Tillerson Dropping Human Rights Conditions on Sale of F-16s to Bahrain
March 30 2017 - 1:09PM
Dow Jones News
By Felicia Schwartz and Doug Cameron
WASHINGTON -- A major U.S. arms sale to the Gulf Arab nation of
Bahrain has cleared a major hurdle with a decision by the State
Department to drop Obama-era human rights preconditions,
congressional officials said.
The State Department told Congress on Wednesday that the Trump
administration supports the sale of up to 19 F-16 jet fighters
valued at about $3 billion without requiring that Bahrain first
demonstrate improvements on human rights issues. The sale would add
to the country's existing fleet of 16 operational jets and four
training versions.
The notice to lawmakers begins the first phase of a
congressional review process, and precedes a formal notification by
the State Department, which declined to comment on the pending
sale.
Secretary of State Rex Tillerson's support of the deal without
preconditions reverses rules attached to the deal by the Obama
administration, which told Congress last year it would support the
sale but require Bahrain to first show human rights
improvements.
That condition was instituted as the country's ruling Sunni
monarchy has cracked down on opposition groups representing the
country's Shiite majority.
The reversal of the human rights requirements comes as the Trump
administration pushes to more actively confront destabilizing
Iranian behavior across the Middle East.
Micah Johnson, a spokeswoman for the Senate Foreign Relations
Committee, said Congress received the notification from the State
Department on Wednesday.
The committee's chairman, Sen. Bob Corker (R., Tenn.) agreed in
a statement with the Trump administration move.
"This type of conditionality would be unprecedented and
counterproductive to maintaining security cooperation and
ultimately addressing human rights issues," Mr. Corker said. "There
are more effective ways to seek changes in partner policies than
publicly conditioning weapons transfers in this manner."
Human rights groups criticized the Trump administration's move
and said the preconditions should remain in place.
"At a moment when Bahrain is in the middle of an intensified
crackdown, removing the conditions attached to the F-16 sale will
validate hard-liners in the government who want to completely
silence dissent and walk away from commitments on reform. Congress
should use its authority to correct course and, unless the
conditions remain, block the sale," said Sarah Margon, Washington
Director at Human Rights First.
Others said the deal has global ramifications.
"This deal sends a dangerous signal to Bahrain and all other
countries that engage in serious human rights violations," said
Sunjeev Bery, an advocacy director with Amnesty International
USA.
Bahrain, home to the U.S. Navy's 5th Fleet, is a key ally in the
U.S.-led coalition against Islamic State. Its Sunni leaders see
Iran as a primary threat and are eager to work with the Trump
administration to push back against Tehran's regional
influence.
Mr. Tillerson earlier this month drew criticism for not
personally presenting the State Department's annual human rights
report, which faulted Bahrain for limiting citizens' abilities to
peacefully choose their government as well as for restrictive
policies on free speech, assembly and association.
The Bahrain sale also would extend production by Lockheed Martin
Corp. of the F-16, with the last of the company's existing order
book due to be delivered from its Fort Worth, Texas factory in the
fall. The last U.S. order for the jet came in 1999, but it has
continued to build them for allies, including Iraq.
Lockheed has said the Bahrain deal would extend output for about
a year, and it plans to move production to Greenville, S.C. to make
room for building more F-35 jets in Texas. It also is considering a
potential move of the F-16 line to India at a later time in a bid
to win a potential deal from that country involving 100 or more
planes.
Write to Felicia Schwartz at Felicia.Schwartz@wsj.com and Doug
Cameron at doug.cameron@wsj.com
(END) Dow Jones Newswires
March 30, 2017 12:54 ET (16:54 GMT)
Copyright (c) 2017 Dow Jones & Company, Inc.
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