U.S. lawmakers decry Saudi arms sale

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Two Jewish members of the U.S. Congress will push a resolution condemning a plan to sell an advanced weapons system to Saudi Arabia.

 

Reps. Anthony Weiner (D-N.Y.) and Robert Wexler (D-Fla.) are circulating the resolution, which on its first day had more than 30 co-sponsors.

The Bush administration notified Congress Monday of its plan to sell $123 million in sophisticated precision-guided bomb delivery systems to Saudi Arabia. The sale is part of a $20 billion arms package for U.S. allies in the Persian Gulf proposed last summer to counterbalance the $30 billion in military aid that the United States gives to Israel.

 

The announcement coincided with President Bush’s arrival in Saudi Arabia, part of his regional tour that began last week in Israel.

 

Congress has 30 days to object to the sale. Some Congress members say they are concerned the “smart bombs” would give Saudi Arabia a technical edge that can be used in an attack against Israel, The Associated Press reported.

 

 

 

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