Trump administration drops human rights in Bahrain F-16 deal

[spanone]

yea, that human rights shit gets in the way of money....

The Trump administration has told Congress it plans to approve a multibillion-dollar sale of F-16 fighter jets to Bahrain without the human rights conditions imposed by the State Department under President Barack Obama.

If finalized, the approval would allow the Gulf island to purchase 19 of the jets from Maryland-based Lockheed Martin Corp., plus improvements to other jets in Bahrain's fleet. Though Congress has opportunities to block the sale, it is unlikely it will act to do so, given the Republican majority's strong support for the sale.

The decision is the latest signal that the Trump administration is prioritizing support for Sunni-led countries seen as critical to opposing Iran's influence in the Mideast over human rights issues that Obama had elevated.

Bahrain, home to the U.S. Navy's 5th Fleet and an under-construction British naval base, is a predominantly Shiite island off the coast of Saudi Arabia ruled by a Sunni monarchy. Government forces, with help from U.S. allies Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates, crushed the 2011 uprising by Shiites and others who sought more political power.

http://abcnews.go.com/International/wireStory/trump-administration-drops-human-rights-bahrain-16-deal-46460897

[Hortensis]

1. Profiteering rules all. Choosing Tillerson as SoS was

a huge initial indicator--not that one was needed, of course. But Tillerson's Exxon always ignores all atrocities and tragedies that don't affect their business projects; and of course, the profits to foreign governments that Exxon contract can depend on keeping Exxon's operations free from interference.