During a recent House Foreign Affairs Committee hearing, Representative Jared Moskowitz (D-FL) discussed efforts to defeat the Houthis, who are attacking shipping in the Red Sea.
Opening Remarks
Rep. Moskowitz began by noting that hearing witness Nadwa Al-Dawsari, an Associate Fellow at the Middle East Institute, suggested that "we have done airstrikes and they work until they [the Houthis] regroup, and then you [Al-Dawsari] mentioned that we do economic sanctions, but then they work around that. So if military intervention isn't working and economic sanctions aren't working, then what do you suggest?"
Al-Dawsari suggested that the United States should work with Saudi Arabia to help support the Yemeni government to retake Houthi territory, thereby building the "necessary leverage to engage in a political process that can end the Yemeni conflict."
Moskowitz's Question
"Are you suggesting a diplomatic approach with our allies?" Rep. Moskowitz asked for clarification: "Are you suggesting that the United States should arm Saudi Arabia to go and prosecute the war in Yemen?"
Al-Dawsari clarified that the United States should collaborate with the Saudis to arm and train Yemeni forces and share intelligence.
The Stinger
The Florida congressman asked if she considered Hamas and Hezbollah to have been adequately degraded, but the Houthis have not. Al-Dawsari affirmed that this was her assessment, and that the reason why the Houthis remain a threat is that the United States has not provided the Yemeni government the support it needs to sufficiently crack down on them.
"You're saying the Trump Administration has not supported the Yemeni government?" Moskowitz inquired, although Al-Dawsari tried to say that both the Biden and Trump Administrations have not supported Yemen's government against the Houthis.
Nevertheless, he reminded her that Trump is in charge, and Al-Dawsari conceded by saying, "I think the current administration, the Trump Administration, should consider supporting the Yemeni government. Then yes, it has not done that yet."
