Yemen’s Fate Remains Bleak Despite End of US-Saudi Arms Export
The decision to end the war in Yemen came after thousands of innocent lives were lost, millions were left displaced, homeless and hunger-stricken for years in the middle of a war zone. Nevertheless, better late than never, the decision came after all.
When President Joe Biden called-off US-Saudi arms export, those impacted and were fighting for the poorest Arab nation throughout the 6 dreadful years rejoiced the decision. However, there were many potholes on the road to peace for Yemen.
For a country ravaged day-after-day by a ruthless war, for around 6 years, a lot more than just the suspension of support to the warring parties is needed now.
Bandaging bullet holes was going to help Yemen in no way. Similarly, ending any future US-Saudi arms export was not going to help a country, which had been on the brink of devastation from air raids, famine, and obstruction of aid services. The coalition along with its senior partner, the United Arab Emirates, are already equipped with a bulk of weapons supplied in the past to aid them in the years that follow, according to associate fellow Farea Al-Muslimi, from the London-based research group, Chatham House.
Ending the World’s Worst Humanitarian Crisis
It wasn’t going to take an announcement to end and revert what the United Nations has labeled as the world’s worst humanitarian crisis. There wasn’t a day or event that was spared by the erratic bombing carried out by Saudi-led forces on to the Yemenis under the guise of dislodging the Houthi rebels. From weddings, funerals, hospitals, social gatherings to school bus carrying children, the so-called targeted attacks against Houthi infiltration had taken a toll on the masses in civilian-occupied areas.
This drew condemnation not only from international parties, but also the anti-Houthi Yemenis, who then started collecting evidence of US-made bombs attacking them.
Even in the recent foreign policy address made by President Joe Biden, uncertainty continued to loom over the fate of Yemen. On one hand, where Biden promised to end US-Saudi arms export the Saudi-led coalition in Yemen war, on the other he ensured ‘military support to the Saudis for defense against Houthi attacks’.
What appeared troublesome was that a specific set of munitions and services were to be halted, without detailing which weapons would continue to be sold to the kingdom in the name of defense against Houthis.
On the brighter side, the appointment of a veteran diplomat, Timothy A. Lenderking was appreciated by experts, due to his knowhow of the regional dynamics, which is expected to help push the peace deal more efficiently. And the reduction of military support additionally meant that the US could sit on one side of the peace deal and negotiate well.
With one of the warring sides comprising of the exiled government of Yemen and officials with less popularity within the country, it would be difficult to balance the destructive war on the basis of peace. This is especially considering that the forces backing them are a collection of the Islamists, separatists who share a past of fighting each other as well as holding hatred for the Houthis. The most uncertain party in the conflict are the war profiteers who could be a spoiler in the process of bringing peace in Yemen, if peace didn’t seem like a profitable option for their ‘business’.
