FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
CONTACT:
Cavan Kharrazian, cavan@demandprogress.org
WASHINGTON — Today marks one year since President Biden declared he was "ending all American support for offensive operations in the war in Yemen, including relevant arms sales" as well as "stepping up [US] diplomacy to end the war in Yemen."
In response, the following statement can be attributed to Cavan Kharrazian, Progressive Foreign Policy Campaigner, Demand Progress:
"While we applauded Biden's declaration last year, we have been deeply disappointed in the administration's maintenance of status quo and continued support for the Saudi-UAE-led war on Yemen.
The administration continues to provide maintenance, spare parts, and logistical support for the Royal Saudi Air Force, which allows it to prosecute a deadly aerial campaign on Yemen — a campaign that has accelerated in recent months, killing dozens of civilians and causing a nation-wide internet blackout.
Additionally, the Biden administration has not used the US's extraordinary leverage to demand an end to the Saudi air and naval blockade of Yemen, which has significantly exacerbated the devastating humanitarian crisis and has been cited by the Houthis as a main stepping stone for a negotiated ceasefire. Furthermore, there have been no significant US diplomatic efforts to forward a realistic replacement to the faulty UN Security Council Resolution 2216.
To the contrary, the Biden administration has continued to approve large, unconditional weapons and military contracts with Saudi Arabia and the UAE. While claimed to be 'defensive' in nature by the administration, these sales send key signals of political support and impunity for the coalition while bolstering its capabilities to prolong its offensive campaign. Yesterday, the administration approved yet another round of military sales to Saudi Arabia and UAE, and earlier this week deployed US fighter jets and the USS Cole in support of the UAE.
As the Biden Administration has failed to gain congressional authorization for US support for hostilities in Yemen, it is currently in violation of the War Powers Resolution of 1973. Congress must reclaim its constitutional authority over war and peace and introduce a War Powers Resolution to end US participation in the war."