International Policy Digest: Only the United States can Save the Yemeni People
Ryan McFerran, graduate student at George Washington University’s Elliott School of International Affairs

“…The U.S. has demonstrated a strong capacity to address the emergency [in Yemen] through negotiations with Saudi Arabia … [and] should continue with its diplomatic initiative to restore greater access to the country for aid agencies. … The crisis has escalated through four distinct but mutually reinforcing manifestations: violence, hunger, thirst, and disease. … The result is that everyone is worse off, with food and water shortages fueling increased rates of malnutrition and disease. … The United States must continue to restore greater and more-regular access to Yemen for aid agencies. … [T]he U.S. must act to ensure current in-flows of food, medicine, and relief workers are not just maintained, but bolstered and diversified. As a next step, the United States should make the Saudi government aware of the potential fallout if it does not relax its tight grip. … If the U.S. wishes to maintain its strong diplomatic presence in the Middle East, it must act when conditions in the region are most dire. … The United States must take a leading role in assisting the Yemeni people” (4/22).