CODEPINK Disappointed by Senate Failure to Block Saudi Weapons Deal

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact: Alli McCracken, CODEPINK National Director, 860-575-5692, alli@codepink.org
Sam Ritchie, CODEPINK Communications Director, 347-452-0008, sam@codepink.org

WASHINGTON, September 21, 2016 – The peace group CODEPINK is disappointed in the US Senate’s failure to block the latest weapons deal with Saudi Arabia while it commits war crimes in Yemen.

CODEPINK is an active member of a growing coalition that is opposed to selling more US weapons to Saudi Arabia. The Saudi government has received over 100 billion dollars worth of weapons just during the Obama administration.

The Saudi-led coalition has been committing war crimes in Yemen, and the United States should not enable these atrocities by selling them more weapons.

The following may be attributed to Medea Benjamin, co-founder of CODEPINK:

“It is disappointing that the U.S. Senate could not muster the political will to block the latest sale of weapons to Saudi Arabia, despite its obvious gross violations of human rights in Yemen. It is clear, however, that there are a growing number of grassroots and humanitarian organizations that are committed to ending U.S. support for Saudi atrocities. The letter signed by 64 members of the House of Representatives to the administration and the votes of 27 Senators to block the sale today shows that there is momentum within Congress as well. U.S. weapons have been integral to Saudi Arabia’s destruction in Yemen, their slaughter of thousands of civilians and their intentional targeting of civilian areas. It is long past time for the U.S. government to stop being complicit in the perpetration of these atrocities against the Yemeni people.”

To arrange an interview, contact Alli McCracken, CODEPINK National Director, at 860-575-5692 or alli@codepink.org.