Democrats join hands with Republican Rand to oppose Saudi arms deal

Senate Democrats are joining hands with Republican Senator Rand Paul of Kentucky to oppose a segment of U.S. President Donald Trump's arms deal with Saudi Arabia.

Democratic Senator Chuck Schumer on Monday said he supported the resolution put forth by Rand Paul.

Democratic Senators Chris Murphy of Connecticut and Al Franken of Minnesota would block the sale of USD 510 million of precision-guided ammunition to Saudi Arabia, CNN reports.

According to reports, Paul and Murphy are expected to force a vote on their resolution plausible under Senate rules for arms sales by Tuesday.

Schumer, in a statement, said that he supports Murphy's resolution of disapproval.

He condemned the Saudi Arabia Government for aiding terrorism via its relationship with Wahhabism and the funding of schools that spread extremist propaganda throughout the world.

Maryland Senator Ben Cardin, the top Democrat on the Senate Foreign Relations Committee spoke against the ammunition sale to Saudi Arabia, saying the Trump administration's decision to sell weapons to Saudi Arabia instead of trying to find a solution to the civil war in Yemen where the Saudi-led coalition is accused of bombing civilians.

Earlier in May, the White House announced that the United States has sealed an arms deal worth USD 350 billion with Saudi Arabia, when President Trump began an official visit to the Muslim-majority nation.

The agreement, which will take effect immediately, was hailed by the White House as "a significant expansion of the security relationship" between the two countries.