The Pentagon’s Defense Security and Cooperation Agency warned Congress on Tuesday of plans for a $ 290 billion arms sale to Saudi Arabia, which would include 3,000 precision-guided munitions.
Why it matters: The State Department’s approval of the potential deal in the final weeks of the Trump administration comes despite President-elect Joe Biden vowing, during his election campaign, to end arms sales to the Saudis.
Details: Saudi Arabia has requested the purchase of GBU-39 SDB I ammunition, spare parts, the US government and contracted engineering, arms support, support equipment and other items and services, the Pentagon said in a statement. Boeing would be the main contractor.
- “The proposed sale will improve Saudi Arabia’s ability to face current and future threats by increasing its stocks of long-range precision air-to-ground ammunition,” the statement said.
- “The size and accuracy of SDB I allows for effective ammunition with less collateral damage. The potential sale will further strengthen interoperability between the United States and Saudi Arabia.”
Of importance: The 2019 Trump administration sale to Saudi Arabia drew bipartisan anger among lawmakers.
- The State Department’s inspector general discovered last August that Secretary of State Mike Pompeo acted legally when he bypassed Congress to approve the $ 8 billion arms sale, but failed to “fully assess the risks and implement mitigation measures. to reduce civilian casualties “that resulted from the agreement.
- The Biden transition team declined to comment on the Pentagon’s latest announcement, saying “it would not be appropriate for us to do so during the transition period”.