The Intercept recently conducted an investigation that shed light on the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia’s failure to pay the Defense Department for its support in the Saudi-led war in Yemen. This war has resulted in the deaths of hundreds of thousands of people and has caused a humanitarian crisis. The Intercept reached out to the Pentagon for comment on the unpaid bill but received no response.
In response to The Intercept’s findings, Senator Rand Paul, a longtime critic of U.S. arms sales to Saudi Arabia, expressed his outrage. He criticized both the kingdom and its leader, Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, as well as the Pentagon for their actions. Senator Paul highlighted the fact that American taxpayers are essentially funding a brutal war that has caused immense suffering in Yemen, and yet Saudi Arabia refuses to reimburse the United States for refueling its warplanes. He called America’s servility to the autocratic Saudi regime a national disgrace.
Senator Paul has been vocal about his opposition to U.S. support of the Saudi war in Yemen. In 2019, he joined forces with Senator Bernie Sanders and other lawmakers in urging President Donald Trump to end this support. He also attempted to block the sale of advanced military technologies to Saudi Arabia. However, despite the senator’s efforts and the unpaid debt of $15 million, the Biden administration recently lifted the ban on selling offensive weapons to Saudi Arabia. An initial shipment of air-to-ground munitions was authorized, with the restriction only applying to defensive arms and military services. Over the past four years, the sales of defensive arms and military services to Saudi Arabia have amounted to nearly $10 billion.
The Biden administration’s decision to embrace Saudi Arabia has raised concerns, particularly regarding the kingdom’s alleged involvement in the 9/11 terrorist attacks. This comes at a time when questions are being asked about Saudi Arabia’s role in the attacks that claimed the lives of nearly 3,000 people.
The war in Yemen, which has caused immense suffering and death, led to the imposition of an offensive weapons ban by the Biden administration in 2021. The conflict, which began in 2015, has resulted in the deaths of at least 377,000 people, including thousands of civilians killed in Saudi-coalition airstrikes. Although a truce was established in 2022, more than half of Yemen’s population, or 18.2 million people, still require humanitarian assistance.
A report by the Government Accountability Office in 2022 revealed that coalition airstrikes in Yemen, supported by the U.S., resulted in the deaths or injuries of over 18,000 civilians between March 2015 and August 2021. The report also criticized the Pentagon and the State Department for failing to investigate the role of U.S.-provided military support in causing these casualties.
Despite the mounting evidence of Saudi Arabia’s actions and the unpaid debt, the Biden administration decided to resume weapons transfers to Saudi Arabia on a case-by-case basis. The Intercept repeatedly contacted the Pentagon to inquire about any payments made by Saudi Arabia, but received no response. The State Department also failed to provide answers to The Intercept’s questions about the resumption of weapons transfers. Additionally, an interview request sent to Saudi Arabia’s embassy in Washington, D.C. went unanswered.
In conclusion, the investigation by The Intercept has brought to light the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia’s failure to pay its debt to the Pentagon for support in the war in Yemen. Senator Rand Paul has strongly criticized the kingdom and the U.S. government’s support of it, calling it a national disgrace. The Biden administration’s decision to lift the ban on offensive weapons sales to Saudi Arabia has raised concerns, particularly in light of the kingdom’s alleged involvement in the 9/11 attacks. The war in Yemen has caused immense suffering and death, with thousands of civilians being killed in airstrikes. Despite this, the U.S. government has failed to hold Saudi Arabia accountable and continues to provide military support. The lack of transparency and response from the Pentagon and the State Department further adds to the concerns surrounding this issue.
