Jan 23, 2017

Twenty-five House Democrats unsuccessfully wrote to President Barack Obama earlier this month to urge him to end US support for the Saudi-led campaign in Yemen before Donald Trump took over.

The Jan. 13 letter, led by habitual Yemen war critics Ted Lieu, D-Calif., and John Conyers, D-Mich., raises concerns that the United States is abetting “war crimes” by supporting Riyadh’s imprecise bombing campaign. It goes on to argue that the fight against the Iran-backed Houthi rebels is doing little more than fueling terrorism.

“These airstrikes — which have killed children, women, doctors, newlyweds and funeral mourners — are likely war crimes,” the letter states. “We respectfully ask you to do the right thing before you leave office and stop the US refueling of Coalition aircraft that strike civilian targets in Yemen.”

News of the letter comes as the Trump administration signed off on its first airstrikes in Yemen, which are separate from the Saudi campaign and target different actors. Six al-Qaeda fighters were reportedly killed Jan. 21 in a pair of US strikes in the Sawmaa region of Al-Bayda province, while a local military instructor for al-Qaeda had been killed by a drone strike in the same province Jan. 20.

Trump himself has said little of substance about the war in Yemen, but is expected to support the Saudis against their regional foe, Iran — as long as Riyadh pays up.