Rebuke to Trump: US Senate clears Yemen War Powers Resolution

Ted Barrett
CNN
Wed, 13 Mar 2019 06:49 UTC

© Zach Gibson/Getty Images

Senator Bernie Sanders

The Senate voted Wednesday to curtail US military support for a Saudi-led war in Yemen, which has created a humanitarian crisis in that country, a vote seen as a rebuke of President Donald Trump's Middle East policies.

The vote was 54 to 46 with seven Republicans voting with Democrats.

The measure now goes to the House, which approved a very similar measure earlier this year, to be passed again. It's expected to be vetoed by Trump. Supporters of the War Powers Resolution argued the US shouldn't be involved in the war without explicit permission from Congress.

Opponents argued the US does not have "boots on the ground" and is offering noncombat technical assistance to Saudi Arabia, an ally. Several supporters made clear their votes were also aimed at expressing their frustrations with Trump's continued support for Saudi Arabia's Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, who has been implicated in the murder of Saudi journalist Jamal Khashoggi.

Comment: More from Sputnik, 3/13/2019:

The Trump administration opposes a Senate joint resolution to end the US role in the Yemeni war and the president's advisers recommend vetoing the measure, the White House's Office of Management and Budget (OMB) said in a notice released on Wednesday.

"The Administration strongly opposes passage of S. J. Res. 7, a joint resolution that purports to direct the President to remove United States forces from hostilities in or affecting the Republic of Yemen, with certain exceptions", the notice said. "If S. J. Res. 7 were presented to the President, his senior advisors would recommend he veto the joint resolution".

The White House said the resolution would have a negative effect on bilateral relations in the region as the United States seeks to prevent the spread of violent extremist groups like al-Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula and the Daesh terrorist group in Yemen.

The OMB notice said the resolution would raise serious constitutional concerns because it seeks to override the US president's constitutional powers as commander in chief. In addition, the notice said the measure would establish a bad precedent by defining defence cooperation, including aerial refueling, as "hostilities".

See also:

• US Senate to debate withdrawing some support from Saudi Arabia's war on Yemen
• Pulling a fast one for al-Qaeda: House leadership delays Yemen war resolution vote
• Congress hides, passes illegal legislation in Farm Bill supporting ongoing genocide in Yemen
• House's Yemen vote rebuffs Trump foreign policy