Sanders Resolution on Yemen Would Strengthen Iran, Russia, and China
‘If the United States inflicts this kind of self-inflicted wound on our Middle East strategy, Iran will celebrate. Russia will pop champagne. China will enjoy more oxygen to expand its own creeping regional influence, as well. And America’s allies and partners will be left questioning our resolve and partnership, and wondering if it wouldn’t be the safer bet to turn toward Beijing instead.'
WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Senate Republican Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY) delivered the following remarks today on the Senate floor regarding the American global leadership:
“Events from Europe to Asia to the Middle East continue to demonstrate on a daily basis why American global strength and leadership are essential for protecting our homeland, our core interests, and our allies and partners.
“But unfortunately, Senator Sanders of Vermont has drafted a resolution that would pull America back from global leadership in a clumsy and deeply counterproductive way.
“Our colleague has prepared a resolution attempting to further limit America’s support for the UN-recognized government in Yemen and the Saudi-led coalition helping defend it against Iranian-backed Houthi terrorists.
“I welcome debate about American policy towards Iran, and that’s what this resolution is really about. Not Yemen; but Tehran.
“There is no question about Tehran’s role in the fighting in Yemen from the very beginning. The Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps is intimately involved.
“Less than one month ago, the U.S. Navy and Coast Guard stopped a wooden sailing vessel heading from Iran to Yemen and found 70 tons of missile fuel component that Iran was trying to sneak to the terrorist rebels. This, on top of countless small arms, UAVs, and rockets that Iran has provided to support Houthi terror.
“Iran has long seen the fight in Yemen as a way to expand its influence and tighten its grip on regional power. There is little question that an Iran-backed Houthi victory over the UN-recognized government of Yemen would be bad news for American interests in the region and the interests of our close partners.
“Iran and their Houthi partners want a platform to launch indiscriminate terrorist attacks against civilian cities in Saudi Arabia and the UAE. Against ships belonging to Israel and other internationally-flagged vessels. The IRGC will continue to use Yemen as a testing site for the same kinds of weapons that Iran has long used to target and kill American forces in Iraq and Syria. The same kinds of weapons Iran is now also providing to Russia, to rain death and destruction on Ukraine.
“This is about the worst imaginable time the United States Congress could go out of our way to alleviate the pressure that Tehran and its Houthi proxies are feeling. A fragile ceasefire in Yemen is on the line. Why send a signal that we are backing away from our partners? Why embolden the Houthis at this juncture? Just as the Iranian people themselves are fed up and have been fighting back against their country’s oppressive regime, Senator Sanders wants to cut Tehran a huge break?
“If the United States inflicts this kind of self-inflicted wound on our Middle East strategy, Iran will celebrate. Russia will pop champagne. China will enjoy more oxygen to expand its own creeping regional influence, as well. And America’s allies and partners will be left questioning our resolve and partnership, and wondering if it wouldn’t be the safer bet to turn toward Beijing instead.
“Yemen is also home to the wing of al Qaeda that poses the greatest threat to the United States. Don’t take my word for it. President Biden’s Director of National Intelligence, Avril Haines, has publicly warned about the threat from AQAP in Yemen.
“We rely on the UN-recognized government in Yemen, as well as key partners in the region like Saudi Arabia and the UAE, to keep pressure on Al Qaeda on multiple fronts. Do we really want to send a signal to partners on whom we rely that they cannot rely on us?
“I’ve been critical of the Biden Administration’s mistakes in the Middle East and its passivity in the face of Iranian aggression, but even this Administration ‘strongly opposes’ Sen. Sanders’ resolution.
“The Senate has enough crucial business to tackle this week without going out of our way to make life better for our enemies and harder for our partners.”
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