A letter to President Reagan signed by 62 Senators opposing imminent arms sales to Saudi Arabia was being credited by at least one of the Senators today for the Administration’s decision to defer any new arms sales to the Middle East. A spokesman for Sen. Alan Cranston (D.Calif.) who, along with Sens. Robert Packwood (R. Ore.), Alan Dixon (D.III.) and Alfonse D’ Amato (R. NY) initiated the letter, said the letter submitted on January 29 “led the Administration to announce it was delaying its proposed new arms sales to Saudi Arabia.”
Richard Murphy, Assistant Secretary of State for Near Eastern and South Asian Affairs, told a House subcommittee January 30 that the Administration was deferring all new arms to the Middle East pending a study of their effect on U.S. security and strategic concerns.
Secretary of State George Shultz confirmed this the next day to the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, although he stressed that the Saudis will eventually receive U.S. arms.
PARTICULAR CONCERN EXPRESSED
In a letter seeking signatures for the letter to the President from other Senators, the four Senators said they were “particularly concerned” that the Administration might announce arms sales to the Saudis “before undertaking full consultations with the Congress” when king Fahd of Saudi Arabia meets with President Reagan at the White House February 11.
The letter outlined a proposed multi-billion dollar package which would include 40 F-15 jet fighters, in addition to the 62 the Saudis already have; 3,000 Stinger shoulder-fired ground-to-air missiles, Maverick anti-tank missiles, multiple ejection bomb racks, range extending fuel tanks and possibly more AWAC reconnaissance planes.
The Senators noted that the Saudis already have enough weapons to “overwhelm” any threat from lran and stressed the sale “would be certain to initiate a new cycle of costly and destabilizing arms purchases throughout the volatile Middle East, fueling a regional arms race which further erodes the technological edge and both the economic and military security of Israel.”
The letter sent to Reagan by the 62 Congressmen said: “We are writing to express our deep concern about reports of an imminent Administration decision to sell Saudi Arabia additional military weaponry. We have serious reservations about the wisdom of such a sale at this time. Therefore, we respectfully request that prior to making any decision or commitment on such a sale, you undertake thorough consultations with the leadership of the appropriate committees of Congress.”
It was Congressional opposition to any such sales last year that caused the Administration to with draw plans to sell Sidewinder missiles to Saudi Arabia and Jordan.
Help ensure Jewish news remains accessible to all. Your donation to the Jewish Telegraphic Agency powers the trusted journalism that has connected Jewish communities worldwide for more than 100 years. With your help, JTA can continue to deliver vital news and insights. Donate today.
The Archive of the Jewish Telegraphic Agency includes articles published from 1923 to 2008. Archive stories reflect the journalistic standards and practices of the time they were published.
