Farr, Grijalva, Harkin Sign Bahrain Arms Deal Resolutions
\nPOMED – Novemebr 16, 2011<\/p>\n
Two additional cosponsors have been added to H.J. Res. 80, which calls for \u201climiting the issuance of a letter of offer with respect to a certain proposed sale of defense articles and defense services to the Kingdom of Bahrain,\u201d originally introduced by Rep. James McGovern (D-MA). The new cosponsors include Rep. Sam Farr (D-CA) and Rep. Raul M. Grijalva (D-AZ). Sen. Tom Harkin (D-IA) has also been signed onto H.J. Res. 80\u2032s companion resolution in the Senate S.J. Res. 28, introduced by Sen. Ron Wyden (D-OR).<\/p>\n
The resolution limits the proposed arms sale, requiring the Secretary of State to \u201ccertify to the Committee on Foreign Relations of the Senate and the Committee on Foreign Affairs of the House of Representatives\u201d that the Government of Bahrain \u201cis conducting good faith investigations and prosecutions of alleged perpetrators responsible for the killing, torture, arbitrary detention, and other human rights violations committed since February 2011,\u201d among other measures ensuring the Government of Bahrain\u2019s compliance with international human rights standards.<\/p>\n
Meanwhile, Isabel Coles argues that \u201cthe future of U.S. military support for Bahrain, starting with a $53 million arms deal now on the line, hinges on the findings of a human rights investigation into the Gulf kingdom\u2019s handling of popular protests earlier this year.\u201d Some fear that while the BICI report, due on November 23, may serve as a \u201cspringboard for reform,\u201d the report will not present a \u201cstrategic solution to the issue to prevent the recurrence of these problems\u201d in the form of a renewed . …more<\/a><\/p>\n