Exclusive: U.S. weighs resumption of offensive arms sales to Saudis, sources say

WASHINGTON/RIYADH, July 11 (Reuters) – The Biden administration is discussing the attainable lifting of its ban on U.S. gross sales of offensive weapons to Saudi Arabia, however any closing determination is predicted to hinge on whether or not Riyadh makes progress towards ending the warfare in neighboring Yemen, in line with 4 individuals aware of the matter.

Senior Saudi officers pressed their U.S. counterparts to scrap a coverage of promoting solely defensive arms to its prime Gulf accomplice in a number of conferences in Riyadh and Washington in latest months, three of the sources stated forward of President Joe Biden’s go to to the dominion this week.

The inner U.S. deliberations are casual and at an early stage, with no determination imminent, two sources stated, and a U.S. official informed Reuters there have been no discussions on offensive weapons underneath manner with the Saudis “at the moment.”

However as Biden prepares for a diplomatically delicate journey, he has signaled that he’s trying to reset strained relations with Saudi Arabia at a time when he desires elevated Gulf oil provides together with nearer Arab safety ties with Israel to counter Iran. learn extra

At dwelling, any transfer to rescind restrictions on offensive weapons is bound to attract opposition in Congress, together with from Biden’s fellow Democrats and opposition Republicans who’ve been vocal critics of Saudi Arabia, congressional aides say.

Quickly after taking workplace early final yr, Biden adopted a more durable stance over Saudi Arabia’s marketing campaign in opposition to the Iran-aligned Houthis in Yemen, which has inflicted heavy civilian casualties, and Riyadh’s human rights document, particularly the 2018 killing of Washington Publish journalist and political opponent Jamal Khashoggi.

Biden, who as a presidential candidate denounced Saudi Arabia as a “pariah,” declared in February 2021 a halt to U.S. help for offensive operations in Yemen, together with “related arms gross sales.”

Saudi Arabia, the most important U.S. arms buyer, has chafed underneath these restrictions, which froze the type of weapons gross sales that earlier U.S. administrations had supplied for many years.

Biden’s strategy has softened since Russia’s invasion of Ukraine in March, which has prompted america and different Western nations to enchantment to Saudi Arabia, the world’s prime oil exporter, to pump extra oil to offset lack of Russian provides.

Saudi Arabia additionally received White Home reward for agreeing in early June on a two-month extension of a U.N.-brokered truce in Yemen, scene of the world’s worst humanitarian disaster. learn extra

Washington would now prefer to see it was a everlasting ceasefire.

An individual in Washington aware of the matter stated the administration had begun inner discussions about the opportunity of eradicating Saudi weapons restrictions however indicated they’d not reached a decision-making stage.

Among the many instances when Saudi officers raised the request was throughout Deputy Minister of Protection Khalid bin Salman’s go to to Washington in Could, in line with a second supply.

Requested whether or not the administration was contemplating ending the freeze on offensive weapons, U.S. nationwide safety adviser Jake Sullivan didn’t immediately handle the query however informed reporters on Monday: “Proper now, there may be nothing on the desk to carry that ban.”

“Proper now, we’re targeted on strengthening and sustaining what’s a fragile however actual ceasefire” in Yemen, he added.

The Saudi authorities didn’t reply to a request for remark.

YEMEN CONFLICT

The sources careworn, nevertheless, that no announcement was anticipated round Biden’s July 13-16 journey, which can embody stops in Israel and the West Financial institution.

Any determination, they stated, is predicted to rely closely on whether or not Riyadh is deemed to have accomplished sufficient to discover a political settlement to the Yemen battle.

Among the many biggest-ticket objects the Saudis would doubtless search are precision-guided munitions (PGM) resembling these accredited underneath former President Donald Trump within the face of objections from members of Congress.

However the Biden administration is predicted to maneuver cautiously because it discusses which methods is likely to be provided, two sources stated. Amnesty Worldwide stated U.S.-made precision-guided bombs have been utilized in a Saudi-led coalition air strike on a detention heart in Yemen in January that killed scores.

If Washington eases the ban, it could be simpler to push by way of gross sales of less-lethal tools resembling armored personnel carriers or replenish shares of less-sophisticated ground-to-ground and air-to-ground weaponry.

Even underneath current restrictions, america started stepping up its army help for Saudi Arabia earlier this yr following Houthi missile strikes on the dominion. learn extra

Washington accredited missiles and an anti-ballistic protection system gross sales to Saudi Arabia, the Pentagon stated in November, and america despatched Patriot missiles this yr as properly – all deemed by U.S. officers to be defensive in nature.

The Biden administration has additionally maintained backing for the Saudis to obtain a Terminal Excessive Altitude Space Protection (THAAD) system first accredited in 2017 to counter ballistic missile threats.

Whereas lawmakers have largely acquiesced to such gross sales, Biden may face fallout on Capitol Hill if he decides to promote Riyadh offensive weapons once more.

Some have questioned Biden’s determination to go to Saudi Arabia, seeing it as lending legitimacy to Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, the Saudi de facto chief who the U.S. intelligence group concluded was behind Khashoggi’s homicide.

Among the many doubtless opponents could be Democratic Senator Chris Murphy, a staunch critic of the Saudi marketing campaign in Yemen who praised Biden when he froze offensive arms gross sales.

An aide stated Murphy doesn’t imagine now’s the time to renew such provides.

Reporting by Matt Spetalnick and Mike Stone in Washington and Aziz El Yaakoubi in Riyadh; Modifying by Mary Milliken and Howard Goller

Our Requirements: The Thomson Reuters Belief Ideas.