The myth that American power upholds human rights lies buried beneath the rubble of Gaza.

My new report for @QuincyInst argues that under the pursuit of U.S. military primacy, weapons sales will always supersede human rights.

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quincyinst.org/research/under… Our expressed commitment to human rights is routinely undermined by our actual commitment to weapons sales.

I observed this at State.

Under Biden, who talked a lot about the need to combat autocracy, the US sold weapons to 57% of autocracies worldwide.

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Saudi gov is trying to find scapegoats for the death 1000s of Hajj pilgrims

It's blaming those who wrote about it:
1.  Salama Abdel-Qawi, Egyptian Muslim Brotherhood
2. Abdullah al-Aodah, exiled Saudi academic
3. Emad Al-Moubayed, exiled Saudi cleric

🧵

https://x.com/columbuos/status/1806140598627291420?s=46&t=BYnSRXRMu8d5TEQALzUoiw

It's also blaming members of the Egyptian Muslim Brotherhood, Mauritanian & Sudanese Islamists

4. Abdul Hai Yousuf, Sudanese cleric, criticized Min of Sport for letting women play soccer
5. Sheikh Mohammad Al-Hasan Al-Dido, Mauritanian cleric, opposed normalization w/ Israel

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The fact that China brokered the deal is significant

It shows the role that China could play in fostering a Middle East defined more by cooperation and trade and less by conflict and weapons sales, as has been the norm under US dominance
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wsj.com/articles/saudi… At the same time, the Saudis have signaled to the US that they want a firm security guarantee before normalizing relations with Israel, an outcome that would provoke Tehran.
The Saudis are playing US interests in countering Iran against Chinese interests in reducing tensions
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Big news??

Houthi spokesman:
"We welcome the announcement by the UN envoy to Yemen of a humanitarian truce under the auspices of the UN for a period of 2 mos, according to which military operations will stop & Sana’a International Airport will be opened for a number of flights"

https://twitter.com/abdusalamsalah/status/1509930062325465093

"...as well as the opening of the Hodeidah port to oil derivatives for a number of ships during the two months of the truce."

Not yet confirmed by news sources, but could portend excellent news for de-escalation & providing assistance to Yemeni civilians

"The Biden admin asserts that the US aims to end the war in Yemen, but its statements & actions suggest that the priority is to secure victory for the Saudi-led coalition, or at least to avoid a humiliating defeat."

My latest brief for @QuincyInst
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quincyinst.org/report/the-yem… @QuincyInst "Instead, just as the U.S. condemns Russian aggression against Ukraine, it should apply the same standard to Saudi and Emirati aggression against Yemen."

My latest for @RStatecraft, with key takeaways from the brief
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responsiblestatecraft.org/2022/03/21/num…

"All parties to the war in Yemen [the Houthis, the STC, etc] have engaged in atrocities.

But the scale of the devastation -- 400K dead, 16 million people starving -- is largely the result of the Saudi blockade on fuel imports & Saudi airstrikes on civilian infrastructure."

1/ "This is similar to what Russia is doing in Ukraine: trying to break the will of the Ukrainian people. The difference is that in Ukraine, US actions are limited
[by the risk of escalation to nuclear war]

Whereas in Yemen, the US could withdraw support for the Saudi military"
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Recent US arms sales to Saudi Arabia seem to have emboldened them to go on the offensive in Yemen

Biden says he has only sold the Saudis so-called "defensive” weapons

But the message is clear: the US supports the Saudi war on Yemen

New @QuincyInst vid
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@QuincyInst The Saudis & UAE possess billions of $$ in offensive weapons that they use daily on Yemen.

Only selling “defensive” weapons now is like giving the Saudis & UAE a shield so they can use the sword we already sold them without worrying about the consequences of their aggression.

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The US State Department just approved $5 BILLION in new weapons sales to Jordan, Saudi Arabia & the UAE

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sofrep.com/news/us-approv… In his first foreign policy speech as president, Biden stated:
"We are ending all American support for offensive operations in the war in Yemen, including relevant arms sales."

Yes, the admin can claim the sales they have authorized are "defensive"

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whitehouse.gov/briefing-room/…

Centcom chief McKenzie says the US will target Houthi drones before they can launch

Meaning the US is going to actively bomb Yemen, rather than merely selling the bombs to the Saudis & UAE

This would be a huge escalation of US violence directed at Yemen
thenationalnews.com/uae/2022/02/08… Update from CentCom media team:

"US CENTCOM is NOT considering attacking targets in Yemen itself.

Gen McKenzie’s comments from the article are finding solutions to counter UAS* threat, which is one of CENTCOM’s top priorities."

*UAS = unmanned aircraft systems, like drones

As I explained on @AJArabic, int'l diplomats continue to insist that the Houthis give up all weapons & territory acquired, in accordance w/ UN Sec Council Resolution 2216

The Houthis feel they are winning: they have no reason to agree to these terms
If @StateDept_NEA Special Envoy Lenderking is serious about helping to facilitate an end to the violence, he cannot allow the Saudis & the Hadi gov to continue to use starvation as a weapon of war

UN Sec Council Resolution 2216 justifies the blockade -- it should be replaced

ICYMI @stephenWalt for @ForeignPolicy
Our "vast military establishment is very effective at protecting the US homeland & deterring large-scale aggression... It is not very good at running other countries & remaking them in its image"
foreignpolicy.com/2021/04/28/wha… @stephenWalt
"The most important task is addressing climate change.

..flooded coastlines, millions displaced, whole regions uninhabitable, trillions of dollars of lost wealth -- would make the problems the FP community has been fretting about for the past 25 years seem trivial"

@HouseForeign Affairs committee is devoting its 1st hearing of this Congress to the crisis in Yemen

Part 1 focusing on the humanitarian crisis

@RepTedDeutch introducing the panelists & providing context for situation in Yemen

LIVE (10am EST) 👇
foreignaffairs.house.gov/hearings?ID=A9… @RepTedDeutch

"I strongly condemn Houthi actions in both Yemen and Saudi Arabia... Their trampling of human rights... Their assault on Marib is pouring fuel on the conflict...
The Houthis must commit to a ceasefire"

@WSJopinion reveals yet again their lack of concern for human life
Anyone who argues that the Foreign Terrorist Designation on the Houthis should have remained in place is arguing for the starvation of the millions of Yemenis living under Houthi control
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wsj.com/articles/joe-b… A reporter in Sanaa for @newlinesmag interviewed a small business owner, who expressed relief: “The designation was like an execution by hanging for my business."
The currency crisis since 2016 has already pushed many Yemenis to the brink of starvation
newlinesmag.com/reportage/yeme…
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