Trump objects to measure ending US support for Saudis in Yemen war
The Trump administration threatened on Monday to veto an
effort in the US Congress to end US military support for the Saudi Arabia-led
coalition in the war in Yemen.
The administration said the resolution was inappropriate
because US forces had provided aircraft refueling and other support in the
Yemen conflict, not combat troops. It also said the measure would harm
relationships in the region and hurt the US ability to prevent the spread of
violent extremism.
Saudi Arabia, a good ally to Trump’s administration in the
region, is leading a coalition battling Iran-backed Houthi rebels in Yemen.
The United States has supported the Saudi-led air campaign
with mid-air refueling support, intelligence and targeting assistance.
Democrats view the war powers resolution as a way to assert
Congress' constitutional right to authorize the use of military force in
foreign conflicts. Republican opponents of the measure, echoing Trump, argue
that support for the Saudis constitutes a security agreement, not the use of
force.
However, the resolution would struggle to garner the
two-thirds majorities needed in both the House and Senate to overcome a Trump
veto. Republicans still hold a slim majority in the Senate.