Obama Has Offered Saudi Arabia $115 Billion In Arms Sales During Presidency

(ANTIWARThe new report from the Center for International Policy is revealing that over the course of his term in office, President Obama has offered Saudi Arabia over $115 billion in arms and other military equipment in 42 separate deals, by far the most of any US administration.

The data from the report came from the Defense Security Cooperation Agency, a Pentagon body that provides figures on international military sales. Most of the deals were ultimately approved, and large amounts of the weapons are still to be delivered.

This comes amid growing international disquiet about Saudi Arabia’s war in Yemen, which the US is participating in. Huge civilian casualties, chiefly the result of Saudi airstrikes, are raising pressure on the Obama Administration to do something to limit the violence.

Though the US has given some lip service to being opposed to the huge civilian toll, officials have rejected all calls to limit arms sales to Saudi Arabia over the war, insisting that the sales give them leverage over the Saudi kingdom. That huge amounts of arms are still to be delivered suggests that the Saudis are looking to add to their already substantial war-launching capabilities, and that the US is only too willing to comply.

This article (Obama Has Offered Saudi Arabia $115 Billion In Arms Sales During Presidency) by Jason Ditz, originally appeared on AntiWar.com and was used with permission. Anti-Media Radio airs weeknights at 11pm Eastern/8pm Pacific. If you spot a typo, email edits@theantimedia.org.