BALTIMORE - Feb. 7, 2021 - iYesterday, President Joe Biden declared an end of all US "offensive support" for the Saudi-led war in Yemen. While this is definitely good, significant news that is cause for celebration, we must make sure to stay vigilant. It is estimated that 100,000 Yemenis have been killed and 250,000 are on the brink of starvation in the Saudi-led onslaught. An onslaught that has been largely supplied by US weapon sales, starting in 2015 with the Obama-Biden administration.

The reason why we must stay vigilant, according to Yemini scholar Shireen Al-Adeimi, is Biden's qualifiers of ending offensive operations in Yemen, and relevant arm sales. The US needs to halt all support of the war, including weapons sales, but also training, intelligence sharing, targeting assistance, logistics, and more.

It is great news that Biden reversed Trump's Muslim ban. It is great news that the new administration is examining Trump's designation of the Houthi rebels as a terrorist organization (because this designation makes it harder for civilians to receive aid), and it's great news that Biden is going to resume aid to Yemen. However, we must stay vigilant. We cannot assume that because Trump is gone, American foreign policy towards the Muslim world will be perfect. Remember that it was the Obama-Biden administration that continued the Wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, began US support for the war in Yemen, escalated the use of drone assassinations and covert wars in the MIddle East, did not prosecute CIA torturers and did not shut down Guantanamo Bay. Yes, it is good that we no longer have Trump in office, that Biden's rhetoric towards Muslims is not hateful, but we must always stay vigilant.