Five things to know about Biden’s move to Yemen

Five things to know about Biden’s move to Yemen

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President Biden’s announcement this week that he is ending US support for offensive operations in Yemen’s civil war was his first major foreign policy move in office.

Coupled with a commitment to support a stronger diplomatic resolution and ensure delivery of humanitarian assistance, the decision fulfilled an important campaign promise and was well received by foreign allies, human rights groups and legislators on both sides.

But it also affects the US’s delicate alliances with Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates and their fight against Iran’s hutile separatists, supported by Iran. The Gulf countries are the main US security partners in the region, but are regularly criticized for having committed human rights abuses.

Here are five things you should know about the president’s decision on Yemen:

1. The move received support in Washington and abroad

Biden’s appeal is seen as a common-sense action that has broad bipartisan support and appeals to the American public.

But he also highlighted the main priorities he sought to emphasize as central to his goals of bringing the United States back to the world stage, with a focus on human rights and emphasizing diplomacy to resolve conflicts.

Biden made the announcement on Thursday as part of comments defining his government’s foreign policy approach, saying the US would end support for offensive operations led by a Saudi Arabian-led coalition against the Houthis in northern Yemen and would interrupt any relevant arms sales that were promoted until the end of the Trump administration.

This includes an end to the launch of precision-guided missiles and the sharing and cooperation of US intelligence, which critics say has implicated the US in civilian casualties that Riyadh was not careful to avoid.

Still, the president made it clear in his statement that the United States supports Saudi Arabia’s right to defend itself from attacks launched from Houthi-controlled territory in Yemen and will continue U.S. military operations aimed at al Qaeda operations in the Arabian Peninsula.

“I commend the president’s announcement to end US unconstitutional support for the war in Yemen,” tweeted the Sen. Mike LeeMichael (Mike) Shumway LeeHarris takes the first tiebreaker votes as Senate Democratic vice presidents pass budget resolution, introducing bill against coronavirus ENERGY OF THE NIGHT: Senate Committee advances Granholm’s appointment to lead Energy | EPA nominee Regan promises ‘urgency’ on climate change at confirmation hearing | Omar asks Biden to block the pipeline being built in Minnesota MORE (R-Utah), which co-sponsored a bipartisan resolution to end US support for the war that was vetoed by former President TrumpDonald TrumpChamber of Commerce is coming out: reports that Fox News Media cancels Lou Dobbs show. Republican Party lawmakers are calling for Pelosi to be fined for new exhibitions. MORE.

Sen. Democrat Robert MenendezRobert (Bob) MenendezSenate’s panel advances Biden’s choice for United Nations ambassador to the United States joins the international condemnation of the military coup in Myanmar Biden reignites immigration fight in Congress MORE (NJ), chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, gave his blessing, tweeting, “I also fully support the decision to end support for Saudi Arabia’s offensive military operations in Yemen.”

And the United Nations praised Biden’s appointment as a special envoy to Yemen and his commitment to “intensify” US diplomatic involvement to end the war.

2. Biden chose veteran Middle Eastern diplomat Timothy Lenderking to promote diplomacy

Lenderking’s appointment as a US special envoy to Yemen signals how highly the government is prioritizing efforts to support the United Nations-led process to find a diplomatic resolution to the civil war of more than six years.

His appointment was welcomed by Saudi Arabia, with its Foreign Ministry issuing a statement of support, as well as by Ahmed Awa Bin Mubarak, Foreign Minister of the internationally recognized Yemeni government, who said the two had already spoken by phone.

The choice of Lenderking was also seen as an effort to promote the experienced career professionals in the diplomatic corps who were marginalized during the Trump administration.

Most recently, he served as Deputy Under Secretary of State for Arabian Peninsula Affairs at the Middle East Bureau under the Trump administration and is a career foreign service officer with positions in Saudi Arabia, Iraq, Kuwait and Morocco among his experiences.

“The loan is an important and predictable sign,” said Dave Harden, managing director of the Georgetown Strategy Group and a veteran of the State Department, where he focused on Yemen.

“He has been working as an assistant deputy secretary for years and knows this case very well. Now he has the profile and profile of President Biden and the Secretary of State Antony BlinkenAntony BlinkenBlinken gives the first connection with the Chinese counterpart in the USA. Plans to revoke the terrorist designation for rebels Houthi Blinken picks up the phone to form alliances – except with most Gulf countries. “

3. Biden is removing the Trump administration’s Houthi terrorist designation

The State Department is moving forward in reversing a last-minute decision by the Trump administration to label the Houthis a terrorist organization amid protests by human rights groups and the United Nations that the measure was a death sentence for Yemeni civilians .

These groups have warned that the Houthi designation is frightening commercial importers essential to the continued flow of essential products that help to alleviate the humanitarian crisis, for fear of coming into conflict with American sanctions.

The Biden government issued a special license through the Treasury Department to guarantee delivery of these critical imports, but the exception ends on February 26.

The Director of the Norwegian Refugee Council in Yemen, Mohamed Abdi, responded to the move by saying it is a “welcome” decision that will help prevent “catastrophic humanitarian consequences” and allow for the continued delivery of food, fuel and medicines.

“This is a sigh of relief and a victory for the Yemeni people, and a strong message from the United States that they are putting Yemen’s interests first,” he said in a statement.

4. Calls are growing for the US to get tougher on Saudi Arabia

The relationship between the United States and Saudi Arabia has been under intense scrutiny in recent years due to the murder and dismemberment of Saudi journalist Jamal Khashoggi in 2018, believed to have been ordered by Saudi Crown Prince Mohamed Bin Salman; Suppression of Riyadh and imprisonment of political dissidents at home; and its role in the terrible humanitarian crisis in Yemen.

Elisa Catalano Ewers, senior research associate at the Center for New American Security, said the Yemeni decision makes it clear that the Biden government is following its “principled foreign policy instincts” and showing a willingness to have tough and honest talks.

“The new team is signaling that it will evaluate the entire relationship, which is deep and complex, and evaluate the issues on their merits, be clear about them and, ultimately, compare them with what is of strategic interest to the U.S., ” she said.

Democratic lawmakers are increasingly asking the Biden government to start dealing with other wrongdoings by Riyadh.

Sen. Chris MurphyChristopher (Chris) Scott MurphyWhy school nurses are vital to end the school pipeline for prison Harris casts first tiebreaker votes as vice president Finding common ground to stop the next pandemic MORE (D-Conn.), A member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, called for a “reinitialization” of US-Gulf relations as part of efforts to deal with Saudi Arabia’s human rights allegations.

And democratic Oregon Sens. Ron WydenRonald (Ron) Lee WydenHouse approves budget resolution for the COVID-19 Warren package to join the finance panel overseeing taxes, health Democrats offer resolution denouncing white supremacists before Trump’s trial MORE and Jeff MerkleyJeff Merkley Bipartisan group discussing change in Senate Biden rules expands Obama’s ethical promise. Biden signs executive order invoking 2-year ban on lobbying for nominees MORE they ask the government to hold Saudi Arabia accountable for its efforts to help its citizens accused of crimes in the United States to flee the country to avoid justice.

5. People are questioning the role of the UAE

Biden said in his announcement that the United States would end “sales of relevant weapons” that contribute to the offensive in Yemen, ending the delivery of precision-guided missiles to Saudi Arabia, but did not directly address whether arms sales to the UAE are included.

The government had previously halted an arms transfer to the United Arab Emirates initiated by the Trump administration, with the State Department saying the sale is being analyzed.

But the United States and the United Arab Emirates are key partners in Yemen’s counterterrorism offensive against Al Qaeda, which Biden, in his comments on Thursday, pledged to continue supporting.

“This is an important area where the interests of the United States and the United Arab Emirates overlap,” said Catalano Ewers

Amnesty International called for the blocking of “all arms sales to the United Arab Emirates and Saudi Arabia”, “so that they are not used to commit further war crimes in Yemen”.

Justin Russell, chief director of the New York Foreign Policy Affairs Center, which sued the government to suspend arms sales to the United Arab Emirates, said his team is “cautiously optimistic” that the Biden government will continue ” end of US support for UAE actions and relevant arms sales. ”

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