Senate tacitly endorses US role in Yemen war
The upper chamber overwhelmingly defeated a bill to block US arms sales to Saudi Arabia.
The Senate overwhelmingly agreed to proceed with arms sales to Saudi Arabia on Sept. 21, in effect casting the first vote on US participation after 18 months of war in Yemen.
The upper chamber voted 71-27 to shelve an effort from Sen. Rand Paul, R-Ky., that would have blocked a $1.15 billion proposed sale of tanks and other weapons. Opponents argued that Saudi Arabia needs all the help it can get in what they described as a proxy war against Iran in its backyard, but the bill's sponsors countered that it's Congress' responsibility to fully explore and debate what exactly the United States is getting involved in.
"We now have a war in Yemen, and yes we are directly involved in that war," Paul said. "And yes, this is a vote not just about weapons; this is a vote about whether we should be at war in Yemen."
Bill co-sponsor Chris Murphy, D-Conn., echoed the sentiment. Both he and Paul are members of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee.
