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Paul Wants to Halt U.S. Arms Sale to Saudi Arabia, Calling the Country an "Uncertain Ally"

J. Tyler Franklin

Kentucky Senator Rand Paul wants to halt the sale of $1 billion in U.S. weapons to Saudi Arabia.

The Bowling Green Republican said he planned to introduce what’s known as a privileged resolution Wednesday that would block the sale. Paul says the move guarantees the Senate will have to vote on the matter before going on a break in the next few weeks.

Paul cited two reasons why the U.S. shouldn’t ship the arms to the Saudis.

“One, I think they're an uncertain ally. Two, I think they have an abysmal human rights record. They treat women as second-class citizens there. Women who are raped are often then victimized by the state by imprisonment and whipping.”

The Bowling Green Republican is also critical of Saudi aerial bombings in neighboring Yemen.

“The Arms Export Control Act of 1976 says we only give arms to countries for self-defense. Currently, Saudi Arabia is bombing a neighboring country. It’s going to be hard to explain to people that that is somehow self-defense,” Paul said.

The first-term Senator introduced unsuccessful resolutions in the past that tried to block foreign aid to Egyptand the sale of military aircraft to Pakistan.

Paul is running for re-election to the Senate, and is facing Democratic nominee and Lexington Mayor Jim Gray.

Kevin is the News Director at WKU Public Radio. He has been with the station since 1999, and was previously the Assistant News Director, and also served as local host of Morning Edition.
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