https://www.vox.com/2018/12/13/18139585/senate-yemen-saudi-arabia-resolution-khashoggi
December 13, 2018 - The Senate has passed a resolution to the war in Yemen that will supposedly progress towards ending this war in Yemen at a quicker pace. The discussion pertaining to this resolution had failed previously in the Senate but in light of recent events of the murder of Jamal Khashoggi, as well as long-time dissatisfaction about the progress being made in Yemen, the Senate led by Bernie Sanders, Mike Lee, and Chris Murphy passed a resolution to stop US involvement in Yemen. The resolution proposed was bipartisan and passed in the Senate 56 to 41. However, president Trump doesn't appear to agree with this resolution, and it seems to clash with his initial plan of moving US troops closer to Saudi Arabia. While the president isn't too happy with these decisions, Congress wants to expedite getting the troops out of Yemen.
1. How significant was the death of Jamal Khashoggi to the decision of this resolution?
2. How does the War Powers Act complicate the dynamic between Congress and the President? How does either side benefit? Why?
3. What power does President Trump have over this legislation?
Joshua Ishimoto
ReplyDelete1. Let it be known that American foreign policy is Yemen was questioned by the Senate before. Internal reviews made by the Obama administration showed that we tried to limit our arms sales to Saudi Arabia out of concern that they were using them on civilian targets in Yemen. Nevertheless, the revelations that Jamal Khashoggi's death was order by Mohammed Bin Salem probably has prompted considerable support for this Senate resolution. Even Senator Linsey Graham said that after hearing the briefing by the CIA, there was not a smoking gun but instead a "smoking saw", a reference to how Khashoggi was brutally cut into pieces with a bone saw. If not for his death then this resolution probably would have never received as much attention as to get it passed. After-all, if the siege of the Port of Hodeida certainly get as much international backlash as this brutal assassination.
2. The War Powers Act has seldom been enforced. There is no clear benefit for any side because of this. Moreover, international backing of U.S. military deployments is more important than Congress's approval as with Operation Gothic Serpent where the U.S. contributed troops to a United Nations peacekeeping force in Somalia or in Operation Deliberate Force where NATO bombed targets of the Serbian army during the Yugoslav Wars. While Congress ,ay complain of such action now, they seldom disapprove of military action like these because since they receive international support they are less controversial that endeavors like Vietnam.
3. Trump has the power to basically dismiss this resolution. Military assistance to Saudi Arabia may be more limited at best for his administration does not care about Saudi Arabia's questionable foreign policy. For him, it is a power play that he believes that the U.S. should engage in to counter Iran's influence in the Middle East. In essence, he may not even have to veto it for executive powers in the sphere of foreign policy and military decisions are extremely broad.
1) The death of Jamal Khashoggi led to the decision of the resolution to try to end the war in Yemen because there was lots of media coverage on his death and wether it was motivated by the government of Saudi Arabia. Therefore, it reveals the tensions between the US and the country due to the fact that the journalist was an American Citizen. Therefore, there would be a movement to try to end this tension.
ReplyDelete2) The War Powers Act limits the ability for the President to keep troops in an other country without approval of congress. Therefore, it limits the President's commander in chief powers and therefore, it complicates the the dynamic between both the President and Congress. Congress benefits more as the act tends to side with them more.
3) Trump may be able to find a way around the this resolution to the war because he is a commander in chief of the United States. Since he is against the resolution he will probably find any way around it to keep troops deployed abroad.
1. The crisis in Yemen was always controversial as it is practically genocide, but the Khashoggi probably helped in the decision. His death sparked public outcry and lead to an increased attention/debate on the issue.
ReplyDelete2. The WPA gives the President the power to engage in military conflict for up to 60 days without the consent of Congress, but then allows Congress to pull the troops back afterwards. It benefits Congress by giving them this power.
3. Donald Trump can veto the legislation or simply not comply by working around it.
1. How significant was the death of Jamal Khashoggi to the decision of this resolution?
ReplyDeleteI think it brought much needed press to the resolution, otherwise I doubt the resolution would pass because both sides of the aisle seem to be ok with ignoring a genocide.
2. How does the War Powers Act complicate the dynamic between Congress and the President? How does either side benefit? Why?
The War Powers Act is sad compared to the power of lumping in any conflict in the Middle East w/ the war on terror.
3. What power does President Trump have over this legislation?
He could veto it, I doubt he would. The legislation is proposed by Sen. Sanders, so barely any.
1. Jamal Khashoggi's death served as a catalyst to motivate Congress to come to a conclusion regarding the issue.
ReplyDelete2. The War Powers Act limits the president's power in this issue. The act benefits Congress, because it means that Trump must withdraw his troops after a certain amount of time if Congress does not declare war, which they will not according to this resolution.
3. President Trump should legally withdraw the troops, but will likely stretch the boundaries of the War Powers Act and keep the war there longer than Congress wants.
1. How significant was the death of Jamal Khashoggi to the decision of this resolution? I think that the death of Jamal Khashoggi turned on the jets by bringing lots of press to influence the priority of this issue.
ReplyDelete2. How does the War Powers Act complicate the dynamic between Congress and the President? How does either side benefit? Why?
The War Powers Act complicates the dynamic between Congress and the President because the Congress and President already have tension between them and this adds more fuel to the flame. The War Powers Act gives the President a little bit of leeway for 60 DAYS but right after Congress can pull them right out.
3. What power does President Trump have over this legislation?
Trump can veto the legislation but he is probably not willing to and will probably find a way to work around that.
Nicolas Nejadnik
ReplyDelete1.) Although Jamal Khashoggi’s death did not initiate or cause great change in the Senate’s opposition to American involvement in Yemen, it did provide a tipping point. A point at which the Senate coalition led by Sanders and others was able to use the incident as a rallying point, and a very serious example supporting their position. In all likelihood many of the votes that supported the resolution would still have been cast without Khashoggi’s death, but the few votes gained made the resolution passable.
2.) The War Powers Act of 1973 allowed Congress to check the President’s power over involving the United States in foreign military conflicts. Trump will be feeling some frustration over this reversal of a Congress which he has long believed to be on his side. He will also be unhappy that a Senate with a Republican majority passed a resolution directly contradicting his expressed support of Saudi Arabia. What makes the divide even greater is the contrasting ways in which the Senate and the President reacted to the Khashoggi situation. Not only was the President put in a situation where he had to show the true extent to which he supports Saudi Arabia, but the Senate which is still controlled by his party had never contradicted him on this issue so strongly. The significance of this is that Trump may face a situation similar to that faced by Clinton with US involvement in Somalia, and he may end up being forced to remove troops from Yemen.
3.) Trump has veto powers, but it may not even come to that, as the House has yet to vote on it, and the resolution will, at best, have no effect on US policy until after the new year. Until it passes the house, Trump will only be able to watch.