Tilted Forum Project Discussion Community - House just says "No" to Saudi Foreign aid; Final decision will be made by Senate.

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House just says "No" to Saudi Foreign aid; Final decision will be made by Senate.

http://www.reuters.com/newsArticle.j...toryID=5687124

Quote:

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Lawmakers cheered as the House of Representatives voted on Thursday to strip financial assistance for Saudi Arabia from a foreign aid bill because of criticism that the country has not been sufficiently cooperative in the U.S. war on terror.

The vote was a stinging defeat for the Bush Administration which had strongly opposed the measure saying it would "severely undermine" counterterrorism cooperation with Saudi Arabia and U.S. efforts for peace in the Middle East.

The House voted 217-191 to remove $25,000 in the $19.4 billion 2005 foreign aid bill earmarked for Saudi Arabia.

The funds were designated for military training but approval would have triggered millions of dollars in discounts on hardware and other military training, lawmakers said.

"I don't want my taxpayer dollars going to the Saudis and I don't want anyone else's to," said Nevada Democratic Rep. Shelley Berkley.

Supporters of the measure also argued that with Saudi Arabia's massive wealth from ownership of one-fourth of the world's proven oil reserves, the kingdom should not need financial aid from the United States.

The Senate would also have to strip the Saudi aid from its version of the foreign assistance bill before it stands a chance of being enacted.

U.S.- Saudi ties were shaken by the fact that 15 of the 19 hijackers in the Sept. 11 attacks in 2001 were Saudi nationals and revelations that individual Saudis had financed al Qaeda, whose leader, Osama bin Laden, was born in the kingdom.

A study by the Council on Foreign Relations found recently that Saudi Arabia has stepped up its efforts to halt the flow of funds to militant groups, but said more needed to be done.

Arizona Republican Rep. Jim Kolbe, said the timing of the House measure "could not be worse." He acknowledged Saudi Arabia had not always been a model partner in the war on terror but said "we need all the friends and allies we can get."

I don't know if I want to cheer them on for standing up to a country that violates human rights and supports terrorism behind our backs; on the other hand, I don't think this will be good for diplomacy, and it could get a lot worse if we stop supporting them.

I'm generally against giving foreign aid out of taxpayers' pockets unless there are extraordinary circumstances, so I'm probably going to fully support it once I have a chance to think it over.

$25,000 out of the $19.4 billion 2005 foreign aid bill earmarked for Saudi Arabia?!? Is that a typo? That's not even a scratch in a dent. $25,000 wouldn't even buy a nice truck. Or is this just a symbolic gesture?

Oh, and by the way, I really like your signature there, MSD.

I believe this would be an instance of "good cop/bad cop"

The administration is showing support - while the legislature is withdrawing support. That is a clear geopolitical message - and has the sort of depth and complexity that lets the Saudi's know it's time to get a clue, even while we "want" to treat them with some gratitude, respect, and deference. Briefly, it has the weight of an ultimatum, without the sting of an "official" rebuke.

I would much rather they drop the $19.4 billion completely.

Quote:

Originally posted by Bill O'Rights
$25,000 out of the $19.4 billion 2005 foreign aid bill earmarked for Saudi Arabia?!? Is that a typo? That's not even a scratch in a dent. $25,000 wouldn't even buy a nice truck. Or is this just a symbolic gesture?

Oh, and by the way, I really like your signature there, MSD.

I don't think it's as much the $25,000, as it is the "millions of dollars in discounts on hardware and other military training".

I do not understand why we need to send money to every other nation in the world.

I am someone who truly believes if we cut foreign aid to only those countries that need it and it is in a humanitarian way (food, medical supplies etc) that we wouldn't have to cut social programs.

I think Rep. Kolbe's statement at the end showed that aid is used more to "buy" friends and payoff governments:

"Arizona Republican Rep. Jim Kolbe, said the timing of the House measure "could not be worse." He acknowledged Saudi Arabia had not always been a model partner in the war on terror but said "we need all the friends and allies we can get."

Buying friends never works as a kid, as a person or in politics or foreign relations, because when the money dries up those friends are gone, or when someone offers more they are gone, or in country's relations, it can lead to bad leaders staying in power and the people developing a giant resentment towards us. Especially when the country in indirect ways teaches their people to hate us or that we are evil.