Yemen: Congress passes bill to end US involvement in conflict
Trump widely expected to veto ‘flawed’ bipartisan resolution that is being seen as rebuke to Saudi Arabia
The US Congress has passed a resolution to halt the country’s involvement in the brutal civil war in Yemen, setting up a confrontation with Donald Trump.
The House of Representatives voted 247 to 175 on Thursday to approve a bill that directs the president “to remove United States Armed Forces from hostilities in or affecting the Republic of Yemen” within 30 days.
Washington’s role in the conflict has been highly controversial, with the US supplying funds and weapons to Saudi Arabia. The United Nations has accused Saudi Arabia of multiple war crimes in neighbouring Yemen, where the kingdom has backed pro-government forces battling Houthi rebels.
Subscribe to The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.
Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
A total of 16 Republican members of the US House broke ranks and joined Democrats in voting for the resolution this week. The passing of the Bill marks the first time Congress has invoked the 1973 War Powers Act to curb the executive’s power to take the country into a conflict without congressional approval.
The Senate passed the resolution in March by a vote of 54 to 46.
The New York Times says that by also backing the move, Congress is “sending President Trump a pointed rebuke over his continued defence of the kingdom after the killing of a dissident journalist, Jamal Khashoggi”.
But Trump, who has failed to condemn Saudi Arabia over the killing, is widely expected to veto the resolution and prevent its enactment.
If the executive branch goes ahead with a veto, Congress does not appear to have the two-thirds majority needed to override that rejection, says Georgia-based newspaper the Atlanta Journal-Constitution.
Paris-based news network France24 reports that the White House has called the resolution “flawed”, claiming that it could “harm bilateral relations in the region”, including with Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman.
The Pentagon provides only “limited support to member countries of the Saudi-led coalition”, the White House added in a statement.
But critics argue that the US has played a critical role in the war in Yemen, providing troops, arms and intelligence to Saudi forces fighting in the country. Tens of thousands of civilians have died in the conflict.
The Guardian reports that under “intense public and congressional pressure”, the Pentagon stopped providing aerial refuelling in November for Saudi warplanes. Since then, US involvement in the conflict has mainly comprised providing intelligence support for the coalition, the newspaper adds.
Independent senator Bernie Sanders, one of the Bill’s sponsors during its passing in the Senate, said the resolution provided an “opportunity to take a major step forward in ending the horrific war in Yemen and alleviating that terrible, terrible suffering being experienced by the people in one of the poorest countries in the world”.
“Today we took a clear stand against war and famine and for Congress's war powers,” he added.
House Foreign Affairs Committee chairman Eliot Engel told the chamber: “The president will have to face the reality that Congress is no longer going to ignore its constitutional obligations with regard to foreign policy.”
Given the substantial bipartisan support for the resolution, experts believe that a veto from Trump is a risky move ahead of the 2020 presidential elections.
“If Trump vetoes the resolution, he will likely have to seek re-election against a Democratic rival who has taken a less interventionist stance in at least one conflict, in contrast to 2016, when he positioned himself as the anti-war candidate against a Democrat with a very hawkish record,” Conor Friedersdorf writes in The Atlantic.
Create an account with the same email registered to your subscription to unlock access.
Sign up for Today's Best Articles in your inbox
A free daily email with the biggest news stories of the day – and the best features from TheWeek.com
-
What is NASA working on?
In Depth A running list of the space agency's most exciting developments
By Devika Rao, The Week US Published
-
'Presidential debates are more performance art than actual ways to inform'
Instant Opinion Opinion, comment and editorials of the day
By Harold Maass, The Week US Published
-
Musk clears Tesla self-driving hurdle in China
Speed Read The Tesla CEO won China's approval to introduce Full Self-Driving (FSD) cars
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published
-
'Presidential debates are more performance art than actual ways to inform'
Instant Opinion Opinion, comment and editorials of the day
By Harold Maass, The Week US Published
-
Trump, DeSantis meet for first time since primary
Speed Read The former president and the Florida governor have seemingly mended their rivalry
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published
-
Justices set to punt on Trump immunity case
Speed Read Conservative justices signaled support for Trump's protection from criminal charges
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published
-
'Biden is smart to keep the border-security pressure on'
Instant Opinion Opinion, comment and editorials of the day
By Harold Maass, The Week US Published
-
Arizona grand jury indicts 18 in Trump fake elector plot
Speed Read The state charged Mark Meadows, Rudy Giuliani and other Trump allies in 2020 election interference case
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published
-
'Voters know Biden and Trump all too well'
Instant Opinion Opinion, comment and editorials of the day
By Harold Maass, The Week US Published
-
Who will win the 2024 presidential election?
In Depth Election year is here. Who are pollsters and experts predicting to win the White House?
By Justin Klawans, The Week US Published
-
National Enquirer helped Trump in 2016, ex-boss says
Speed Read David Pecker says the tabloid published fabricated content to hurt Trump's rivals
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published