Schumer Floor Remarks on the Resolution of Disapproval on Proposed U.S. Sale of Precision-Guided Munitions to Saudi Arabia

Washington, D.C. – U.S. Senator Charles E. Schumer today delivered remarks on the Senate floor outlining his support for the resolution of disapproval on proposed U.S. sale of precision-guided munitions to Saudi Arabia. Below are his remarks:

Mr. President, before we recess for caucus lunch, I’d like to comment on the upcoming vote on a resolution of disapproval regarding a portion of President Trump’s recent arms sale to Saudi Arabia.

I have announced that I will vote in favor of the resolution of disapproval for several reasons.

First, the human rights and humanitarian concerns have been well documented with respect to Yemen. Yemen’s story in the Middle East is a tragic one. Yemen’s previous President ruled the country for decades with an iron fist and fleeced the country of its resources for his person gain.  He also allowed terrorist groups to enjoy safe haven in Yemen in the days after 9/11. Today, Yemen remains a country in dire straits. It is on the verge of a famine and there have been over 100,000 cases of cholera.

To make matters worse, the current conflict in Yemen, which includes the Saudi Arabia military, has worsened the humanitarian situation. Selling the Kingdom the precision-weapons in this deal could further exacerbate the humanitarian crisis. Issues have also been raised about the conduct of the Saudi military in its operation in Yemen. Senator Murphy has articulated these matters very eloquently.

I share his concerns about the Saudi military’s conduct and believe the sale of these weapons could encourage further bad behavior.

Second, and of equal concern to me, is that the Saudi government continues to aid and abet terrorism via its support and funding of schools that spread extremist Wahhabi propaganda. Saudi Arabia’s support for these Wahhabi madrassas goes back decades, and is responsible for much of the radicalization of Muslim youth in the Middle East and North Africa.

In the past several months, we have witnessed lone wolf attacks in London, in Tehran, and elsewhere around the globe. Though the nature of terrorism has changed, many of the sources are the same. The propagation of Wahhabism -- an extreme ideology -- continues to fuel radicalism and terrorism around the globe. If we want to get serious about cracking down on terrorism, the United States should focus on countering the spread of Wahhabism.

The White House has not clearly articulated how the US will put pressure on Saudi Arabia to end their support of Wahhabi schools, even as it claims President Trump’s recent visit to Riyadh was focused on curtailing terrorism in the Middle East. Furthermore, the Administration has not sufficiently ensured the Congress that these weapons won’t fall into the wrong hands.

Mr. President, you look at Pakistan, it’s become a radical place. It wasn’t 15 years ago in good part because of a Saudi-funded, Saudi individuals who are a part of the government, some who are friends with the government – madrassas which preached radicalism to the Pakistani people. Look at Indonesia, one of the largest countries in the world. It had usually practiced a form of Islam that was mild and tolerant. But now the Wahhabi schools are flourishing. It’s becoming a radical place, of danger to the U.S.

We have to send a message to Saudi Arabia. They do some good things. I support them putting pressure, for instance, on the Palestinian Authority to finally make peace with Israel. But they do a lot of bad things and there seems like there’s almost been a rotten deal between the Saudi monarchy and the Wahhabi clerics to work together. It’s got to end. My vote for this resolution of disapproval hopefully can send a message to the Saudis that their behavior in regard to Wahhabism must change. It’s hurting the world and will eventually hurt them.

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