US Senate has pushed aside efforts to block the sale of F-35s to the UAE opposed by some in the government. The US ally will use the stealth jets to defend itself if attacked.
In the United States Senate, a group of lawmakers wanted to block a $23bn but was vetoed by President Trump. The sale that was planned for the United Arab Emirates included stealth jets and drones.
Plans to block the weapons sale Arab Emirates has been met with Trump's threat to veto the Congress opposition to it. It is part of the "Abraham Accords," with several countries in the middle east joining hands with Israel; a former foe reported Al Jazeera.
A failure of two dual procedural votes did not get the majority of a 100-member Senate. It prevented the blocking motion stopping the purchase of the advanced fighter jets and Reaper drones.
According to Senate Republican leader Mitch McConnell, the resolutions stopping the arms' sale were not enough to overturn Trump's presidential veto. Some members had issues with the Arab Emirates.
He said on the Senate floor that it was odd that a protest against an arms sale would not be able to get a majority to overcome the president's veto. Vetoing those opposed to the deal was a move that Trump made to continue the arms sale.
One of the reasons for backing the UAE is that it is one of the major US allies. Those opposed to the sale of F-35s supported by the US Senate are against the Arabs part in the Yemen war. This conflict is called by the United Nations a humanitarian disaster.
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Last November 10, the Trump administration informed Congress that it gave the signal to sell the advanced arms of General Atomics, Lockheed Martin Corp, and Raytheon Technologies Corp to the middle eastern country.
The sale's centerpiece is the advanced F-35 'stealth' jet, which can carry 14,000 pounds of armament loaded into its inner bomb bay. Next is a second deal to sell US drones to any one country.
Sources say the White House said sales of weaponry like F-35s support foreign policy and national security to allow the UAE to combat and deter the Iranian threat. China and Israel support the belligerent nation. Having updated and advanced weapons does not please them.
All the resolutions need to pass Senate members, mostly GOP and the DEMS in the Lower House. A total of two-thirds of the majority in upper and lower houses is required to overturn the president's veto power.
One senator, Chris Murphy, who was not according to the arms deal, said Trump's move to make the value go through quickly is not acceptable. The Congress needs to review it; he added that it was not favorable to Biden.
The resolutions needed to pass the Republican-led Senate and Democratic-led House of Representatives and garner two-thirds of both chambers to survive Trump's veto pen.
Senator Chris Murphy, a leading critic of the arms (F-35s) sale to the UAE by the Senate, said on Twitter the Trump administration's move to jam the transaction through quickly, without giving Congress time to review it.
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