By Stephen Bell
The bombing of a Syrian airfield by US President Trump represents a further escalation of the US military presence in the Middle East. It is immediately unclear whether this represents a one-off, or the start of a campaign against Syria. US Ambassador to the UN, Nikki Haley said ‘We are prepared to do more, but we hope it will not be necessary’. The action was taken without UN authorisation, or US Congressional debate.
The following article by Stephen Bell, about US backed war on Yemen, was first published on the Stop the War Coalition Website.
Following President Trump’s inauguration, many questions are posed about the future direction of US foreign policy. During the election campaign, when questioned on the Middle East, Trump reiterated his opposition to: the Iraq war; US intervention against Assad rather than ISIS; and to the use of US ground troops where local states ought to intervene. Perhaps such shifts will lead him to withdraw support for the Saudi-led war upon Yemen?
On Monday 9 January, Sabah Jawad died in hospital, following a battle with cancer. To the end, he remained steadfast in his support for principled socialism and anti-imperialism.
By Stephen Bell
On the 14 September, the House of Commons Foreign Affairs Committee (FAC) published its report, ‘Libya: Examination of intervention and collapse and the UK’s future policy options’. Published immediately after David Cameron’s retirement from Parliament, the reception given to the report concentrated on his culpability for the political and economic collapse in Libya. But this convenient response ignored how deeply compromised the British government’s intervention actually is. That policy continues to evade parliamentary control; involves fighting on both sides of a civil war, and adds to the chaos facing the people of Libya.
The following article by Stephen Bell, on British policy on Yemen, was previously published by Stop the war coalition.
For some time now international pressure has been building up against the Saudi led war upon Yemen. In February this year, the European Parliament voted for an EU wide arms embargo on Saudi Arabia. Recently, 64 members of the US Congress, from both Democrats and Republicans, called upon President Obama to “postpone sales of new arms” to Saudi Arabia.
By Stephen Bell
On 20 and 21 August the ‘International Conference in support of the people in Yemen’ was held in London. 23 countries were represented at the conference, the aim of which was to highlight the Saudi led war, and to promote action to bring the war to an end.
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