Sen. Tom Cotton is trying to cripple a bill to end U.S. support for the war in Yemen
December 13 2018, 1:23 p.m.

Excerpt:

WITH THE SENATE set to vote on a resolution that could end U.S. support for the Saudi-led bombing campaign in Yemen, hawkish Republican Sen. Tom Cotton, R-Ark., has introduced two last-minute amendments that would largely undermine it.

The Senate will vote Thursday afternoon on a resolution that, if it were to also pass the House of Representatives, would direct President Trump to remove U.S. forces from hostilities stemming from Saudi Arabia’s intervention in Yemen, which has killed thousands and contributed to the world’s worst famine.

The measure was introduced by Sens. Bernie Sanders, I-Vt.; Chris Murphy, D-Conn.; and Mike Lee, R-Utah, and failed 55-44 in March. But following the killing of Washington Post contributor Jamal Khashoggi by Saudi agents in Turkey, the measure gained broader support and easily passed two procedural votes. An amendment process and final vote is expected Thursday.

Cotton’s first proposed amendment would allow the U.S. to give Saudi Arabia “materials and advice” as long as they were “intended to reduce civilian casualties or further enable adherence to the Law of Armed Conflict.” That would essentially mean business as usual, because the Obama and Trump administrations have consistently claimed since the fighting began in 2015 that their backing — which includes providing weapons, intelligence, and logistical support — was aimed at reducing civilian casualties.

https://theintercept.com/2018/12/13/yemen-war-senate-vote-saudi-arabia/