Washington Post: US Senate Rebukes Trump on Yemen

Yemen is the Arab world’s poorest country. Its three-year civil war with intervention by Saudi Arabia and Iran has displaced millions, and a 63-37 US Senate vote signals that the United States may back off from its involvement. “The resolution… seeks to invoke the War Powers Act to end U.S. military support for the ¬Saudi-led coalition, which human rights groups accuse of fomenting in Yemen the world’s worst humanitarian crisis.” Reports the Washington Post. The newspaper describes the vote as “a historic rebuke of Saudi Arabia and President Trump’s handling of the fallout over journalist Jamal Khashoggi’s killing” and “an unprecedented challenge to the security relationship between the United States and Saudi Arabia.” Senators express frustration about limits to intelligence briefings, low priority for human rights, and admissions that the president, the Secretary of state and the national security advisor declined to listen to a recording of brutal treatment of the journalist before his death in a Saudi consulate. The Senate Foreign Relations Committee chairman expressed concern about the US being tied to a Saudi crown prince “out of control.” Saudi Arabia has suggested it could turn to Russia for support. The resolution will likely not make it through the House of Representatives, but suggests support for Saudi arms sales may be waning. – YaleGlobal