Middle East

US Senate rejects bill that criticises US support for Saudi campaign in Yemen

Trump holds a chart of weapon sales as he welcomes Mohammed bin Salman in the Oval Office, 20 March (Reuters)

US senators voted down a resolution seeking an end to American support for Saudi Arabia's campaign in Yemen's civil war on Tuesday as President Donald Trump met with Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman at the White House.

Some backers of the measure took to the Senate floor to call the three-year-long conflict in Yemen a "humanitarian catastrophe," which they blamed on the Saudis.

Senator Bernie Sanders, a lead sponsor of the legislation, noted the deaths of thousands of civilians, displacement of millions, famine and potentially the largest cholera outbreak in history because of the conflict.

"That is what is going on in Yemen today as a result of the Saudi-led war there," Sanders said.

The 15, mostly Democratic, co-sponsors are trying for the first time to take advantage of a provision in the 1973 War Powers Act that allows any senator to introduce a resolution on whether to withdraw US armed forces from a conflict not authorised by Congress.

The Senate is expected to hold a vote later on Tuesday on whether to dismiss the resolution.

Senator Mike Lee, a Republican leader of the push for the resolution, stressed that it has been in the works for some time, and was not timed "in any way, shape or form" to coincide with the Saudi leader's visit.

"Saudi Arabia is an indispensable partner in the region, without which the United States would be less successful," Lee said.

The war has killed more than 10,000 people, caused a cholera outbreak and dragged the country to the verge of famine in what UN officials have called the "largest man-made humanitarian crisis."

In Oval Office talks, Trump and bin Salman discussed an agreement for $200 billion worth of Saudi investments with the United States, including large purchases of US military equipment. Trump said the military sales contributed to the creation of 40,000 American jobs.

Trump produced charts to show the depth of Saudi purchases of US military hardware, ranging from ships to missile defense to planes and fighting vehicles.

"Saudi Arabia is a very wealthy nation, and they're going to give the United States some of that wealth, hopefully, in the form of jobs, in the form of the purchase of the finest military equipment anywhere in the world," he told reporters.

Bin Salman capped his rapid rise to power last June by replacing his elder cousin Prince Mohammed bin Nayef, who had close relationships with US intelligence and defence circles, as crown prince.

Trump praised the king's move to elevate Mohammed and called US-Saudi ties strong as ever.

"I thought your father made a very wise decision. And I miss your father – a special man," he said. King Salman is slated to visit the United States later this year.

The crown prince, in a rare foray into speaking English, said on Tuesday the Saudi pledge for $200 billion in investments will end up at $400 billion when fully implemented. He said a 10-year window for implementing the deal was already underway.

"This is a signal that there (are) a lot of things (that) could be tackled in the close future and more opportunities. And that’s why we are here today, to be sure that we’ve tackled all the opportunities and achieve it and also get rid of all the threats facing our both countries," he said.

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