Trump Defies Congress on $8 Billion Weapons Deal with Saudis, Congress Wants More Pressure on Iran, and Gabbard Says Iran War Serves Israel and Saudis

Congress has objected to an $8 billion weapons deal to Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates and Jordan.. But Trump, in his infinite wisdom, ignored them and went ahead with it anyways.

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For months, members of Congress have been blocking the sales of military equipment used for offensive purposes to the Saudi region, including other U.S. allies who are involved. Congress also didn't like the sales of weapons and support of Saudi Arabia after the murder of journalists Jamal Khashoggi at the hands of the Saudi intelligence last year. But their concerns are bing brushed aside in favor of making deals and money, which Trump is known to be "good" at.

Trump's administration informed congressional committees that it is going ahead with 22 military sales to the Saudis and other neighbors in the region by declaring a state of "emergency". This goes against long-standing procedures for congressional review of major weapons sales. The circumvention of congressional power and oversight of the governmental process expectedly infuriated many congressional lawmakers.

One might think congress is against leading the U.S. into wars, but that doesn't seem to be the case, at least with Iran as there is a thirst to keep tensions. Apparently, about 75% of Congress is calling on Trump to boost intervention in Syria as a to pressure and weaken Iran and Russia.

Almost 400 member of Congress across the party lines signed an open letter to ask Trump to escalate war in Syria in efforts to counter the powers of Iran, Russia and Hezbollah. Hawkish Republicans and Democrats are unified in their thirst for more conflict. Three of them are 2020 presidential candidates Kamala Harris, Kirsten Gillibrand, and Cory Booker.

They claim to want to "demonstrate American leadership in resolving the prolonged conflict". But the methods they suggest to do so oppose that stated goal:
1- "augment our support” for Israel and maintain its “qualitative military edge”
2- “increase pressure on Iran and Russia”
3- “increase pressure on Hezbollah.”

They don't explicitly call for more troops, but want a more aggressive stance to punish Iran and Russia with crippling sanctions. As Ron Paul wisely noted, sanction are essentially way to act as an aggressor and promote a state of war by waging covert warfare on another nation.

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It not about helping he Syrian people or having concern for them. It's just about weakening U.S. adversaries and strengthening and protecting allies like Israel.

Presidential candidates Tulsi Gabbard however wants a different path of avoiding war with Iran.

"Cost of Iran war? A region engulfed in bloodletting, countless lives, many trillions $, our ntnl security undermined, ISIS/AQ strengthened, massive immigration crisis, likely confrontation btwn US & nuclear Russia or China. War without end because ‘victory’ will remain undefined."

"Intel officials & politicians led us into Iraq war. Now Trump’s using the same playbook to lead our country into war with Iran. The cost in lives & treasure will be infinitely greater than the wars in Iraq, Afghanistan, & Syria, and will undermine our ntnl security."

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Gabbard also spoke out on Tucker Carlson's show on Fox News last Thursday warning of the consequences with a war with Iran. It doesn't serve Americans, but does serve the powers in Israel and Saudi Arabia who want to push the U.S. into conflict with Iran.

"I know where this path leads us and I'm concerned because the American people don't seem to be prepared for how devastating and costly such a war would be," Gabbard said Thursday during an appearance on Fox News' "Tucker Carlson Tonight."

"So, what we are facing is, essentially, a war that has no frontlines, total chaos, engulfs the whole region, is not contained within Iran or Iraq but would extend to Syria and Lebanon and Israel across the region, setting us up in a situation where, in Iraq, we lost over 4,000 of my brothers and sisters in uniform," Gabbard said. "A war with Iran would take far more American lives, it would cost more civilian lives across the region."

"How does a war with Iran serve the best interest of the American people of the United States? And the fact is it does not," Gabbard said. "It better serves the interest of people like [Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin] Bibi Netanyahu and Saudi Arabia who are trying to push us into this war with Iran."

Tulsi Gabbard: "US Iran War Would Be Devastating"

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References:

• Defying Congress, Trump Sets $8 Billion-Plus in Weapons Sales to Saudi Arabia, UAE and Jordan
• Bipartisan thirst for more war: 75% of Congress calls on Trump to boost intervention in Syria, to ‘pressure’ Iran and Russia
• Tulsi Gabbard: War With Iran 'Better Serves The Interests' of 'Netanyahu and Saudi Arabia' Than U.S.

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Posted from KURE