Special to WorldTribune.com

WASHINGTON — President Barack Obama, in a move that could affect
Middle East allies, has trimmed oversight by Congress of weapons exports.

Congressional leaders said the Obama administration has reduced House
and Senate oversight over proposed U.S. arms sales.

They said the White House was virtually eliminating the consultation process with Congress before formally proposing weapons exports.

“We must retain a framework for consultations so that Congress’ views and concerns are addressed,” Senate Foreign Relations Committee chairman John Kerry said.

For decades, Congress was notified informally of major arms sales and often held negotiations that revised such projects. In some cases,
particularly in the Middle East, reservations by House and Senate leaders led to a significant reduction in the sale of weapons to such countries as Egypt and Saudi Arabia.

“The only recourse for us will be to formally introduce joint
resolutions of disapproval on many more sales,” said an April 3 letter to Secretary of State Hillary Clinton signed by Sen. Richard Lugar, House
Foreign Affairs Committee chairwoman Rep. Ileana Ros-Lehtinen and the
ranking Democrat, Rep. Howard Berman.

Lugar warned that the administration’s new policy could harm Israel.

Lugar, the ranking Republican on the Senate Foreign Relations Committee,
raised a scenario in which the White House would reach agreement for a major
weapons sale to a neighboring Arab state or other adversary.

“Should Congress have doubts about a proposed sale to one of Israel’s
potential adversaries, legislators would have diminished leverage to get
their questions answered or to block consideration of the deal if the
president is determined to force it through,” Lugar wrote in the Washington
Times newspaper.

Officials acknowledged that Congress would lose oversight authority over
proposed U.S. weapons deals. But they said several administrations already
concluded that Congress was holding up important defense contracts with a
range of U.S. allies, including Egypt, Saudi Arabia, Turkey and the United
Arab Emirates.

“In this economy, we can’t allow a situation where a major client like
Saudi Arabia walks away from us and spends billions of dollars with another
supplier,” an official said.

Pro-Israel lobbyists have expressed concern over the administration
policy. They said the denial of congressional oversight could signal a
massive U.S. armament of a range of Israeli adversaries, particularly Egypt.

“Congress plays a vital role in vetting arms sales to foreign nations
through appropriate concern for regional military balances, human rights,
corruption abroad and, most importantly, experienced consideration of
America’s national security interests,” Jewish Institute for National
Security Affairs executive director Larry Greenfield said in a statement.

  Barack Obama, Jewish Institute for National Security Affairs, Obama policy reduces Congressional oversight over weapons exports, oversight authority of Congress, Rep. Howard Berman, Rep. Ileana Ros-Lehtinen, Sen. John Kerry, Sen. Richard Lugar