Trump Vetoes Measure to End US Involvement in Yemen War
by Stephen Lendman (stephenlendman.org – Home – Stephen Lendman)
Trump is the latest in a long line of US warrior presidents – supporting endless wars of aggression and other hostile actions against sovereign states threatening no one.
Long forgotten was his call to leave Afghanistan and Syria. His campaign posturing against “wasting an enormous amount of blood…treasure…lives,” and trillions of dollars on warmaking, saying we should focus on “rebuild(ing) the USA” was and remains empty rhetoric.
He escalated wars he inherited, wages them by other means against Iran and Venezuela, along with plotting regime change against Cuba and Nicaragua.
He supports increased US spending for militarism, wars, and weapons development to unprecedented levels at a time America’s only enemies are invented ones.
On Tuesday, he vetoed a congressional measure to end US involvement in Yemen’s forever war – launched by Bush/Cheney in October 2001, escalated by Obama, greatly intensified by Trump.
For the Saudis, it’s all about gaining full control of the Arabian peninsula. For Washington and its imperial partners, it’s about Yemen’s strategic location – near the Horn of Africa on Saudi Arabia’s southern border, the Red Sea, its Bab el- Mandeb strait (a key chokepoint separating Yemen from Eritrea through which millions barrels of oil pass daily), and the Gulf of Aden connection to the Indian Ocean.
The Iranian factor is also in play, Washington allied with the Saudis, Israel, and other regional partners against the Islamic Republic, wanting the country isolated, pro-Western puppet rule replacing its sovereign independence.
Short of an Operation Desert Storm-type invasion by US forces, the Yemen war is unwinnable – a forever war to go on indefinitely like Afghanistan and other US wars of aggression.
Passage of the House and Senate Joint Resolution 7 to end US involvement in Yemen changed nothing. War in the country rages with no prospect for resolution any time soon.
For the second time during his tenure, Trump vetoed what majority House and Senate members passed. A statement turned truth on its head, saying:
“I am returning herewith without my approval SJ Res. 7, a joint resolution that purports to direct the president to remove United States armed forces from hostilities in or affecting the Republic of Yemen,” adding:
“This resolution is an unnecessary (sic), dangerous attempt (sic) to weaken my constitutional authorities (sic), endangering the lives of American citizens (sic) and brave service members (sic), both today and in the future (sic).”
“(T)he conflict in Yemen represents a ‘cheap’ and inexpensive way for Iran to cause trouble for the United States and for our ally, Saudi Arabia (sic).”
Yemen is Washington’s war. Not according to Trump, reinventing history, turning truth on its head, saying the US is “not engaged in hostilities in or affecting Yemen (sic) (except for) counterterrorism operations (sic) against (al-Qaeda) in the Arabian Peninsula and ISIS (sic)” – jihadists the US created and supports, he failed to explain.
Nor are any US military personnel “commanding, participating in, or accompanying” forces of the Saudi-led coalition operating in Yemen (sic).
US drone war and other aerial attacks are conducted on Yemeni targets, its naval vessels involved in enforcing blockade of the country. US special forces are on the ground, actively aiding the Saudis and UAE.
Over 17 years of war in Yemen was supported by majority House and Senate members – backing all US wars of aggression.
If otherwise, they never would have been launched. They can be ended in all active theaters by super-majority House and Senate support, enough to override Trump’s veto.
The congressional measure to end US involvement in the Yemen war it launched was adopted by a 247 – 175 House majority and by 54 v. 46 Senate members.
The vast majority of House and Senate members don’t give a hoot human suffering at home or abroad.
Their legislative record speaks volumes about where they stand – notably for approving trillions of dollars for militarism and warmaking, along with near-open checkbook handouts to Wall Street and other corporate interests, while eroding social programs with intent to eliminate them altogether, slow-motion death by a 1,000 cuts.
All US wars are flagrantly illegal. The 2001 AUMF, granting presidents authority to use all “necessary and appropriate force” against designated nations, groups or individuals violates the UN Charter.
Only Security Council members, not US presidents or Congress, may authorize war by one nation against others – in self-defense alone if attacked or if one is imminent, never preemptively.
No nation attacked America since December 7, 1941. None threatened it since WW II ended, none now.
The US global war on terror is a colossal hoax. Washington uses it to wage permanent wars on humanity — risking eventual catastrophic nuclear war able to kill us all.
Endless US aggression in Yemen since October 2001, together with its imperial partners, bears full responsibility for hundreds of thousands of deaths – by terror-bombing, other war related violence, untreated diseases, starvation, and overall deprivation.
US-orchestrated and led war in Yemen is one of history’s great crimes, millions of people immiserated and at risk of death.
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My newest book as editor and contributor is titled "Flashpoint in Ukraine: How the US Drive for Hegemony Risks WW III."
