US-Saudi arms sales: Who has more leverage?

Arms sales to Saudi Arabia give Trump all the leverage he needs in Khashoggi affair [Click here to view this message in your web-browser](. Edition: US 19 October 2018 [The Conversation]( Academic rigor, journalistic flair Editor's note Yesterday President Donald Trump admitted he believes Saudi Arabian journalist Jamal Khashoggi is dead. “That’s based on everything — intelligence coming from every side,” the president said, according to The New York Times. But earlier this week, Trump claimed that he can’t threaten to stop selling Saudi Arabia U.S. tanks and warplanes because it would be like “punishing ourselves.” Trump’s analysis is flat wrong, argues Terrence Guay, an expert on the global defense industry at Pennsylvania State University. In fact, he explains, the [U.S. has far more leverage]( than Trump realizes. As communities in the South assess the damage from hurricanes Florence and Matthew, some may decide to buy and raze homes that have been damaged repeatedly by floods. Paying people to move out of harm’s way is an important tool for reducing risk, but when lawyer and scientist A.R. Siders reviewed past buyouts, she found that [they took a long time and didn’t always make people safer](. And a new survey of young people done by the CIRCLE center at Tufts shows that Generation Z is extremely cynical about politics, but still may turn out to [vote in the midterms in greater numbers than expected](. Bryan Keogh Economics + Business Editor Top stories American-made F-15 warplanes fly over Riyadh. AP Photo/Hassan Ammar [Arms sales to Saudi Arabia give Trump all the leverage he needs in Khashoggi affair]( Terrence Guay, Pennsylvania State University Trump claimed that 'we would be punishing ourselves' by using US arms sales to Saudi Arabia as a bargaining chip over the disappearance of Khashoggi. A look at the arms trade shows why he's wrong. Devastation from Hurricane Michael in Mexico Beach, Florida, Oct. 12, 2018. Residents whose homes have suffered major damage in multiple storms could eventually be offered buyouts, but the process can take several years. AP Photo/Gerald Herbert [Government-funded buyouts after disasters are slow and inequitable – here’s how that could change]( A.R. Siders, Harvard University Government agencies spend millions of dollars yearly to buy and demolish homes sited in floodplains. But the program is slow, cumbersome and doesn't always help those who need it most. National School Walkout to honor Parkland victims. Reuters/Rick Wilking [Generation Z voters could make waves in 2018 midterm elections]( Kei Kawashima-Ginsberg, Tufts University A survey shows the newest generation on the voting block is extremely cynical, and that's actually driving high levels of political engagement. 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Understanding this matters]( Yu-Shan Wu, University of the Witwatersrand; Chris Alden, London School of Economics and Political Science; Cobus van Staden, South African Institute of International Affairs Not enough credit is given to the agency African governments have in their dealings with China. - [Should vegans avoid avocados and almonds?]( Dominic Wilkinson, University of Oxford You have to draw an ethical line somewhere so if you were vegan, would you still eat avocados? - [Time and money – the biggest hurdles to healthy eating]( Tiff-Annie Kenny, University of Ottawa Although nutritious, inexpensive food options do exist for low-income Canadians, whether those foods are easily accessible or feasible has long evaded both nutrition researchers and politicians. Today’s quote [Burying power lines, also called undergrounding, is expensive, requires the involvement of many stakeholders and might not solve the problem [of disrupted electrical service] at all.]( [Why doesn't the U.S. bury its power lines?]( Theodore J. Kury University of Florida [Theodore J. Kury] [The Conversation is a non-profit and your donation is tax-deductible. Help support knowledge-based, ethical journalism today.]( [Follow us on Twitter.]( [Join us on Facebook.]( You’re receiving this newsletter from [The Conversation](. Not interested anymore? [Unsubscribe instantly](. We’ll miss you. 89 South Street - Suite 202 Boston, MA 02111