German Military Support for Saudi Arabia Causes Anger in Opposition

German Military Support for Saudi Arabia Causes Anger in Opposition
Sat Dec 10, 2016 20:02:18

The German opposition has condemned government plans to offer support to Saudi Arabian military forces, equating such aid with sponsorship of terrorism.

German Defense Minister Ursula von der Leyen discussed “cooperation in the training sector” with her Saudi counterpart, deputy crown prince Mohammed bin Salman, in Riyadh on Thursday, according to the Germany Embassy in the Saudi capital; Press TV reported.

“Beginning from next year, the German Defense College will host several young officers and staff from the Saudi military,” the diplomatic mission said.

Germany’s Left Party and the Greens called the prospect into serious question by pointing to Saudi Arabia’s deadly war on Yemen.

Sevim Dagdelen, the spokesman for the Left Party, said, “Saudi Arabia leads a brutal war in Yemen and is among the most important supporters” of extremists in Syria.

“The terrorist aid from Germany must finally be stopped,” he said.

Omid Nouripour, a foreign policy spokesman for the Greens, also said, “We must prevent the Saudis from bombing the civilian infrastructure in the country (Yemen).”
“There are 370,000 seriously under-nourished children in Yemen due to the consequences of the [Saudi] war,” he said.

Saudi Arabia started the war on Yemen in March 2015 to reinstall Yemen’s former government headed by Abd Rabbuh Mansur Hadi, a dedicated Riyadh ally who has resigned. The offensive has killed thousands and displaced millions across the impoverished country.

During her meeting with the Saudi defense minister, Leyen, the German defense chief, described German-Saudi relations as “excellent” and called Riyadh Germany’s “central partner in the region.”

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