On Wednesday’s broadcast of CNN’s “Situation Room,” House Intelligence Committee Ranking Member Rep. Jim Himes (D-CT) stated that he “probably would have taken more aggressive action against the Houthis” and his “hope is” the administration “sends a very clear message that the world will not tolerate an expansion of this war, especially one that compromises freedom of navigation.”
Himes said, “I understand that the Biden administration has been very careful on this front, and so far successful at not letting what is a tragedy — but a tragedy that has been largely limited to Gaza and Israel and the northern border with Israel — become a regional conflagration with lots of nation-states involved. What I would suggest — and the Biden administration isn’t necessarily asking my opinion — but what I would suggest that the guiding principle here be is that nobody gets to escalate. And, as a consequence, were I sitting in that Oval Office I probably would have taken more aggressive action against the Houthis. Now, the United States Navy, of course, sank three of their boats attacking shipping, but I think we need to make it very clear that attacking freedom of navigation in the Red Sea is an escalation, and it will not be tolerated. And if the Houthis want to find their ways to — we would obviously discourage this — but if they want to jump into direct conflict with Israel, that will be their decision. But they do not get to implicate U.S. critical and global critical strategic interests. So, again, my hope is that the Biden administration, perhaps by taking out launching sites, sends a very clear message that the world will not tolerate an expansion of this war, especially one that compromises freedom of navigation.”
Follow Ian Hanchett on Twitter @IanHanchett
