Dismay as Trump Vetoes Bill to End US Support for War in Yemen
ANGLO AMERICA, MILITARISM, MIDDLE EAST AND NORTH AFRICA, 22 Apr 2019
Politicians decry Trump’s decision to continue US involvement in it as a cynical move and missed opportunity for humanitarian help.
17 Apr 2019 – Donald Trump has vetoed a bill passed by Congress to end US military assistance in Saudi Arabia’s war in Yemen.
The Senate had passed a bipartisan resolution on 13 March in a 54-to-46 vote, in a move that was largely seen as a rebuke of Trump’s alliance with the Saudi forces leading military action in Yemen. The House voted on the resolution in early April, passing it with 247 votes to 175.
“This resolution is an unnecessary, dangerous attempt to weaken my constitutional authorities, endangering the lives of American citizens and brave service members, both today and in the future,” Trump wrote in explaining his veto.
The US provides billions of dollars of arms to the Saudi-led coalition fighting against Iran-backed rebels in Yemen.
But as the war drags on, members of Congress have expressed concern about the thousands of civilians killed in coalition airstrikes since the conflict began in 2014.
Trump’s veto, the second of his presidency, led to outpourings of dismay from politicians and NGOs. Nancy Pelosi, the Democratic speaker of the House of Representatives, called on him to “put peace before politics”. She called the Yemen conflict a “horrific humanitarian crisis that challenges the conscience of the entire world” and decried Trump’s decision to continue US involvement in it as a cynical move.
Senator Bernie Sanders, who sponsored the bill in the Senate, said: “I am disappointed, but not surprised, that Trump has rejected the bipartisan resolution to end US involvement in the horrific war in Yemen. The people of Yemen desperately need humanitarian help, not more bombs.”
The California congressman Ro Khanna, a Democrat, added: “From a president elected on the promise of putting a stop to our endless wars, this veto is a painful missed opportunity.” Khanna argued the bill marked a step forward, despite the veto. “It sends a clear signal to the Saudis that they need to lift their blockade and allow humanitarian assistance into Yemen if they care about their relationship with Congress,” Khanna said.
The fighting in the Arab world’s poorest country has left millions suffering from shortages of food and medical care and has pushed the country to the brink of famine.
David Miliband, the former British foreign secretary who now heads the International Rescue Committee, denounced the veto as “morally wrong and strategically wrongheaded”. In a statement he said Yemen was at “breaking point with 10m people on the brink of famine”.
Oxfam America said the veto would not stop the campaign to end US support for the Saudi military action. “America stands with Yemen. This fight is far from over,” the global humanitarian aid group said in a tweet.
Many lawmakers have grown uneasy with Trump’s close relationship with Saudi Arabia.
Lawmakers criticized the president for failing to condemn the country for the killing of Jamal Khashoggi, a Saudi journalist who lived in the United States and had written critically about the kingdom. Khashoggi entered the Saudi consulate in Istanbul last October and never came out. Intelligence agencies said the Saudi crown prince, Mohammed bin Salman, was complicit in the killing.
Go to Original – theguardian.com
Tags: Conflict, Human Rights, International Law, International Relations, Israel, Middle East, Military, NATO, Politics, Power, Saudi Arabia, UAE, UN, USA, Violence, War, Yemen
DISCLAIMER: The statements, views and opinions expressed in pieces republished here are solely those of the authors and do not necessarily represent those of TMS. In accordance with title 17 U.S.C. section 107, this material is distributed without profit to those who have expressed a prior interest in receiving the included information for research and educational purposes. TMS has no affiliation whatsoever with the originator of this article nor is TMS endorsed or sponsored by the originator. “GO TO ORIGINAL” links are provided as a convenience to our readers and allow for verification of authenticity. However, as originating pages are often updated by their originating host sites, the versions posted may not match the versions our readers view when clicking the “GO TO ORIGINAL” links. This site contains copyrighted material the use of which has not always been specifically authorized by the copyright owner. We are making such material available in our efforts to advance understanding of environmental, political, human rights, economic, democracy, scientific, and social justice issues, etc. We believe this constitutes a ‘fair use’ of any such copyrighted material as provided for in section 107 of the US Copyright Law. In accordance with Title 17 U.S.C. Section 107, the material on this site is distributed without profit to those who have expressed a prior interest in receiving the included information for research and educational purposes. For more information go to: http://www.law.cornell.edu/uscode/17/107.shtml. If you wish to use copyrighted material from this site for purposes of your own that go beyond ‘fair use’, you must obtain permission from the copyright owner.
One Response to “Dismay as Trump Vetoes Bill to End US Support for War in Yemen”
Read more
Click here to go to the current weekly digest or pick another article:
ANGLO AMERICA:
- Syria Is Absorbed into the US Empire
- In Syria’s Dirty War, “Our Side” Has Won
- The United States Raises a Middle Finger to the International Criminal Court
MILITARISM:
- Lame Duck Biden Authorizes Ukrainian Attacks on Russia with Long-range US-made Weapons
- On Democracy NOW!--A Tale of Two Ongoing Genocides in Israel and Myanmar
- Thomas Merton on US Militarism
MIDDLE EAST AND NORTH AFRICA:
Sorry, but the Sycophant (known as the Guardian but undeserved) is following its pathetic pretence of caring for people in desperate need, and is not doing anything positive to help.