US envoy says ground intervention in Yemen ‘appears pointless,’ urges regional alliances
- Tom Barrack says Washington seeks peaceful agreement with Iran, questions past US military interventions in Middle East
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- Tom Barrack says Washington seeks peaceful agreement with Iran, questions past US military interventions in Middle East
By Sahin Demir
ISTANBUL (AA) - US special envoy Tom Barrack said Tuesday that Washington is providing logistical support to Saudi Arabia, but a US ground intervention in the conflict involving Yemen’s Houthis “appears pointless.”
Speaking at the Global Security Forum in Doha, Qatar, Barrack, who serves as US ambassador to Türkiye and special presidential envoy for Syria and Iraq, said President Donald Trump supports Saudi Arabia logistically amid escalating hostilities between the kingdom and the Houthi group.
He also urged Middle Eastern countries to establish regional alliances rather than rely on Washington to resolve their problems.
Barrack said the US wants to reach a peaceful agreement with Iran as tensions between Washington and Tehran continue.
The envoy also questioned Washington’s history of military interventions in the Middle East, saying attempts to change governments have repeatedly failed.
“Every time we try and intervene, change the person or the regime, it seems to have been a mistake,” he said.
Asked whether the US-Israeli war against Iran was a mistake, Barrack replied: “I don’t know whether it’s a mistake or not.”
He also described the situation resulting from the conflict as “horrible.”
His remarks come amid escalating hostilities between Saudi Arabia and Yemen’s Houthis, with the Saudi-led coalition carrying out airstrikes against Houthi positions and the group launching missile and drone attacks targeting the kingdom.
The regional escalation has coincided with continued tensions between the US and Iran following their military confrontation, with diplomatic efforts aimed at reaching an agreement remaining deadlocked.
Şahin Demir