{"id":17532,"date":"2018-03-22T15:56:03","date_gmt":"2018-03-22T15:56:03","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/marinecorpstimes\/uncategorized\/2018\/03\/22\/mattis-says-saudis-arabia-part-of-the-solution-in-yemen\/"},"modified":"2026-08-08T18:53:13","modified_gmt":"2026-08-08T18:53:13","slug":"mattis-says-saudis-arabia-part-of-the-solution-in-yemen","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/marinecorpstimes\/flashpoints\/2018\/03\/22\/mattis-says-saudis-arabia-part-of-the-solution-in-yemen\/","title":{"rendered":"Mattis says Saudis Arabia ‘part of the solution’ in Yemen"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

WASHINGTON \u2014 Defense Secretary Jim Mattis on Thursday said Saudi Arabia was \u201cpart of the solution\u201d in Yemen, where the Saudis are leading a U.S.-supported military campaign against Houthi rebels that is heavily criticized for inflicting civilian casualties.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Mattis spoke at the start of a Pentagon meeting with Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, who is on a three-week U.S. visit. Earlier this week, the Senate debated and then shelved a resolution calling for an end to U.S. support for the Saudi-led coalition in Yemen<\/a>. Mattis had opposed the measure, saying it would be counterproductive by increasing civilian casualties, jeopardizing counterterrorism cooperation and emboldening Iran to increase its support for Houthi rebels.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Defense Secretary Jim Mattis, center right, meets with Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, center left, at the Pentagon in Washington, Thursday, March 22, 2018. (Cliff Owen\/AP)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

During a photo-taking session with the crown prince, Mattis was asked by a reporter whether he would raise concerns about civilian casualties in Yemen. Mattis said the U.S is working with the U.N.\u2019s new envoy to Yemen, Martin Griffiths of Britain, in pursuit of a political solution to the civil war, which has killed more than 10,000 civilians since it started in March 2015.<\/p>\n\n\n\t