The latest round of devastating airstrikes by the Saudi-led coalition in Yemen marks the latest escalation in a conflict that has dragged on for nearly seven years and has pushed millions to the brink of famine and killed hundreds of thousands from civilians. A recent bombardment killed at least 90 people and shut down internet access for the whole country for days. The disturbing truth is that for too long the United States, through its military involvement in the Saudi-led coalition’s war against the Houthis in Yemen, has been directly involved in that terrible war. It is time this complicity ended.

Last week a year ago, President Biden announced that he would withdraw US support from the Saudi-led coalition’s “offensive” operations in Yemen. This indicated a dramatic drop in military logistical support and arms sales to Saudi Arabia. But the exact opposite has happened.

Last year the administration made the transition 1 billion dollars in weapons to Saudi Arabia, and the US continues to provide logistics support this is essential to the deadly Saudi Air Force bombings.

Over the past year, Saudi Arabia has redoubled its strategy of collective punishment, conducting and destroying hundreds of indiscriminate airstrikes vital civilian infrastructure, and further aggravating a cripple blockade in Yemen’s ports – restricting access to food, fuel and medicines. As a result, there is now over 16 million Yemenis living on the brink of starvation and over 2 million children suffering from acute malnutrition.

Since 2015, the United States has been directly involved in this war without congressional authorization. This is in clear violation of Article I of the Constitution and the War Powers Resolution of 1973, which gives Congress the power to declare war and authorize US military involvement.

Following Biden’s announcement last year, 41 members of Congress pressed the government for transparency on ongoing US involvement in the war in Yemen, including what constitutes “offensive” versus “defensive” support for the Saudi-led coalition.

That of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs reply came three months later and offered no new information about measures to end the so-called “offensive” support. The Pentagon later accepted that it will continue to allow spare parts transfers and support in maintenance activities and logistics for Saudi Air Force operations.

In September, we joined a bipartisan majority in the House of Representatives for the third time in as many years tuned end US support for the Saudi-led coalition through the National Defense Authorization Act – only to have the provision removed from the final bill.

Since Biden’s announcement, members of Congress have held ongoing talks with the administration about ending US involvement in the war. But a year later, nothing significant has changed on the ground, while the Saudi coalition’s military campaign has only intensified.

As a candidate President Biden pledged end support for the Saudi-led war in Yemen, while many who now serve as senior officials in his government repeated called for halting the very activities in which the US is involved that enable Saudi Arabia’s brutal offensive. We ask them to fulfill their obligation.

Let’s be clear: banning US involvement in the Saudi-led coalition’s air operations will not end the war. Houthi troops committed gross human rights violations violations in Yemen and launched cross-border attacks in Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates. These actions have escalated the conflict and we condemn them in the strongest possible terms. But violations by Houthi forces do not serve as justification for enabling Saudi-led attacks on civilians that have perpetuated the conflict and will continue to fuel escalation and violence.

While the US may not be able to end all fighting unilaterally, we can stop supporting Saudi Arabia’s brutal campaign in Yemen and apply pressure to force them to lift their blockade. This will save countless civilian lives and give Washington the diplomatic credibility needed to make progress on stalled peace talks.

We will not stand by and watch as the constitution is ignored and the Yemeni people suffer from this unauthorized war for seven years. If the government refuses to act, Congress will force them to do so. Ahead of the seventh anniversary of this war, we will work with our colleagues in Congress to pass a new resolution by the warring powers in Yemen to end unconstitutional US involvement in this war.

Our goal is clear: to reassert the constitutional authority of Congress over the powers of war, end unauthorized US involvement in this endless war, revitalize diplomatic efforts, and mitigate this devastating humanitarian catastrophe. American complicity in this conflict has existed for too long – now is the time for Congress to act.

Leave a Comment Cancel reply