WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Republican and Democratic members of Congress are preparing to ask Saudi Arabia to pay millions of dollars for US military training received by its military, the US news website said.
Legislators in both Houses of Congress (Senate and House of Representatives) agree to end Saudi Arabia's use of the reduced international military training program, which provides Riyadh with $ 20 million a year in training fees, which is necessary for Saudi Arabia to purchase weapons it purchases from the United States, Which constitute the majority of the Kingdom's military arsenal.
The agreement between Democrats and Republicans within the legislature reflects a sharpening of the tone of Congress toward the Saudi leadership following the assassination of Saudi journalist Jamal Khashoggi in his consulate in Istanbul by an assassination team of officials close to Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman.
| Republican Rep. Jerry Connolly called for a total cessation of bilateral military assistance programs between the United States and Saudi Arabia until the accountability of Khashoggi's killers (French) |
Stop all
House Republican Representative Jerry Connolly called for a halt to bilateral military aid programs between Washington and Riyadh until the Saudis held accountable all those involved in Khashoggi's killing on Oct. 2, who was based in the United States.
Democratic Senator Patrick Leahy, a senior member of the Senate Appropriations Committee, has long advocated ending Saudi Arabia's use of America's reduced military training program, but the senator's call was met with opposition from his council colleagues, The latest after Khashoggi's crime.
The Republican House of Representatives House of Representatives Bill James McGovern has submitted a draft bill banning America from selling arms to Saudi Arabia and also denying it access to military training and cooperation programs.