Pompeo: US reviewing arms sale to UAE

Secretary of State Mike Pompeo on Monday said the U.S. is reviewing arms sales to the United Arab Emirates as he also ensured that Israel will maintain a military advantage in the Middle East under any future U.S. arms deals with the UAE. 

Pompeo, speaking alongside Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, said the U.S. has a “20-plus year security relationship with the United Arab Emirates as well.” 

“We will now continue to review that process to continue to make sure that we’re delivering them with the equipment that they need,” Pompeo said, according to Bloomberg. “We’ll do it in a way that preserves our commitment to Israel as well, I’m confident that both of these objectives can be achieved.”

He also assured Israel that it will maintain its military advantage. 

“The United States has a legal requirement with respect to qualitative military edge. We will continue to honor that,” Pompeo told reporters after a meeting with Netanyahu, according to Reuters. 

The commitment follows the announcement from President Trump earlier this month that he is helping to support the full normalization of ties between Israel and the UAE. The move was part of the Trump administration’s efforts to shore up support against Iran.