Why the United States Should Not Be Fighting Saudi Arabia's Proxy War in Yemen and Beyond
By Olivia QuillPublished March 24, 2017

The Trump Administration's escalation of air strikes and special forces raids in the first few months sets a dangerous trajectory for United States involvement in Yemen going forward. In one week, the number of airstrikes in Yemen surpassed the total annual bombings for any year of the Obama Administration. The deregulation of drone strikes not only sets a precedent for the ample use of the technology, but also the need for new international law surrounding the use of drones.
The United States has no real interest in Yemen as the Houthi rebels do not pose any major risk to national security. Continued air strikes and the brutal killing of civilians is not only exacerbating the current humanitarian crisis but also instilling anti-American sentiments that could make the area susceptible to future terror cells. Becoming more involved in the conflict would also continue to strain already contentious relations with Iran.
It would be more beneficial for the United States to direct their efforts to bringing an expedient end to the conflict through diplomatic means. Along with this, there is a growing need for humanitarian aid to both Yemen and Somalia. The most recent reports from the UN estimate that there have been more than 11,332 civilian casualties from the conflict, with a disproportionate amount of those killed being children. Additionally, over 18 million people are in need of some form of humanitarian assistance and the famine is becoming increasingly emergent. Rather than fighting a war that the United States has no real stakes in and destabilizing the region, they should seek to stabilize Yemen by offering aid and working with the international community.