Spain Notes, Dec 19: Spain clashes with US on new naval mission against Yemen
US Dept. of Defense announces Spain is part of Operation Prosperity Guardian, against Yemen in the Gulf of Aden. Spain says that is not happening unilaterally.
1/ The US Department of Defense said Spain was in a new naval coalition to patrol "southern Red Sea and the Gulf of Aden" against Yemen, as part of the broader Israel-Gaza war: “The recent escalation in reckless Houthi attacks originating from Yemen threatens the free flow of commerce, endangers innocent mariners, and violates international law”.
2/ Spain’s Ministry of Defence, however, has put out a statement via EFE that puts the brakes on that idea straight away: there is to be no unilateral Spain taking part in anything. It will first depend on the EU and NATO.
3/ Opposition leader Feijóo (PP) said Sánchez has committed Spanish troops to the foreign military mission, “which I think is the right thing”, but complained the PM hasn’t informed parliament.
4/ REUTERS: “The Houthis say they have been attacking vessels in the Red Sea with links to Israel in protest at its military offensive against Hamas in Gaza, and have warned against sailing towards the area”. Shipping companies are increasingly starting to avoid the area altogether.
5/ El País is also reporting Spain is not doing this as the US has announced.
6/ ABC reported Spanish participation would depend on the EU and NATO, and that Spain’s Chief of the Defence Staff, Admiral Teodoro López Calderón, had told the US as much in a video call this morning.
7/ For the US to announce to the world in English that Spain is now part of a new military mission against one country (Yemen) as part of a much wider war between another two (Israel-Gaza) and for the government to try to wriggle out of it with anoymous MoD quotes in EFE and El País in Spanish is not a minor issue.
8/ Spanish MoD reply to me by email: "In relation to your question about whether Spain is going to participate in the US operation Prosperity Guardian in the Red Sea, I would like to tell you that, in this regard, Spain is subject to the decisions of the European Union and NATO and, therefore, will not participate unilaterally in this area".
In other news today…
9/ The Socialist Party is blaming the PP for stonewalling on the Sánchez-Feijóo meeting they have proposed; “irresponsible opposition”.
10/ The new government plans to increase unemployment benefit in Spain from €480 to €570 for the first six months.
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Amazing that people start talking about Yemen when Saudi Arabia has been bombing the shit out of it for the last 13 years with almost no public interest
Is this the MOD's show of one upmanship, deliberately countering a Sanchez decision? Was it a Sanchez decision or is he also in the dark, or is it the case that the US DoD just got it wrong? Was the MOD ever consulted? How come other EEC countries also named as participants have not also reacted in a similar fashion? Plenty of questions!