REP. LIEU LEADS LETTER TO MATTIS & TILLERSON QUESTIONING THE SALE OF MISSILES TO SAUDI ARABIA

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

WASHINGTON – Congressman Ted W. Lieu (D | Los Angeles County) has led a letter with 30 fellow House Members to Defense Secretary Mattis and Secretary of State Tillerson requesting information related to the operational conduct of the Royal Saudi Air Force (RSAF) in Yemen. Mr. Lieu and his Congressional colleagues are requesting this information in response to a Trump Administration policy reversal and news that the Administration is preparing to formally notify Congress of a precision guided munitions sale to Saudi Arabia.

In the letter, Mr. Lieu and his fellow Members of Congress write:

"As you know, the previous Administration made the decision in December 2016 to halt a planned sale of precision-guided munitions (PGM) to Saudi Arabia due to concerns over widespread civilian casualties and significant deficiencies in RSAF's targeting capabilities."

"According to recent reports, however, the State Department has now reversed course and removed the suspension on these PGM sales."

"The possession alone of PGMs does not indicate sophisticated targeting capabilities. It is in our national security interest – as well as that of our Saudi partners – to ensure that the RSAF has the ability to avoid civilian casualties before the U.S. sells them any additional air-to-ground munitions."

FULL TEXT OF THE LETTER CAN BE FOUND HERE

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