US to Sell $1.15 Billion in Arms to Saudis, Including Over 130 Tanks

Officials: Deal Shows 'US Commitment to Saudi Arabia's Security'

With Saudi Arabia continuing to escalate their war in Yemen, the Obama Administration has announced the approval of another $1.15 billion in arms sales to the country, including over 130 Abrams battle tanks, a move which officials said “conveys US commitment to Saudi Arabia’s security.”

The US has long made a point of wanting to support Saudi Arabia’s “security,” but the country faces no real threats at this point, and its military is heavily focused on attacking its neighbor to the south, which it’s been doing for almost a year and a half.

Saudi tanks have not been reported to play a major part in the Yemen war, which has primarily involved heavy airstrikes, with the US Air Force refueling Saudi warplanes. Still, the growing number of war crimes by Saudi forces have some nations a bit gun-shy about selling them advanced weapons.

Sen. Chris Murphy (D – CT), who had been critical of arms sales to the Saudis in the past, said he remains concerned about the high number of civilians killed in Yemen, but expressed hope that the new arms sales would escalate Saudi involvement in the ongoing US war against ISIS.

Author: Jason Ditz

Jason Ditz is Senior Editor for Antiwar.com. He has 20 years of experience in foreign policy research and his work has appeared in The American Conservative, Responsible Statecraft, Forbes, Toronto Star, Minneapolis Star-Tribune, Providence Journal, Washington Times, and the Detroit Free Press.