US House Backs Resolutions to Block Weapons Sales to Gulf

The US House of Representatives backed resolutions on Wednesday to block billions of dollars in weapons sales to Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates. The House passed three resolutions disapproving of the sales deal, two on a vote of 238-190 and the third 237-190. The three resolutions would block the sale to the two countries of precision-guided munitions (PGM) and related equipment, which are suspected to have been used against civilians in Yemen’s ongoing civil war. House Democratic leaders decided to vote on the three resolutions before the other 19 that were passed last month by the Senate opposing the Trump-backed weapons deal because the PGMs could be delivered quickly to the Gulf countries, according to Reuters. American officials want the administration to pressure the Saudi kingdom to improve its human rights record and exert more effort to avoid civilian casualties in the ongoing conflict in Yemen, where the Saudis and the UAE are fighting the Iran-backed Houthi rebels in support of the Yemeni government. The House resolutions will now be sent to the White House, where US President Donald Trump has promised to veto the moves, as he considers Riyadh to be an essential partner and counterweight to Iran.