Pentagon refers questiions about arm sales to Saudia Arabia to the US State Department

(May 22)Thursday, the Pentagon referred questions about US arms deals with Saudi Arabia to the State Dept The referral comes amid controversy over an internal watchdog who was fired while reportedly investigating Pompeo's actions in fast-tracking the sales.

Pentagon spokesperson Jonathan Hoffman told reporters: “I’m not going to talk about the interagency process on that and there’s obviously a lot of scrutiny and interest in this. I would refer you over to State Department, who handled the announcement on this.Foreign military sales are an important part of what the department does and how we work with our allies and partners with regard to that particular transaction I’m just gonna have to refer you over to the State Department I’m not going to discuss the interagency conversations.” On Thursday night a US State Dept. spokesperson wrote that the Department met the requirements of the law and also followed relevant practices in invoking emergency authority that moved the arms transfers forward.

 

  The firing of US State Dept Inspector General 

 

The firing of the State Dept. Inspector General Steve Linick is just one of five recently fired by Trump. As a recent article notes: "In a span of six weeks, Mr. Trump has removed five officials from posts leading their respective agencies' inspector general offices, three of whom were working in an acting capacity. The president's moves have prompted scrutiny and criticism from congressional Democrats, who accuse Mr. Trump of hollowing independent inspector general offices and retaliating against those that have exposed wrongdoing or missteps by his administration." Linick was investigating the role of Secretary of State Mike Pompeo played in the potential fast-tracking of an $8 billion sale of military equipment to Saudi Arabia, Linck was also checking on other issues such as whether Pompeo and his wife had a State Dept. staff member walk their dog, pick up dry cleaning and perform other personal work. 

 

  

Pompeo denies that the firing had anything to do with the investigation 

Pompeo had urged Trump to fire Linick last week and Trump quickly did so. Pompeo said he should have asked for his dismissal sooner but did not elaborate as to why. The appended video shows Pompeo defending his actions but does not give details about the reasons for his firing. Pompeo claimed: “There are claims that this was for retaliation for some investigation that the inspector general’s office here was engaged in. Patently false,” 

 

 US makes large arms sales to the Saudis 

 

 The Saudis are the number one buyer of weapons from the US and the largest importer of arms in the world. Between 2015 to 2019 the Saudis imported 73 percent of their arms from the US according to a report from the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute. Last March Trump praised the Saudis arms purchases from the US as he met with Crown Prince Mohammed and urged him to buy even more. Trump said at the time: “Saudi Arabia is a very wealthy nation, and they’re going to give the United States some of that wealth, hopefully, in the form of jobs, in the form of the purchase of the finest military equipment anywhere in the world." Critics of the sales point to the poor human rights record of the Saudis including their murder of the journalist Khashoggi as well as the US of the weapons in the war against the Houthi rebels in Yemen. The US Congress talked of placing some restrictions on exports to the Saudis in 2019 but deliveries continued throughout the year.

Previously published in the Digital Journal

GNA Libyan government forces take air base from warlord Haftar's Forces

(May 19)The internationally-recognized Libyan Government of National Accord (GNA) has captured the al-Wattiya airbase from Khalifa Haftar's forces the so-called Libyan National Army (LNA)

A major loss for Haftar 

  The base is huge and was key in launching LNA attacks on adjacent areas. It is one of the last key holdings the LNA had in the area as the GNA forces had dislodged the LNA from many towns along the coast west of Tripoli. Although there is still fighting in the area images show that the GNA controls the base itself. Although there are still LNA troops within shelling distance of Tripoli many of the LNA supply lines are now cut. Eventually the LNA area of control could be reduced to the east of the country if GNA successes continue. Although some backers of Haftar such as the UAE increased supplies they have so far not turned the tide against the GNA which is being helped by Turkey whose drone have been very effective in destroying LNA equipment including air defense systems sent from Russia. The al-Wattiya base had been under siege by GNA forces for about a week. Fayez al-Sarraj the head of the GNA said in a statement: "We proudly announce the liberation of Al-Watiya base," 140 kilometres (90 miles) southwest of Tripoli..Today's success is not the end of the battle but it brings us closer than ever to victory when all cities and regions will be liberated and the tyrannical bid threatening democracy (is) crushed."  

The attack Prior to the attack GNA forces had pounded the base from the air using drones provided by Turkey. They also bombarded the nearby town of Tarhuna. Analyst Hamish Kinnear said: "Once again, the GNA's advances were enabled by extensive Turkish military support." The drones were said to be supplied via the UAE. The GNA commander Mohamad Gammoudi claimed that the final attack on the base was launched at dawn on Monday with air support. The base was surrounded on three fronts. Gammoudi said his forces met little resistance except from a few armored vehicles which tried to slow his advance to allow Haftar forces to safely retreat. The base had been occupied by the LNA since 2014. Military forces claim that all Haftar's aircraft have now been destroyed in the battle fro Tripoli. This will place his troops at a distinct disadvantage as fighting continues.