Congress seeks to insulate Oman from Yemen instability
As the 3-year-old proxy war between Saudi Arabia and Iran continues to destabilize Yemen, Congress seeks to shore up security in neighboring Oman.
As a three-year civil war continues to plague Yemen and create a fertile breeding ground for terrorist groups, Congress is seeking to mitigate spillover into neighboring Oman by bolstering border security.
But the funding may be aimed at cracking down on alleged Iranian smuggling routes through Oman as much as protecting the neutral Gulf state.
The Senate’s annual defense authorization bill, released this week, would add Oman and Pakistan to a list of countries eligible for reimbursement for border security funding. The bill stipulates that the funding is “for purposes of supporting and enhancing efforts of the armed forces of Oman to increase security and sustain increased security along the border of Oman with Yemen.”
The Senate is likely to vote on the bill within the next few days. The House last month passed its own version of the bill, which does not contain the provision.
