Tyler Durden @ The Ron Paul Institute reports that 5 Democrat Senators joined with most Republicans to defeat a bill by Sen. Rand Paul and Sen. Chris Murphy to stop US sales of high tech weapons to Saudi Arabia. Mr. Durden notes that 4 Republicans voted with most Democrats to block the sales, but the bill failed with 53 voting against it and 47 Senators supporting the ban on weapons sales.

Despite the failure, Politico notes that Paul and Murphy fared better on Tuesday than they did last year in a similar effort to block a Saudi arms sale under former President Barack Obama, thanks entirely to new Democratic supporters: it’s curious how ideology changes one’s outlook on lethal weaponry.

“Regardless of whether the number is 48 or 51 or 45” in favor of blocking the deals, Murphy told reporters before the vote, “this is an important message to the Saudis that we are all watching. And if they continue to target civilians and they continue to stop humanitarian aid from getting into Yemen, this vote will continue to go in the wrong direction for them.”

Paul said after the vote that he and Murphy would discuss possible future attempts to block Trump’s arms deals to Riyadh, warning that senators are growing more concerned about the civilian toll in a Yemen conflict that is pitting Saudi-backed government forces against rebel factions reportedly supported by Iran.

Full post by Tyler Durden @ Ron Paul Institute http://www.ronpaulinstitute.org/archives/peace-and-prosperity/2017/june/13/five-democrat-votes-allow-trumps-saudi-weapons-deal-to-clear-senate/