US Continues Arming Saudi Arabia amid Pressures

However Washington will continue with its training programs for the Saudi air force claiming that such programs will improve targeting skills of Saudi pilots, reducing civilian casualties in the end.
 
The decision reflects deep frustration within President Barack Obama's government over Saudi Arabia's practices in Yemen's 20-month-old war, which has killed more than 11,400 people and sparked humanitarian crises, including chronic food shortages, in the poorest country in the West Asia.
 
The decision, however, is not to halt support for the Saudi aggression against Yemeni people but only to limit the supply of some certain weapons clearly to whitewash the Washington role in the massacre.
 
For example, the United States will keep refueling Saudi-led coalition aircraft involved in the campaign, and it is not cutting off all arms sales to the kingdom. And, in a nod to Saudi Arabia's security concerns, Washington will share more intelligence on the Saudi border with Yemen.
 
It could also further strain ties between Washington and Riyadh in the remaining days of Obama's administration and put the question of Saudi-US relations squarely before the incoming administration of President-elect Donald Trump, who takes office on Jan. 20.
 
Rights groups say Saudi-led coalition attacks on clinics, schools, markets and factories may amount to war crimes.
 
"I think it’s a signal but too weak of a signal," said William Hartung of the US-based Center for International Policy, responding to the US decision. "As long as they’re going to refueling aircraft which is central to the bombing campaign, it’s hard to see that they’re using all the leverage they have," said Hartung, who authored a report earlier this year on US arms offers to Saudi Arabia during Obama's tenure.