President Biden on Thursday announced the end of US support for offensive operations in the Saudi-led war in Yemen.
“This war has to end,” said Biden during a speech at the State Department. “And to underscore our commitment, we are ending all American support for offensive operations in the war in Yemen, including sales of relevant weapons.”
Biden also confirmed that he appointed veteran diplomat Timothy Lenderking as his special envoy to Yemen, saying that Lenderking will work with the United Nations and “all parties to the conflict to press for a diplomatic resolution”.
Biden’s announcement will not affect US military operations against Yemen’s al Qaeda affiliate because these are “actions we have undertaken to protect the homeland and American interests in the region and our allies and partners”, national security adviser Jake Sullivan
Jake SullivanOvernight Defense: Biden announces end of US support for offensive operations in Yemen | Pentagon calls for wearing a mask inside and outside the house | Military deaths of COVID increasing Biden: USA taking ‘urgent’ steps to improve cybersecurity Biden condemns Navalny prison in Russia MORE said before Biden’s speech.
In choosing to end support for offensive operations in Yemen, Biden took a step towards fulfilling a campaign promise to review the United States’ relationship with Saudi Arabia, which at one point he described as a “pariah” state.
But Biden also emphasized on Thursday that the United States will continue to defend Saudi Arabia against attacks.
“Saudi Arabia faces missile attacks, [drone] attacks and other threats from Iranian forces supplied in several countries, ”said Biden. “We will continue to support and help Saudi Arabia to defend its sovereignty and territorial integrity and its people.”
The United States has provided logistical and military support to a military coalition led by Saudi Arabia in the Yemen civil war, as well as billions of dollars in arms sales. Last week, the State Department announced that it was pausing and reviewing arms sales to the Saudis, as well as to the United Arab Emirates (United Arab Emirates).
Officials in Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates, who are also part of the Yemeni coalition, were notified of Biden’s decision to end support for offensive operations, said Sullivan.
“We are following a policy of no surprises when it comes to this type of action, so that they understand that this is happening and understand our reasoning and reasoning,” he said.
Support for the Saudi coalition began during the Obama administration, when the government sought to repair ties after the Saudi opposition to the nuclear deal with Iran. The coalition is fighting against Houthi rebels who, according to American officials, receive arms and other support from Iran.
But opposition to US support for the war has increased as thousands of civilians have been killed in Saudi bombings. The United Nations has also warned that Yemen is on the verge of widespread catastrophic famine.
U.S. lawmakers in both parties have also increasingly opposed support for the Saudis after the death of American journalist Jamal Khashoggi in 2018.
The Trump administration ended air refueling of Saudi jets by the United States Armed Forces in the midst of growing opposition, but in other ways it increased support for the Saudis, which it considered critical for its “maximum pressure” campaign against Iran.
Old President Trump
Donald TrumpSenator of the GP warns that his party must decide between ‘conservatism and madness’ Pompeo scolds Biden’s new foreign policy. Here are the 11 Republicans who voted to remove Greene from House MORE committees promoted a $ 8.1 billion arms sale to the Saudis in 2019, due to Congressional opposition, invoking “emergency” officials, citing alleged threats from Iran.
The Trump administration also approved two more sales of precision-guided bombs to the Saudis in the final weeks of his presidency.
In another action towards the end of Trump’s term, the government officially designated the Houthis as terrorists, a movement that humanitarian groups have warned will worsen the crisis in Yemen by preventing the necessary aid from being sent to areas under Houthi control.
The Biden government said it is reviewing the designation, and in the meantime, the Treasury Department has approved a license to allow all transactions with the Houthis, despite the designation.
Longtime opponents of the war in Yemen welcomed Biden’s decision on Thursday to end support for offensive operations, but stressed that it should be just a first step.
“Today marks the beginning of a new era in our foreign policy – one that prioritizes human rights and diplomatic solutions,” Rep. Ro Khanna
Rohit (Ro) KhannaOvernight Defense: Biden announces end of US support for offensive operations in Yemen | Pentagon orders use of mask inside and outside the house | Increase in COVID deaths from military Biden announces end of US support for offensive operations in Yemen. Democrats offer bill to provide tax breaks for unemployment beneficiaries MORE (D-Calif.) Said in a statement.
“In addition to ending US military, logistical and intelligence support for the Saudi coalition, the United States must cease involvement in the de facto Saudi-led blockade of Yemen, which helped push millions of Yemenis to the brink of starvation,” added Khanna. “We must also quickly and fully reverse the reckless designation of the Houthis by the Trump administration as a foreign terrorist organization. It is essential that we ensure that Yemeni civilians have access to food, medicine, fuel and other needs on which they depend ”.
—Updated at 15:33