saudi-arms-deal-grows-to-more-than-100-members-2007-08-02.html

[fujiyama]

1. Dems should be UNANIMOUS

in opposition.

This is unacceptable.

[MADem]

2. The whole idea behind this is to let them 'go to it' once we leave Iraq.

They'll buy from France and China if they don't buy from us. It's gonna happen that they'll get themselves some weapons. And they will buy those weapons from other countries with nicely priced OIL.

The Sunnis are arming themselves against the day that their proxy, Blood For Oil, Military leaves Iraq, and they'll be required to fight the Sunni-Shi'a Holy War on their own.