Saudi Arabia gets bipartisan backing for Yemen airstrikes
Lawmakers are lining up behind the US ally despite fears of another sectarian proxy war.
WASHINGTON — Congress and the Obama administration are backing Saudi Arabia's airstrikes in Yemen despite growing fears of another sectarian proxy war with Iran.
Lawmakers of both parties lost no time in justifying the Saudi-led intervention against Houthi rebels after deposed President Abed Rabbo Mansour Hadi fled his southern stronghold for Saudi Arabia on March 25. The statements of support echo similar comments by the Obama administration and suggest Riyadh won't endure much pressure about how it responds in its backyard — at least for now.
"I applaud the Saudis for taking this action to protect their homeland and to protect their own neighborhood,” House Speaker John Boehner, R-Ohio, said at a news conference. “If America leads, our allies in the region would be tickled to death and would be happy to join a coalition. But America has to lead."
Sens. John McCain, R-Ariz., and Lindsey Graham, R-S.C., respectively chairmen of the Senate Armed Services Committee and the Senate foreign aid spending panel, shared similar views.
