Murphy argued the $650 million sale of air-to-air missiles to Saudi Arabia is for “defensive weapons” against Yemen’s Houthis.
By Sara Sirota and Austin Ahlman, The Intercept
The Senate tonight voted 67-30 against a resolution to ban a $650 million air-to-air missile sale to Saudi Arabia approved by the State Department.
The resolution was introduced last month by Sens. Rand Paul, R-Ky.; Bernie Sanders, I-Vt.; and Mike Lee, R-Utah. “A message needs to be sent to Saudi Arabia that we don’t approve of their war with Yemen,” Paul said at the time. “By participating in this sale, we would not only be rewarding reprehensible behavior, but also exacerbating a humanitarian crisis in Yemen.”
Sen. Chris Murphy, D-Conn., who partnered with Sanders and Lee in November 2018 to invoke the 1973 War Powers Resolution to prohibit U.S. participation in the Saudi bombing offensive in Yemen, notably didn’t back his colleagues in this latest effort.
His vote of opposition represents a significant shift for Murphy, who claimed in an email to The Intercept last month explaining his support of the sale: “I have been the leading critic of Saudi Arabia’s war in Yemen.”
“This is a true defensive weapons sale,” he told The Intercept ahead of the vote. “And with the increased pace of Houthi drones coming into Saudi territory, it is actually important for them to have the ability to shoot them.” The Houthis are an Iran-backed Shia movement that pushed the Saudi-backed Yemen government out of power in 2014.
Recent Posts
Chicago Battlefields: The Cost Of The War Economy
Take Action Now Over thirty people, including children, were kidnapped, while the rest of the residents had their zip ties cut off and were sent back…
Zohran’s Proposals Are Surprisingly Affordable
Take Action Now I wish all revolutions came this cheap.By RJ Eskow, The Zero Hour Report Here’s something for New York City residents to consider…
The Democratic Party Needs A Soul, Not A Focus Group
Take Action Now Exposing the flawed logic of a centrist pivot for DemocratsBy Sam Rosenthal Nearly exactly a year later, two narratives have taken…
The Money Versus Mamdani in the Final Stretch of NYC Mayoral Race
Take Action Now Unpacking the expensive eleventh-hour efforts by billionaires targeting Zohran Mamdani.By Meghnad Bose and Biplob Kumar Das, Drop…