Dr. Aaron Lerner - IMRA: "The decision to take military action was a Saudi
decision"

There's no need to wait for decades to pass before classified documents are
released.

The Obama Administration makes not bones about it.

As far as Mr. Obama is concerned, Iranian proxies can control the Bab
el-Mandeb Strait - the chokepoint between the Suez Canal and the rest of the
world.

U.S. Department of State
Jeff Rathke Director, Press Office
Daily Press Briefing
Washington, DC
March 26, 2015
http://www.state.gov/r/pa/prs/dpb/2015/03/239810.htm

TRANSCRIPT:




12:56 p.m. EDT

...QUESTION: Can we start with Yemen?

MR. RATHKE: Sure.

QUESTION: Can you explain what’s changed in the last 24 hours for U.S.
policy? I think yesterday you were still talking about the dialogue efforts
and mediation approaches, and now the U.S. is supporting what by all
accounts is an active military intervention by Saudi Arabia and others.

MR. RATHKE: Sure. Well, let me just, for those who haven’t seen it, you’ – there was an announcement last night by the Saudi Ambassador to the
United States Adel Jubeir – announcement from Saudi Arabia that Saudi Arabia
and GCC states and others undertook military action to defend Saudi Arabia’s
border and to protect Yemen’s legitimate government, and they’re taking this
action at the request of Yemini President Hadi.

Now, I’ll come to your question in one second, but one additional bit of
information that is probably of interest – Secretary Kerry spoke by
conference call this morning with the GCC foreign ministers about the
situation in Yemen. He commended the work of the coalition taking military
action against the Houthis, and noted the United States support for those
coalition efforts, including intelligence sharing, targeting assistance, and
advisory and logistical support for strikes against Houthi targets. The
ministers all expressed their support for political negotiations as the best
way to resolve the crisis, but they also noted that it is the Houthis who
have instead waged a military campaign. And they all agreed to stay in
close contact going forward.

So that’s a somewhat roundabout way of coming to you question, but I think,
Brad, the – we still believe that there is no purely military solution to
the situation in Yemen. And we, along with the GCC ministers whom the
Secretary spoke to today, support political negotiations as the best way to
resolve the crisis. However, we also understand the Saudis’ concerns,
especially given the Houthis’ failure to engage meaningfully in the
political dialogue process. And so in that regard, we understand and we
support the action that they’ve taken.

QUESTION: So what changed that led you to announce last night that you were
supporting this military campaign? Was it the rapid advance of the Houthis
that led you to reassess?

MR. RATHKE: Well, this was – this is a Saudi-led and Saudi-organized
coalition. So as far as the reasoning behind the particular timing on their
side, we would refer you to them and to their partners. But we’ve certainly
been in discussions with our Saudi partners over recent days. We’re well
aware of their concerns. And so when they reached the point that they
decided to take this action, in our consultations with them, we decided to
be supportive in the ways that we’ve outlined – through some logistical and
intelligence support and so forth.

QUESTION: So essentially you were waiting for them to make the move, and
then you would support it?

MR. RATHKE: Well, this is a decision that they’ve taken and the Saudis are
in the lead.

QUESTION: That’s fine.

MR. RATHKE: Yeah.

QUESTION: Okay. And then you said there is no purely military solution,
but I guess now you believe there are at least military tactics that could
lead to a non-military solution? I mean, obviously you wouldn’t be
supporting this if you thought it wouldn’t help get to the solution you
want, right?

MR. RATHKE: Well, our goal is political negotiations, as we’ve – as we and
the international community and the UN Security Council have been supporting
and trying to promote for quite some time.

QUESTION: You feel this military action will lead you closer to these
political negotiations?

MR. RATHKE: Well, we would refer you back to the statement that the Saudis
have made. They have their own concerns about security --

QUESTION: I’m not asking --

MR. RATHKE: -- on their border, as well as the situation inside Yemen.

QUESTION: That’s fine.

MR. RATHKE: So we’re hopeful that it will lead to that.

QUESTION: That’s not a question for the Saudis. You have a stated goal in
Yemen, and now you have a policy that you’re supporting a military
intervention. Do you feel this military intervention will achieve your
stated goal, and if – or at least help toward that? And if you don’t, that’s
– raises questions.

MR. RATHKE: Well, again, we understand the Saudis’ concerns. We understand
the threat that they perceive on their border to which they are responding.
So – and we’re supportive of their efforts to address that. Our ultimate
goal remains a political negotiation process.

QUESTION: And just one last time: So you can’t say that you think this
will help in any way to achieve your ultimate goal?

MR. RATHKE: Well --

QUESTION: Which would beg the question: Why are you then supporting it?

MR. RATHKE: Well, I’m not going to – I can’t predict what the response is
going to be --

QUESTION: I’m not asking you to predict. I’m just --

MR. RATHKE: -- to the Saudis’ actions. But yes, we see this as consistent
with our goal. We wish that there were a political negotiation – a
meaningful political negotiation process happening now, but the Houthis have
not engaged in one.

QUESTION: Jeff, isn’t the fact that you are supporting this military
action – that you are really taking sides in this fight? I mean, you no
longer, at least on practical – just to follow on Brad’s question --

MR. RATHKE: Right.

QUESTION: -- you’re not following that the best solution is a political
solution. In fact, you are taking sides, or your allies are taking sides,
in basically a sectarian civil war.

MR. RATHKE: Well, no. We’ve said all along that President Hadi remains the
legitimate authority in Yemen and so don’t see that as having changed.

QUESTION: Now, do you believe that Saudi Arabia borders were threatened?
Do you believe that the Houthis were actually on their way to the Saudi
border and therefore this is a defensive action and not an offensive action?

MR. RATHKE: Well, again, I think the Saudis have spoken to the concerns
they’ve had about threatening activity by the Houthis, and we understand
those concerns.

QUESTION: Yeah, but the statement coming out of Washington is very strong
in support of the Saudi and the Gulf – the GCC and Jordan – countries. I
mean, we can see almost an entrenchment of Sunni countries waging a war
against what are perceived to be a Shia militia in Yemen.

MR. RATHKE: Well, I’m sorry, what’s your question?

QUESTION: My question is that you are taking sides in this civil war that
is basically between Sunnis and Shias.

MR. RATHKE: Again, we – there has been a – there have been efforts at
dialogue for a long time. We support President Hadi, who – indeed, who came
into office as a result of a dialogue process that was supported by the
international community. And the Houthis have been trying to seize power by
force, and it’s that and the threats the Saudis have perceived that they
have – has led them to respond.

Justin, your question.

QUESTION: Sorry, didn’t mean to step on you there.

MR. RATHKE: No, that’s okay.

QUESTION: Is he in Riyadh today?

MR. RATHKE: Who?

QUESTION: Hadi.

MR. RATHKE: I don’t have an update on his whereabouts. We understand he’s
outside the country, but I don’t have any specifics to offer about his
precise whereabouts.

QUESTION: Has anyone spoken to him since yesterday?

MR. RATHKE: We don’t have any new contact to readout. Of course, we remain
in contact broadly, but not – we don’t have any contact to read out with
Hadi.

QUESTION: Yesterday Jen said that she would seek a fuller readout of that
conversation, including – I think one of the questions were who spoke with
him, what did they speak about. Do you have anything on that?

MR. RATHKE: I don’t have that detail. I apologize.

QUESTION: Okay.

MR. RATHKE: We’ll get that.

QUESTION: Is this an issue about his safety, or is it that you just don’t
know? What’s the deal? Like, why can’t we say he’s – it’s being reported
that he’s in Riyadh. What’s the problem with just sort of revealing that?

MR. RATHKE: Mm-hmm. Well, again, we’re aware there are reports out there.
We don’t – we’re not able to confirm those reports, so I’m not going to give
information that I’m not certain of.

Yeah.

QUESTION: And then just to go back to Said’s question, this notion that the
Saudi borders were in danger or the Saudis were concerned about
destabilizing activity on its border – I mean, it seemed to me the Houthis
have been in the north of Yemen for hundreds of years, and they are moving
south now. So how does that necessarily threaten the border on the north
with – I mean, the Houthis have always been on their border, and their
action has been to push southward.

MR. RATHKE: Well --

QUESTION: So if you look at a map, it’s hard to understand that. Maybe you
can explain.

MR. RATHKE: Well, there have been reports as well about Houthi military
activity in the region of the border. I’m not in a position to confirm
that, but simply to highlight that while, yes, the Houthis have been in the
north, I think it’s relevant that there are also reports of military
activity near the border with Saudi Arabia.

QUESTION: That’s inside Yemen.

MR. RATHKE: Mm-hmm. Yes.

QUESTION: So what – how does that necessarily compel a Saudi Arabian
military response?

MR. RATHKE: Well, as to the tactical considerations on the ground, again,
refer you to the Saudis for more detail. But the reports of Houthi military
activity near the border with Saudi Arabia – there have also been reports of
possible rocket fire into Saudi Arabia. I’m not in a position to confirm
those, but those are certainly relevant factors that I think our Saudi
partners have been responding to.

QUESTION: They’re only relevant if they’re true, and if you’re not
confirming them, what – I mean, then they might not be true. If –
obviously, if they’re untrue it’s not relevant, correct?

MR. RATHKE: Right. Yes, naturally.

QUESTION: All right.

MR. RATHKE: I don’t have the detail to --

QUESTION: Okay.

MR. RATHKE: -- affirm on behalf of the U.S. Government each of those
reports.

Yes, go ahead, Jamie.

QUESTION: Just to follow up, the justification of the U.S. support for this
operation in Yemen: We’re not in open conflict with the Houthis, and there’s
coups or governments are deposed from time to time around the world. I’m
just curious about this specific situation in Yemen, the reason that we are
supporting this mission. What is it about this situation in Yemen that is
driving the United States to support the actions of the Saudis and --

MR. RATHKE: Well, we have a close partnership with the Saudis, with other
countries in the GCC, and clearly this is a situation that they view with
concern. It’s also a situation that the United States views with concern.
Clearly, as all of you know, I think, there are extremist groups that have
designs on attacking the West. I think this is something that Josh Earnest
spoke to this morning. And there is certainly the possibility that groups
could try to take advantage of chaos in order to advance their goals. So
this is also something that has relevance for us in addition to for our
partners.

Justin.

QUESTION: Forgive me if this was already asked, but – or mentioned at the
briefing yesterday from the ambassador, but was this decision made in
consultation with the U.S. ahead of time? Or was this – I mean, you weren’t
first learning about this yesterday, right?

MR. RATHKE: Well, we’ve been in discussions with the Saudis. They’ve made
clear their concerns. The decision to take military action was a Saudi
decision.

QUESTION: And have there been cross-border attacks by – to Brad’s question,
have there been cross-border by the Houthis in Saudi Arabia from Yemen?

MR. RATHKE: Again, I’m not in a position to confirm that. I’m simply
saying that there have been reports of that.

Elliot, go ahead.

QUESTION: You have seen reports that Saudi Arabia and Egypt are planning to
launch a ground invasion into Yemen. Is that a step that you would support?

MR. RATHKE: I’m not familiar with those reports, so I don’t have a direct
comment on them. Again, I think the goal of restoring the legitimate
authorities in Yemen is what the Saudis and their partners have outlined.
We’re providing logistical and intelligence support to the actions they’ve
taken. I’m not going to speculate about further future actions.

QUESTION: Is it fair to say that you’re not drawing a line as to what
actions you wouldn’t support in order to achieve that goal?

MR. RATHKE: Well, again, this is a situation that, as far as the action,
has begun only over the last less than 24 hours. So we remain in contact
with our GCC partners, and that was a key element of the Secretary’s
conversation with his counterparts, is that we remain in close contact. So
I’m not going to read out every detail of those diplomatic discussions.

QUESTION: Jeff?

MR. RATHKE: Yeah.

QUESTION: You’re aware that there’s a task force on its way now, I mean,
steaming towards Aden as we speak, with probably 5,000 troops, Egyptian and
other troops going into Yemen. Would you support that effort, just to
follow up on (inaudible)?

MR. RATHKE: Again, I’m not in a position to confirm those reports, so I
appreciate the observation from your part but I don’t have a response to it.

QUESTION: Okay. There is also reports that the Houthis were able to take –
to capture some documents and intelligence material and so on, left behind
by the Americans. Can you share anything with us on that?

MR. RATHKE: No, I don’t have any comment on any intelligence-related
matters from this podium.

Same topic, Lalit?

QUESTION: Yes.

MR. RATHKE: Yes.

QUESTION: There are reports that Saudis have requested several other
Islamic countries, including Pakistan, to join them in the effort against
Yemen. Do you support their move? Also other countries --

MR. RATHKE: Well, I’ll let the countries – I’ll let those countries speak
for themselves. We’re certainly aware of the coalition that the Saudis have
put together, and I think our support for the Saudis and the coalition has
been clear ever since the statement last night.

QUESTION: Would you support other countries joining the coalition?

MR. RATHKE: Well, yes, we – again, the Saudis have organized the coalition,
so we let them and the coalition members speak to their participation. But
of course, we’re supporting the overall effort.

QUESTION: Jeff?

QUESTION: The timeline of the statement --

MR. RATHKE: Yeah.

QUESTION: -- that was issued by the White House, it says that they “will
undertake” – I mean, that’s what the statement said, as if it came before
the military action was taken.

MR. RATHKE: No, it didn’t. It came – well, it came --

QUESTION: It says “will undertake.”

MR. RATHKE: It came after the announcement by Saudi authorities.

QUESTION: (Inaudible) before.

MR. RATHKE: So I don’t think there’s any question about the chronology.

Any questions on this? Yeah, same topic?

QUESTION: A couple more on Yemen.

MR. RATHKE: Yeah, go ahead, Brad.

QUESTION: Did this come up in – on the sidelines of the Iran talks today?

MR. RATHKE: So the Secretary had, as I mentioned at the start – Secretary
Kerry and Secretary Moniz met with their Iranian counterparts. And then
following that meeting, the Secretary met one on one with Iranian Foreign
Minister Zarif. Secretary Kerry did briefly raise Yemen with his Iranian
counterpart, but let me stress this was not and is not the focus of the
talks. The focus remains squarely on our and the international community’s
concern over the Iran’s nuclear program.

QUESTION: Fair enough. Can you give us just a sense of – the gist of the
Secretary’s brief intervention on Yemen – oral intervention on Yemen, if you
will?

MR. RATHKE: Well, I’m not going to get into details about it. He raised it
briefly, but I’m not going to characterize it further. That was – his
conversation with the GCC ministers happened this morning before the Iran
meetings got underway, so he was fresh from that conversation as well. But
I’m not going to read out further.

QUESTION: And then can you describe any other U.S. efforts, direct or
indirect, to convince Iran not to make this a broader proxy war here in
Yemen, to not ramp up its assistance to its Shia brethren in response to the
Saudi intervention?

MR. RATHKE: Well, I would say, first of all, for starters, I’ve been in
touch with our team on the ground in Lausanne, and the situation in Yemen is
not having an impact on the talks. So – and naturally, for quite some time
we’ve been stressing the importance of a political resolution, a dialogue
process in Yemen, and so forth. So our views on that have not changed and
they’re well known. We continue to make those points, but I don’t have
any – I don’t have a diplomatic sort of game plan to read out right now
about that.

QUESTION: I’m just asking if you – if anyone has spoken to the Iranians on
this matter to kind of caution them against making the situation more
volatile either in – directly or indirectly. And you mentioned Kerry
brought it up but you wouldn’t read it out. Maybe --

MR. RATHKE: Yeah.

QUESTION: Some – maybe you’ve spoken to the Omanis who’ve spoken to the
Iranians, maybe you’ve spoken to some – I don’t know.

MR. RATHKE: Yeah. I can check if there are other conversations to read
out.

QUESTION: Are you doing anything to make sure this doesn’t become a
terrible, terrible war that lots of people die in or --

MR. RATHKE: Well, I think it’s fair to say we are in contact with all of
our partners in the region to explain our view and to stress the importance
of a political resolution to the situation in Yemen. I’ll see if there’s
any more detail we’re able to provide, but yes, certainly that’s our goal.

QUESTION: (Inaudible.)

MR. RATHKE: Same topic?

QUESTION: No.

MR. RATHKE: Anything on this --

QUESTION: Yes.

QUESTION: (Inaudible.)

MR. RATHKE: Hang on just a moment. Pam, go ahead.

QUESTION: Jeff, I have several questions, and if you’ll indulge me, I’ll
just give them all to you at one time. You said at the top that the U.S.
still considers Hadi the legitimate authority, but is the U.S. considering
measures that would enhance diplomatic communications with Houthi leaders?
In that the U.S. is concerned about al-Qaida in Yemen, is it looking at ways
to reach out more and collaborate more with the Houthis in case Hadi is not
able to return?

MR. RATHKE: Is – oh, I thought there were more.

QUESTION: There are more. That --

MR. RATHKE: Oh, okay. (Laughter.) All right. That pause came earlier
than I expected. So, yeah. On the question of contacts, we have not had
direct contacts with the Houthis. However, I think we’ve spoken to in the
past that we have ways to make our views known, and we have consistently
called, in a variety of fora, for the Houthis to refrain from violence, to
join a peaceful dialogue with all of the parties in Yemen. Again, the goal
ultimately is to return Yemen to a peaceful political transition that’s in
line with the GCC initiative and the NDC outcomes. But I don’t have more
specifics to provide about these channels.

QUESTION: Does the U.S. support for the Saudi-led initiative against the
Houthis drag the United States in sort of a sectarian conflict in the
region?

MR. RATHKE: I think this is very similar to Said’s question, so I’d refer
you back to my answer to that. No, we don’t see it that way.

QUESTION: What kind of message, then, do you think the U.S. support for
this effort sends to Shiites in the region?

MR. RATHKE: Well, again, I think there is – we were pretty clear in the
statement last night from the White House, as was the White House spokesman
this morning, that we have been in close contact with our partners in the
region and with Yemen, and we urge the Houthis to halt destabilizing
military actions. We have spoken out in favor of a political dialogue
process. We’re not taking sides against Shia – a Shia faction against a
Sunni faction. We’re trying to promote a dialogue process in which the
views of all Yemenis can be taken into account, and it’s the Houthis who
have refused to engage in that dialogue.

Yeah.

QUESTION: And one final question.

MR. RATHKE: Yes.

QUESTION: At a Washington forum today, some analysts said that the U.S.
focus on al-Qaida in Yemen has been at the detriment of development projects
in the country, which they say is the core of the country’s current
problems. Does State believe that Yemen’s current unrest, at its core, is
an economic-social development issue? And if so, has the U.S. not been
focused on this issue as much as it should be?

MR. RATHKE: Well, our partnership with Yemen is broad. It covers
political-security but also development cooperation. We’re happy to get
additional details to you about the scope and the figures involved, but --

QUESTION: It was broad. I don’t think it’s broad at the current --

MR. RATHKE: Well, we don’t have – we don’t have U.S. personnel in the
country right now, naturally. So – but we would – I’m not going to get into
an analysis of all those details from this podium.

Yes, go ahead, (inaudible).

QUESTION: Thank you. Earlier this week, the United Nations said Yemen was
at the edge of the civil – a civil war. And in the statement by the
National Security Council, the spokeswoman says the Houthis have created
widespread chaos and instability. So do you believe that the airstrikes are
aimed at restoring calm and stability in Yemen?

MR. RATHKE: Well, again, we’re supportive of the actions by the Saudis and
their coalition partners, and that’s – testimony to that is the fact that we’ve
got a joint planning cell which is providing assistance and support. So our
goal remains --

QUESTION: (Inaudible.)

MR. RATHKE: Our goal remains the same; however, recognize the Saudis’
concerns and support the actions they’ve taken.