House Takes First Step in Reining In Saudis and the Senate Should Join Them

The US House of Representatives voted 248-to-177 yesterday to to end military assistance to Saudi Arabia for its war in Yemen. 18 Republicans joined the Democratic House majority in censuring the Saudis. It's now up to the Republican controlled Senate to join them and send the resolution to President Trump who has threatened to veto it.

Axios: "The bill, which passed 248-177 and now heads to the Senate, is a rebuke of President Trump's foreign policy amid broader pushback over his defense of Saudi Arabia, whose role in the conflict has been under heightened scrutiny since the murder of journalist Jamal Khashoggi." ...

Congress wouldn't have the votes to overcome a Trump veto, but it would send a clear message to the Saudis and perhaps hasten negotiations to end the conflict.

Politico: "Despite growing GOP support for ending U.S. involvement in Yemen, lawmakers are still unlikely to override a veto, which would be the first of Trump’s presidency. But the vote could represent more than a symbolic rebuke of Trump. Advocates say Congress’ united voice on the issue could help convince the parties involved in Yemen’s civil war to restart talks to negotiate a ceasefire that could improve the conditions on the ground."

#Yemen #news #SaudiArabia