[Congressional Record Volume 164, Number 186 (Tuesday, November 27, 2018)]
[Senate]
[Page S7126]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
Yemen
Mr. BLUMENTHAL. Mr. President, I want to express my strong support
for the bipartisan resolution--54--that is before us today. The strong,
bipartisan support we are seeing on the floor--most recently from my
colleague Senator Lee of Utah--shows how necessary and important this
resolution is to end the complicity of the United States in the
murderous war waged by Saudi Arabia in Yemen.
The United States is complicit because we are providing fuel,
intelligence, and other support that is only increasing the barbaric
power of the Saudis in that civil war--murderous activities that are
taking a toll on civilians. The blood will be on our hands if we
continue to support the Saudis in this brutal effort.
The resolution before us is carefully crafted to preserve our
national security and our national interests while at the same time
removing our involvement from the Saudi war crimes. There seems to be
no other word for what we are seeing the Saudis do. The arguments made
by the administration for our support and participation carry no
weight. We should never compromise our national value for the sake of
arms sales. In fact, the arms contracts are a pittance or a fraction of
what the administration claims. So I am proud to support this
measure. It will do too little and too late what should have been done
long ago: Renounce our moral and legal responsibility, as well as our
practical involvement for the murderous and brutal Saudi attacks on
civilians and others in Yemen.