US set to lift 2021 ban on offensive weapons sales to Riyadh | World News | WION

WION

27 May 202402:48

Summary

TLDRThe United States is reportedly considering lifting a nearly three-year ban on selling offensive weapons to Saudi Arabia, imposed by President Biden's administration in 2021 due to Saudi-led coalition actions during the Yemeni Civil War. The reversal may come as early as within a week, influenced by the Houthi's targeting of ships in the Mandab Strait and the group's reclassification as a global terror entity. A potential bilateral deal between the US and Saudi Arabia could include a defense pact and cooperation in the kingdom's civilian nuclear program, contingent on Israeli actions and possibly normalizing ties with Taiwan. Despite Biden's past criticism of Saudi Arabia, regional hostilities and the need for strengthened bilateral ties seem to be driving the policy shift.

Takeaways

🇺🇸 The United States is considering lifting a nearly three-year ban on the sale of offensive weapons to Saudi Arabia, possibly within a week.
🚫 The ban was imposed in 2021 by President Biden's administration due to the Saudi-led coalition's conduct during the Yemeni Civil War.
🛡️ The US had suspended the sale of armaments in response to the coalition's actions, which began in 2015 against the Houthi rebels following the capture of the capital, Sanaa.
🕊️ The US has been reconsidering the ban since the UN brokered a ceasefire in 2022, which saw Saudi Arabia reduce its involvement in the conflict.
🔄 Tensions between the US and Saudi Arabia have fluctuated, with peace talks between Riyadh and the Houthis stalling after recent attacks and conflicts.
🚢 A key factor for lifting the ban may be the Houthi's targeting of ships in the strategic Mandab Strait, leading to their classification as a global terror group by Washington.
🤝 High-ranking US lawmakers indicate that a bilateral deal between the US and Saudi Arabia is nearing completion, potentially including a defense pact and cooperation on Saudi Arabia's civilian nuclear program.
🔗 The deal may also involve normalized ties between Saudi Arabia and Israel, contingent on Israeli actions in the region.
🤔 The White House has not directly commented on the potential deal or the reasons behind lifting the weapons ban.
🗳️ President Biden had previously campaigned against Saudi interests, criticizing their role in the Yemeni Civil War and promising to make Saudi Arabia a 'pariah' state following the murder of journalist Jamal Khashoggi.
🔄 Despite past tensions, the recent Israel-Hamas conflict and regional hostilities seem to be prompting the White House to strengthen ties with Saudi Arabia, setting aside previous complaints.

Q & A

Why did the United States initially ban the sale of offensive weapons to Saudi Arabia?
-The U.S. banned the sale of offensive weapons to Saudi Arabia in early 2021 due to the Saudi-led coalition's conduct during its intervention in the Yemeni Civil War.
What was the Saudi-led coalition's stance when they entered the Yemeni Civil War in 2015?
-The Saudi-led coalition entered the war in opposition to the Iranian-backed Houthi rebels, following the seizure of the capital city of Sanaa and the overthrow of the Yemeni government.
What prompted the U.S. to reconsider overturning the ban on weapon sales to Saudi Arabia?
-The U.S. started reconsidering overturning the ban since a UN-brokered truce in 2022, which saw Saudi Arabia reduce its involvement in the Yemeni conflict.
What recent event has stalled progress in peace talks between Saudi Arabia and the Houthis?
-Progress in peace talks has stalled following the Houthi's October 7th attack and Israel's controversial invasion of the Gaza Strip.
Why was the Houthi movement reclassified as a global terror group by Washington?
-The Houthi movement was reclassified as a global terror group by Washington due to their active involvement in targeting ships passing through the strategic Mandab Strait.
What is the potential content of the bilateral deal between the U.S. and Saudi Arabia?
-The bilateral deal may include a defense pact and American cooperation in Saudi Arabia's civilian nuclear program.
How might the situation in Rafah affect the terms of the bilateral deal between the U.S. and Saudi Arabia?
-The deal contingent on Israeli actions in Rafah may also see terms set to normalize ties between Riyadh and Tel Aviv.
What was President Biden's stance on Saudi interests prior to the 2019 elections?
-President Biden actively campaigned against Saudi interests, referring to the Yemeni Civil War and accusing Saudi forces of murdering children. He also promised to make Saudi Arabia a 'pariah' state in 2018 following the assassination of journalist Jamal Khashoggi.
How has the regional hostilities triggered by the Israel-Hamas War influenced U.S.-Saudi relations?
-The regional hostilities have led the White House to rely more on Riyadh, seemingly dispelling past complaints and reinforcing bilateral ties between the two nations.
What is the current status of the U.S. comment on the potential reversal of the weapons ban and the bilateral deal?
-The White House has declined to comment on the potential reversal of the weapons ban and the details of the bilateral deal directly.
What was the U.S.'s response to the Saudi-led coalition's actions in the Yemeni Civil War prior to the ban on weapon sales?
-The U.S. suspended the sale of armaments to Saudi Arabia in response to the coalition's conduct during the intervention in the Yemeni Civil War.

Outlines

00:00

🇺🇸 US Considers Reversing Saudi Arms Ban

The United States is mulling over the reversal of a nearly three-year-old ban on the sale of offensive weapons to Saudi Arabia, which was imposed by President Biden's administration in response to the Saudi-led coalition's conduct during the Yemeni Civil War. The ban was put in place in 2021 after the coalition's actions in Yemen, which began in 2015 against Iranian-backed Houthi rebels following their takeover of the capital, Sanaa. The US has been reconsidering this ban since the UN brokered a ceasefire in 2022, which led to a reduction in Saudi involvement in the conflict. However, recent tensions have escalated due to the Houthi's targeting of ships in the Mandab Strait, leading to their classification as a global terror group by the US in January. High-ranking lawmakers have indicated that a bilateral deal is being finalized, potentially including a defense pact and American cooperation in Saudi Arabia's civilian nuclear program. The deal may also hinge on normalized ties between Saudi Arabia and Israel, with the White House declining to comment directly. Despite Biden's previous criticism of Saudi actions and promises to hold them accountable, the regional hostilities and reliance on Saudi Arabia seem to be overshadowing past grievances, leading to a strengthening of bilateral ties.

Mindmap

Keywords

💡United States

The United States is a country in North America known for its significant role in global politics and economics. In the context of the video, it is expected to reverse a ban on the sale of offensive weapons to Saudi Arabia, which is a key decision related to the video's theme of international relations and military policy.

💡Saudi Arabia

Saudi Arabia is an Arab state in Western Asia that plays a significant role in the Middle East. It is central to the video's narrative as the country to which the United States may lift a ban on selling offensive weapons, highlighting the complex diplomatic and military ties between these nations.

💡Offensive Weapons

Offensive weapons refer to military equipment designed to attack and inflict damage. The video discusses the potential reversal of a ban on selling such weapons to Saudi Arabia, which was initially imposed due to concerns over their use in the Yemeni Civil War.

💡Yemeni Civil War

The Yemeni Civil War is an ongoing conflict in Yemen involving various factions. The video mentions this war as the reason behind the initial ban on weapon sales to Saudi Arabia, given the latter's involvement in the conflict through the Arab Coalition.

💡Arab Coalition

The Arab Coalition is a group of Middle Eastern countries that have come together for military operations, notably in the Yemeni Civil War. The video script refers to their entry into the war in opposition to the Houthi movement, which is a key point in understanding the geopolitical dynamics at play.

💡Houthis

The Houthis are an armed political movement in Yemen. In the video, they are mentioned as the group that the Arab Coalition opposes, following the seizure of Yemen's capital city, Sanaa, and the overthrow of the Yemeni government.

💡UN Brokered Troops

UN Brokered Troops refer to peacekeeping forces arranged through the United Nations. The video mentions a UN-brokered initiative in 2022 that led to Saudi Arabia reducing its involvement in the Yemeni conflict, which is a significant development in the narrative of the potential lifting of the weapons ban.

💡Bilateral Deal

A bilateral deal is an agreement between two countries. The video suggests that the United States and Saudi Arabia are close to finalizing such a deal, which may include a defense pact and cooperation in Saudi Arabia's civilian nuclear program, indicating a strengthening of ties between the two nations.

💡Normalization of Ties

Normalization of ties refers to the establishment of formal diplomatic relations between two countries. The video hints at the possibility of normalized relations between Saudi Arabia and Israel as part of the bilateral deal, which would be a significant development in Middle Eastern politics.

💡Jamal Khashoggi

Jamal Khashoggi was a Saudi journalist whose assassination in 2018 at the Saudi consulate in Istanbul was a major international incident. The video references President Biden's promise to make Saudi Arabia a 'pariah' state following this event, highlighting the historical tensions that have influenced U.S.-Saudi relations.

💡Israel-Hamas War

The Israel-Hamas War refers to the ongoing conflict between Israel and Hamas, a Palestinian militant group. The video mentions the recent escalation of this conflict as a factor that may have influenced the United States' reconsideration of its stance towards Saudi Arabia, indicating the interconnected nature of regional hostilities.

Highlights

The United States is expected to reverse its ban on the sale of offensive weapons to Saudi Arabia.

The ban was placed by President Biden's Administration nearly three years ago and may be lifted within a week.

The US suspended the sale of armaments to Saudi Arabia in 2021 due to the Saudi-led coalition's conduct during the Yemeni Civil War.

The Arab coalition entered the war in 2015 against the Iranian-backed Houthis following the seizure of the capital city of Sanaa.

The US has been reconsidering overturning the ban since a UN brokered ceasefire in 2022.

Tensions have risen between the US and Saudi Arabia, with Riyadh engaging in peace talks with the Houthis.

Progress in peace talks has stalled following Hamas's attack and Israel's invasion of the Gaza Strip.

The reversal of the weapons ban could be influenced by the Houthi's targeting of ships passing through the Mandab Strait.

Washington reclassified the Houthi rebels as a global terror group in January.

High-ranking lawmakers have revealed that the US and Saudi Arabia are close to finalizing a bilateral deal.

The deal may include a defense pact and American cooperation in Saudi Arabia's civilian nuclear program.

The deal is contingent on Israeli actions and may include terms to normalize ties between Riyadh and Tel Aviv.

The White House has declined to comment on the potential deal directly.

Biden campaigned against Saudi interests, accusing Saudi forces of murdering children and promising to make Saudi Arabia a 'pariah' state.

Despite past complaints, the White House's reliance on Riyadh seems to be reinforcing bilateral ties between the two nations.

The regional hostilities triggered by the Israel-Hamas War are a key factor in the US's renewed relationship with Saudi Arabia.