Washington DC – Tuesday – (04-30-2019) – New York Institute for foreign Policy Affairs (NYCFPA) calls on American leaders to condemn The United Arab Emirates for supporting Terrorist Groups in Yemen. A CNN investigation released in early February of this year found that the military intervention in Yemen led by Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates (UAE) had sent United States military equipment to al-Qaeda-linked fighters and Salafi militia in the region. The coalition allegedly used these United States weapons in several fatal attacks against Yemen civilians, including women and children. Not only is using American weapons for known terrorist questionable, it is illegal. According to the U.S. Department of Defense, the transfer of military equipment to third parties is a breach of contract.
This investigation led to a bipartisan group of United States lawmakers to express their concern about the Saudi Arabia-UAE conduct. In February, the group called on Secretary of State Mike Pompeo and acting Secretary of Defense Patrick Shanahan to clarify how the illegal transfer of American weapons had taken place. In fact, Washington is currently the biggest suppliers of arms to Saudi Arabia and the UAE. Since taking office in 2017, President Trump has made approximately $4 billion worth of arms deals with Riyadh.
Following the assassination of Saudi journalist Jamal Khashoggi last October, the U.S. Senate voted to end American military support for the war that Saudi Arabia has brought to Yemen for the past four years. This was done in direct defiance of President Trump who continued to defend the Saudi Crown Prince Mohammad bin Salman against allegations that the Prince was behind Khashoggi’s murder.
NYCFPA urges the President and other Washington officials to condemn the UAE support for these terrorist groups by investigating this weapons scandal, and by continuing the fight to stop funding Saudi Arabia with weapons. NYCFPA strongly asserts that this is a violation of human rights and world peace. The United States needs to lead in efforts to stop terrorist groups in Yemen. If sales of arms continue and the United States continues to support UAE, this will only lead to terrorist groups growing in Yemen. The war will only grow stronger and more innocent Yemen civilians will die. It is our duty to stop this now.
