By Patricia Zengerle
WASHINGTON (Reuters) – U.S. Senator Chris Van Hollen has introduced legislation seeking to halt American weapons sales to the United Arab Emirates until the United States certifies that the UAE is not arming the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF) in Sudan, according to an early version of his announcement seen by Reuters.
Van Hollen has filed a joint resolution of disapproval in the Senate, while fellow Democrat Sara Jacobs has filed one in the House of Representatives. Their effort is unlikely to win significant support in Congress as U.S. administrations under presidents of both parties long have viewed the UAE as a vital regional security partner, but would draw attention to a conflict that has become one of the world’s worst humanitarian disasters.
“The UAE is an important partner in the Middle East, but the United States cannot sit idly by as it aids and abets the humanitarian disaster in Sudan – we must use our leverage to try to bring this conflict to a peaceful resolution,” Van Hollen said in a statement.
U.S. law requires congressional review of major arms deals, and lets members of the Senate force votes on resolutions of disapproval that would block such sales. Although the law does not let House members force such votes, resolutions must pass both chambers of Congress, and potentially survive a presidential veto, to go into effect.
No resolution of disapproval has ever both passed Congress and survived a presidential veto. Such resolutions have at times led to heated debates that highlighted human rights concerns and lawmakers’ dissatisfaction over weapons sales.
The UAE has long been a major purchaser of U.S. weapons. In October, the Biden administration announced, for example, that it had approved a potential sale of GMLRS and ATACMS munitions, and related support, for $1.2 billion. GMLRS, or Guided Multiple Launch Rocket System rockets, are made by L3Harris Technologies (NYSE:)’ business unit Aerojet Rocketdyne. The long-range ATACMS are made by Lockheed Martin (NYSE:).
The newly introduced resolutions seek to stop that sale.
President Joe Biden, a Democrat, this year recognized the UAE as a major defense partner, and the Gulf state is host to the Al Dhafra Air Base with U.S. military aircraft and thousands of American personnel.
Sudan’s army has accused the UAE of providing weapons and support to the RSF in Sudan’s 17-month-old war. The Gulf state denies the allegations. U.N. sanctions monitors have…
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