On Feb. 4, 2021, the Biden announced what is being touted as an end to US involvement in the bombing and blockade that has led to massive slaughter and starvation of the Yemeni people since 2015 with its genocidal partner Saudi Arabia.
While any pause to US support to the massive bloodletting and suffering is welcome, we need to look closer at what is really being changed.
What the announcement means:
A hold (not necessarily a complete stop) on the latest large arms deal between the U.S. and Saudi Arabia and an open door to finding a “political” solution to the situation in Yemen, instead of believing that only military action can resolve it and a return to peace talks.
What the announcement does not mean is an end to U.S. military presence in Yemen, an end to the blockade of Sa’nam, a reversal of the designation of Houthis as a terrorist organization, an end to drone bomb operations and end to the suffering of the Yemeni people nor does it mean any cuts at ll to the current fiscal year military budget of $740 billion during a pandemic.
We need to reiterate our position of immediate, unconditional, total and permanent end to all US involvement in the Yemen conflict, a complete withdrawal of US forces and an end to US military support to the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.
It also is on our shoulders to clarify that this is NOT an end to US support for Saudi Arabia and its war the US has been supporting, just a pause to part of the operation and a reprioritizing of objectives.
Yemen needs to be among the many fronts of our antiwar movement – we need more effective commitment to focus and more effective action to end all of the US wars!
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