Congress Should Oppose Bush’s Saudi Arms Deal (Rep. Robert Wexler)

Congress must unequivocally oppose President Bush’s misguided decision to sell advanced weapons technology, the Joint Direct Attack Munitions (JDAMs), to Saudi Arabia. As an unreliable ally in the war on terror, I am perplexed as to why the President is pushing deadly arms sales to Saudi Arabia even though these weapons could be used against American troops or our regional allies.

What is crystal clear is that past American arms deals with Riyadh have not brought greater stability, democracy and human rights to Saudi Arabia. Dumping billions of dollars of sophisticated weapons in the Persian Gulf is not a substitute for muscular U.S. diplomacy and will not make up for the Administrations’ repeated failures in Iraq and regionally. America’s national security is not strengthened by a massive arms buildup in the Persian Gulf that further radicalizes the region, tarnishes our nation’s battered reputation and sets back critical political, economic and social reforms.