Members of the US Senate question Biden's strategy in Yemen: Reuters
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Following the American setback in the Red Sea, members of the US Senate are raising concerns about President Joe Biden's strategy in Yemen.
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President Joe Biden speaks during a meeting with Congressional leaders in the Oval Office of the White House, on February 27, 2024, in Washington. (AP)
The British news agency Reuters reported that members of the US Senate are raising questions about President Joe Biden's strategy in Yemen. They emphasized the importance of obtaining authorization from Congress for any further "military action" in the region.
Senator Chris Murphy, chair of the Middle East Subcommittee of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, emphasized, "The Constitution mandates that Congress authorizes acts of war."
In this context, Senator Ben Cardin, Chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, asserted, "The Biden administration must seek authorization from Congress."
Two days earlier, recent airstrikes launched by the US and UK on the Yemeni Armed Forces(YAF) come at a time when the crisis in the Red Sea is only worsening, according to Philip Pilkington.
Writing in Unherd, Philip Pilkington argues that despite the recent strikes, the US Central Command (CENTCOM) claimed Saturday that the Yemeni Armed Forces' attack on the M/V Rubymar ship in the Red Sea on February 18 caused "significant damage" to the ship and caused an 18-mile oil slick.
Pilkington evaluates 3 distinct periods since the YAF attacks began. From November 19 to December 17, no Western interference took place. Operation Prosperity Guardian began on December 18 and on January 12, he states the US and UK took an "offensive posture" rather than defensive and began attacking Yemen.
He notes that when Operation Prosperity Guardian began, the number of assaults each day decreased from 0.39 to 0.38, a statistically negligible drop. However, since Britain and the US began their operations in Yemen on January 12, the number of attacks has climbed significantly, reaching 0.53 per day. He contests that this proves the strikes to be not only futile but also having the opposite effect, agitating the situation and increasing hostility from Yemen.
According to him, western actions come from a phenomenon known as "do something-ism," which he describes as a "weak leadership class feeling the need to act when an enemy or a rival engages in a provocation, even if such actions are counterproductive. "
