Five things to know about Biden’s Yemen movement

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This week’s announcement by President Biden that he ended U.S. support for offensive operations in the Yemeni civil war was his first major foreign policy move in office.

Along with a commitment to support a stronger diplomatic resolution and ensure the delivery of humanitarian assistance, the decision fulfilled a key campaign promise and was welcomed by foreign allies, human rights groups and lawmakers on both sides. .

But it also affects the U.S.’s delicate alliances with Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates and its fight against Yemen-backed Houthi separatists. Gulf countries are key partners for U.S. security in the region, but are regularly criticized for escaping human rights abuses.

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

1. The movement received support in Washington and abroad

The Biden call is seen as a common-sense action that has broad bipartisan support and attracts the American public.

But he also stressed the key priorities he has sought to highlight as key to his goals of bringing the United States back on the world stage, focusing on human rights and emphasizing conflict-based diplomacy.

Biden made the announcement Thursday as part of statements about his administration’s foreign policy approach, saying the U.S. would end support for offensive operations carried out by a Saudi-led coalition against the Houthis in the US. northern Yemen and would halt relevant arms sales that were boosted at the end of the Trump administration.

This includes the completion of the delivery of precision-guided missiles and the sharing and cooperation of U.S. intelligence that critics say implicated the United States in civilian casualties that Riyadh did not take enough care to avoid.

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

“I commend the president’s announcement of ending U.S. unconstitutional support for the war in Yemen,” Sen tweeted. Mike LeeMichael (Mike) Shumway LeeHarris casts first tiebreaker vote as Senate Democratic vice president approves budget resolution, passes coronavirus bill ENERGY PENDING: Senate committee advances Granholm’s bid to lead Energy | EPA candidate Regan promises “urgency” over climate change at confirmation hearing | Omar asks Biden to MORE block the construction of pipes in Minnesota (R-Utah), which sponsored a bipartisan resolution to end American support for the war that was vetoed by the ancients President TrumpDonald Trump, CEO of the Chamber of Commerce, will leave: Fox News Media reports that Lou Dobbs’ program has been canceled, GOP lawmakers demand that Pelosi be fined for new screenings MORE.

Democratic senator Robert MenéndezRobert (Bob) Menendez: Senate panel advances Biden’s decision by UN ambassador to United States joins international condemnation of military coup in Myanmar (NJ), chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, gave his blessing and tweeted: “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 for Yemen and his commitment to “intensify” the US diplomatic commitment to end the war.

2. Biden chose veteran Middle East diplomat Timothy Lenderking to push for diplomacy

The appointment of Lenderking as the U.S. special envoy for Yemen notes that the administration prioritizes efforts to support the United Nations-led process of finding a diplomatic resolution to the more than six-year civil war.

His appointment was welcomed by Saudi Arabia, with its foreign ministry issuing a statement of support, as well as by Ahmed Awa Bin Mubarak, the foreign minister of the internationally recognized government of Yemen, who he said the two had already spoken on the phone.

The Lenderking selection was also seen as an effort to promote experienced professionals from diplomatic corps who were ousted during the Trump administration.

He recently served as Deputy Secretary of State for Arab Affairs in the Middle East Office in the Trump administration and is a career foreign service officer, with interviews in Saudi Arabia, the Iraq, Kuwait and Morocco.

“Lenderking is both 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 story very well. He now has the prominence and profile of President Biden and the Secretary of State Anthony BlinkAntony BlinkenBlinken holds the first call with Chinese counterparts who plans to revoke the terrorist designation of Houthi rebels. Blinken picks up the phone to establish alliances, except in most Gulf MORE countries“.

3. Biden removes the Houthi terrorist designation from the Trump administration

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

These groups warned that the Houthi designation scared off essential trade importers to continue the flow of critical goods that help alleviate the humanitarian crisis, for fear of suffering US sanctions.

The Biden administration issued a special license through the Treasury Department to ensure delivery of these critical imports, but the exception ends Feb. 26.

Yemen’s director for the Norwegian Refugee Council, Mohamed Abdi, reacted to the move, saying it was a “welcome” decision that would help avoid “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 US that they are putting the interests of Yemenis first,” he said in a statement.

4. Calls are growing for the US to be tougher with Saudi Arabia

The relationship between the United States and Saudi Arabia has been the subject of intense scrutiny in recent years for the assassination and dismemberment of U.S.-based Saudi journalist Jamal Khashoggi in 2018, who was believed to have been ordained by the Crown Prince. Saudi Mohamed Bin Salman; The suppression of Riyadh and the imprisonment of political dissidents at home; and its role in the severe humanitarian crisis in Yemen.

Elisa Catalano Ewers, an assistant fellow at the Center for New American Security, said Yemen’s decision makes it clear that the Biden administration is following its “foreign policy instincts in principle” and showing its willingness to maintain hard and honest conversations.

“The new team is indicating that it will evaluate the whole relationship, which is deep and complex, and evaluate the problems according to their merits, have a clear look at them and ultimately put them in relation to what interests the United States, “she said.

Democratic lawmakers are increasingly calling on the Biden administration to start tackling other bad actions in Riyadh.

His. Chris MurphyChristopher (Chris) Scott Murphy Why School Nurses Are Vital to End School Pipe in Prison Harris Cast First Ties to Tie Up as Vice President Finding Common Points to Stop the Next Pandemic (D-Conn.), A member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, has called for a “re-establishment” of U.S.-Gulf relations as part of efforts to address Saudi human rights allegations.

I Democr Oregon Sens. Ron WydenRonald (Ron) Lee WydenHouse approves Warren’s COVID-19 package budget resolution to join finance-monitoring finance panel, health care Democrats offer resolution to denounce white supremacists ahead of Trump trial MONTH i Jeff MerkleyJeff Merkley: Bipartisan group discussing change in Senate rules Biden expands Obama’s promise of ethics Biden signs executive order invoking two-year lobbying ban for MORE nominees they call on the administration to hold Saudi Arabia accountable for its efforts to help its citizens accused of crimes in the U.S. flee the country to avoid justice.

5. People question the role of the UAE

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

The administration had previously stopped a planned arms transfer to the UAE initiated by the Trump administration, and the State Department said the sale is under review.

But the U.S. and UAE are key partners in the anti-terrorism offensive in Yemen against Al Qaeda, which Biden, in his statements Thursday, pledged to continue to support.

“This is an important area where the interests of the US and the UAE overlap,” Catalano Ewers said.

Amnesty International called for a halt to “all arms sales to the United Arab Emirates and Saudi Arabia” so as not to use them to commit more war crimes in Yemen. “

Justin Russell, chief director of the New York Center for Foreign Policy Affairs, which has sued the government for stopping arms sales in the UAE, said his team is “cautiously optimistic” that the administration de Biden continues “ending US support for UAE actions.” and sales of relevant arms “.

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