{"id":1550797,"date":"2022-07-12T14:30:03","date_gmt":"2022-07-12T18:30:03","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/?p=1550797"},"modified":"2022-07-12T14:34:14","modified_gmt":"2022-07-12T18:34:14","slug":"biden-considers-resuming-sale-of-offensive-weapons-to-saudi-arabia","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/biden-considers-resuming-sale-of-offensive-weapons-to-saudi-arabia\/","title":{"rendered":"Biden Considers Resuming Sale of Offensive Weapons to Saudi Arabia"},"content":{"rendered":"<aside class=\"mashsb-container mashsb-main mashsb-stretched\"><div class=\"mashsb-box\"><div class=\"mashsb-count mash-medium\" style=\"&quot;\"><div class=\"counts mashsbcount\">20<\/div><span class=\"mashsb-sharetext\">SHARES<\/span><\/div><div class=\"mashsb-buttons\"><a class=\"mashicon-facebook mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/sharer.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.conservativenewsdaily.net%2Fbreaking-news%2Fbiden-considers-resuming-sale-of-offensive-weapons-to-saudi-arabia%2F\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Facebook<\/span><\/a><a class=\"mashicon-twitter mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/intent\/tweet?text=&amp;url=https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/?p=1550797&amp;via=ConservNewsDly\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Twitter<\/span><\/a><a class=\"mashicon-subscribe mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"#\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Subscribe<\/span><\/a><div class=\"onoffswitch2 mash-medium mashsb-noshadow\" style=\"display:none\"><\/div><\/div>\n            <\/div>\n                <div style=\"clear:both\"><\/div><\/aside>\n            <!-- Share buttons by mashshare.net - Version: 4.0.47--><p class=\"subheading\">The news agency Reuters, citing anonymous sources, reported on Tuesday leftist President Joe Biden is considering resuming offensive weapons sales to Saudi Arabia in anticipation of his visit to the country, scheduled for Friday.<\/p>\n<p>The weapons would likely be used in some capacity related to the nearly eight-year-old civil war in Yemen, where Saudi Arabia has intervened on behalf of the legitimate government against the Iran-backed Houthi terrorist organization that continues to control the capital, Sanaa.<\/p>\n<figure id=\"D-ROS-B1\" class=\"a8d\"><\/figure>\n<figure id=\"M-ROS-B1\" class=\"a8d\"><\/figure>\n<figure id=\"gmxrevmore\" class=\"H\"><\/figure>\n<p>As a presidential candidate, Biden was a loud critic of the Saudi government, promising to turn one of America\u2019s most critical allies in the region into a \u201cpariah\u201d and condemning both Riyadh\u2019s actions in Yemen and the brutal killing at the hands of Saudi officials of Jamal Khashoggi, an Islamist former\u00a0<em>Washington Post\u00a0<\/em>contributor.<\/p>\n<p>Both Biden and the Democrats generally have largely stopped discussing the Khashoggi killing \u2013 once the focus of widespread left-wing condemnation of President Donald Trump, who was in office when it happened \u2013 and reports for weeks have indicated that Biden may ask Saudi leaders to expand their oil capacity to help America offset global oil market shortages caused by sanctions on Russia. Biden has steadfastly refused to allow American companies to expand their oil and gas capacity instead, despite America being <a href=\"https:\/\/www.breitbart.com\/border\/2018\/12\/07\/largest-oil-and-gas-reserves-ever-assessed-found-in-west-texas\/\">home<\/a> to the world\u2019s largest known oil and gas reserves.<\/p>\n<p>The White House has offered little clarity regarding what Biden could offer the Saudis \u2013 currently <a href=\"https:\/\/www.breitbart.com\/economy\/2022\/06\/30\/lets-go-brandon-saudi-economy-booms-amid-american-energy-crisis\/\">enjoying<\/a>\u00a0a thriving economy as oil prices soar \u2013 in exchange for increasing oil capacity, as Biden has repeatedly insisted that resolving the oil crisis is not why he is visiting the country. The Reuters report indicates aiding Saudi Arabia with weapons sales could be on the table.<\/p>\n<figure id=\"M-ROS-B2\" class=\"a8d\"><\/figure>\n<blockquote class=\"twitter-tweet\" data-width=\"550\" data-dnt=\"true\">\n<p lang=\"en\" dir=\"ltr\">Biden plans to visit Saudi Arabia, according to reports, despite vowing to treat them as a &#8220;pariah.&#8221; <a href=\"https:\/\/t.co\/BjtMTdLVnt\">https:\/\/t.co\/BjtMTdLVnt<\/a><\/p>\n<p>\u2014 Breitbart News (@BreitbartNews) <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/BreitbartNews\/status\/1532432865371246619?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\">June 2, 2022<\/a><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<p>Reuters\u2019 anonymous sources claimed Biden administration officials are engaging in \u201cinformal\u201d considerations to allow offensives weapons sales to Saudi Arabia after Saudi officials pressured Washington to reconsider blocking the sales.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cAmong the biggest-ticket items the Saudis would likely seek are precision-guided munitions (PGM) such as those approved under former President Donald Trump in the face of objections from members of Congress,\u201d Reuters <a href=\"https:\/\/www.reuters.com\/world\/us\/exclusive-us-weighs-possible-resumption-offensive-arms-sales-saudis-sources-2022-07-11\/\">observed<\/a> in its report. \u201cBut the Biden administration is expected to move cautiously as it discusses which systems might be offered, two sources said.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>The anonymous sources claimed that Biden would demand some \u201cprogress\u201d in resolving the Yemen civil war before resuming the weapons sales.<\/p>\n<p>Reuters noted Biden only blocked \u201coffensive\u201d weapons sales and the United States has been open to selling defensive weapons throughout Biden\u2019s tenure, going as far as to support selling Riyadh an advanced \u201cTerminal High Altitude Area Defense (THAAD) system\u201d like the one South Korea agreed to\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/www.uscc.gov\/research\/chinas-response-us-south-korean-missile-defense-system-deployment-and-its-implications\">purchase<\/a> from the United States in 2016 to protect from North Korean attacks.<\/p>\n<figure id=\"M-ROS-B3\" class=\"a8d adSo\"><\/figure>\n<p>North Korea and South Korea \u2013 and their allies, China and America, respectively \u2013 remain in a technical state of war despite the Korean War\u2019s active hostilities period ending in 1953.<\/p>\n<div id=\"attachment_21548281\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\"><a href=\"https:\/\/media.breitbart.com\/media\/2022\/07\/GettyImages-1238976710.jpg\"><\/a><\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-caption-text\"><em>U.S. military personnel stand by a M142 High Mobility Artillery Rocket System (HIMARS) during Saudi Arabias first World Defense Show, north of the capital Riyadh, on March 6, 2022. (FAYEZ NURELDINE\/AFP via Getty Images)<\/em><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<p>Biden is scheduled to arrive in the Middle East on Wednesday, visiting Israel first and flying from Israel to Saudi Arabia on Friday.<\/p>\n<figure id=\"D-ROS-B2\" class=\"a8d\"><\/figure>\n<p>According to the United Arab Emirates\u2019 (UAE)\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/www.thenationalnews.com\/gulf-news\/saudi-arabia\/2022\/07\/12\/joe-biden-visit-israel-saudi-arabia\/\"><em>The National<\/em><\/a>, Biden is scheduled to meet with both Saudi King Salman and the nation\u2019s crown prince and de-facto ruler, Mohammed Bin Salman, commonly referred to by his initials, MBS.<\/p>\n<p>Given the strained relations between America and Saudi Arabia under Biden and skyrocketing gas prices at home, the announcement that Biden would abandon his quest to turn Saudi Arabia into a \u201cpariah\u201d state internationally and meet with its leaders was largely interpreted as a ploy to buy more Saudi oil or convince the country to produce more for the international market, driving down prices.<\/p>\n<p>Outside of news reports and analysis, French President Emmanuel Macron appeared to attempt to dissuade Biden from trying to convince Gulf states to produce more oil in a conversation in June caught on television.<\/p>\n<figure id=\"M-ROS-B4\" class=\"a8d adSo\"><\/figure>\n<blockquote class=\"twitter-tweet\" data-width=\"550\" data-dnt=\"true\">\n<p lang=\"en\" dir=\"ltr\">Leaders from Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates (UAE) have reportedly refused to take phone calls from President Joe Biden during the Ukraine crisis, after he snubbed them repeatedly during the first year of his administration. <a href=\"https:\/\/t.co\/rWIOz8qySr\">https:\/\/t.co\/rWIOz8qySr<\/a><\/p>\n<p>\u2014 Breitbart News (@BreitbartNews) <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/BreitbartNews\/status\/1501608642021593089?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\">March 9, 2022<\/a><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<p>\u201cI had a call with MBZ,\u201d Macron <a href=\"https:\/\/www.breitbart.com\/politics\/2022\/06\/28\/joe-biden-appears-confused-as-emanuel-macron-pulls-him-aside-to-discuss-middle-east-oil-production\/\">said<\/a>, referring to UAE <a href=\"https:\/\/www.cpc.gov.ae\/en-us\/thecrownprince\/pages\/default.aspx\">President<\/a> Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, during a conversation with Biden at June\u2019s G7 summit. \u201cHe told me two things. One, I\u2019m at a maximum, maximum what he claims.\u00a0Second, according to MBZ, the Saudis can increase a little bit, by 150 (thousand gallons) or a little bit more, but they don\u2019t have huge capacities at least before six months\u2019 time.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Biden has since repeatedly insisted he is not going to Saudi Arabia to request more oil production, but has struggled to explain what other reason he would have for the dramatic shift in tone from his stance on the country as a presidential candidate.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cNo, I\u2019m not going to ask them,\u201d Biden <a href=\"https:\/\/www.breitbart.com\/politics\/2022\/06\/30\/joe-biden-insists-he-will-not-beg-saudi-arabia-to-produce-more-oil\/\">insisted<\/a> days after the Macron conversation, referring to the Saudis and oil production.\u00a0\u201cI hope we see them, in their own interest, concluding that makes sense to do.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>In an opinion column published in the\u00a0<em>Washington Post<\/em> \u2013 Khashoggi\u2019s former publication \u2013 <a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonpost.com\/opinions\/2022\/07\/09\/joe-biden-saudi-arabia-israel-visit\/\">titled<\/a>\u00a0\u201cWhy I\u2019m Going to Saudi Arabia,\u201d Biden failed to offer a concrete reason why he was going to Saudi Arabia, making the claim that visiting Riyadh would somehow help Ukraine fight off an ongoing Russian invasion that began eight years ago but only captured the international imagination in February.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cI know that there are many who disagree with my decision to travel to Saudi Arabia. My views on human rights are clear and long-standing,\u201d Biden wrote in his article, \u201cand fundamental freedoms are always on the agenda when I travel abroad, as they will be during this trip, just as they will be in Israel and the West Bank.\u201d<\/p>\n<blockquote class=\"twitter-tweet\" data-width=\"550\" data-dnt=\"true\">\n<p lang=\"en\" dir=\"ltr\">The Saudis, Russians, and other members of the oil cartel have rejected President Joe Biden&#8217;s request that they produce more oil to lower U.S. gasoline prices.  <a href=\"https:\/\/t.co\/0w1ptqAe5Z\">https:\/\/t.co\/0w1ptqAe5Z<\/a><\/p>\n<p>\u2014 Breitbart News (@BreitbartNews) <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/BreitbartNews\/status\/1427338165979914240?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\">August 16, 2021<\/a><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<p>\u201cWe have to counter Russia\u2019s aggression, put ourselves in the best possible position to outcompete China,\u201d the article continued, \u201cwhen I meet with Saudi leaders on Friday, my aim will be to strengthen a strategic partnership going forward that\u2019s based on mutual interests and responsibilities, while also holding true to fundamental American values.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Biden also boasted that he would take a historic flight from Israel to Saudi Arabia \u2013 possible thanks to President Trump\u2019s diplomacy <a href=\"https:\/\/www.breitbart.com\/middle-east\/2018\/03\/07\/historic-airliner-given-permission-israel-flights-saudi-arabia\/\">thawing<\/a> relations between Israel and its Muslim neighbors \u2013 and claimed that he sought to \u201creorient\u00a0 \u2013 but not rupture \u2013\u201d ties to Saudi Arabia.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cI would make it very clear we were not going to, in fact, sell more weapons to them, we were going to, in fact, make them pay the price and make them, in fact, the pariah that they are,\u201d candidate Joe Biden <a href=\"https:\/\/www.breitbart.com\/middle-east\/2022\/07\/04\/hayward-susan-rices-abandonment-of-democrats-khashoggi-crusade-frames-biden-saudi-trip\/\">said<\/a> during a Democrat primary debate in 2019. \u201cThere\u2019s very little social redeeming value in the present government in Saudi Arabia.\u201d<\/p>\n<p><em>Follow Frances Martel on\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/francesimartel\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener external\" data-saferedirecturl=\"https:\/\/www.google.com\/url?q=https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/francesimartel\/&#038;source=gmail&#038;ust=1656679775153000&#038;usg=AOvVaw3iyrIP5Puo3xdKkSRqf8JR\">Facebook<\/a>\u00a0and\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/francesmartel\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener external\" data-saferedirecturl=\"https:\/\/www.google.com\/url?q=https:\/\/twitter.com\/francesmartel&#038;source=gmail&#038;ust=1656679775153000&#038;usg=AOvVaw0g-0pTb7jPtTNiKFcxsK6k\">Twitter.<\/a><\/em><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>The news agency Reuters, citing anonymous sources, reported on Tuesday leftist President Joe Biden is considering resuming offensive weapons sales to Saudi Arabia in anticipation of his visit to the<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":1550974,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_mo_disable_npp":"","fifu_image_url":"","fifu_image_alt":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-1550797","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1550797","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=1550797"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1550797\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/1550974"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=1550797"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=1550797"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=1550797"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}