Western Complicity Is Fueling Yemen’s Humanitarian Crisis

[Tabby]

https://www.commondreams.org/views/2018/01/06/western-complicity-fueling-yemens-humanitarian-crisis

. . .

The United Nations Humanitarian Co-ordinator for Yemen, Jamie McGoldrick, has described the conflict as "absurd" and "futile", characterised by "the destruction of the country and the incommensurate suffering of its people." 

The Saudi Coalition airstrikes began in March 2015 in response to Houthi rebels’ seizing control of much of Yemen in late 2014. There was widespread disillusionment in Yemen with Saudi-backed president, Abed Rabbo Mansour Hadi, whose transitional administration was dogged by corruption, unemployment and food insecurity.

The Houthi uprising forced Mr Hadi to flee abroad in March 2015 which signalled the start of Saudi airstrikes. On the larger canvass of Middle-East relations and current tensions, the Sunni Saudis accuse the Houthis of being proxies for Shia Iran, their main regional rival. 

Targeting civilians

Yemen’s impoverished civilian population has been caught in the middle of this contagion of hostilities with Human Rights Watch finding in 2016 that 60 per cent of civilian deaths resulted from air strikes.

It reported that "[a]irstrikes have damaged or destroyed numerous civilian objects including homes, markets, hospitals, and schools, as well as commercial enterprises" which "appear to be in violation of international law."

This assessment is based on the monitoring of attacks that "do not discriminate between military targets and civilian objects." "Taken together", the report argues, "the attacks on factories and other civilian economic structures raise serious concerns that the Saudi-led coalition has deliberately sought to inflict widespread damage to Yemen’s production capacity." 

The effects of the conflict have been compounded by an air, land and sea blockade of Yemen imposed from November 2017 by Riyadh allegedly "to stem the flow of arms to the Houthis from Iran."

The blockade of Yemen’s Hodeida port in particular has been disastrous for a country "90 per cent dependent on imports", 70 per cent of which came through the port.

The war and blockade has pushed some seven million people to the brink of famine and left nearly 900,000 infected with cholera.

Mark Lowcock, who co-ordinates humanitarian affairs and emergency relief for the UN, has said that without urgently needed humanitarian aid, Yemen would be subject to "the largest famine the world has seen for many decades with millions of victims."

. . .

My gawd...this is NOT my country.  We need to seriously take our nation back.

[A159]

It would be nice if that could happen, but at this point, I'd settle for showing a little more humanity W/sincerity. 

[steelydan]

https://www.commondreams.org/views/2018/01/06/western-complicity-fueling-yemens-humanitarian-crisis

. . .

The United Nations Humanitarian Co-ordinator for Yemen, Jamie McGoldrick, has described the conflict as "absurd" and "futile", characterised by "the destruction of the country and the incommensurate suffering of its people." 

The Saudi Coalition airstrikes began in March 2015 in response to Houthi rebels’ seizing control of much of Yemen in late 2014. There was widespread disillusionment in Yemen with Saudi-backed president, Abed Rabbo Mansour Hadi, whose transitional administration was dogged by corruption, unemployment and food insecurity.

The Houthi uprising forced Mr Hadi to flee abroad in March 2015 which signalled the start of Saudi airstrikes. On the larger canvass of Middle-East relations and current tensions, the Sunni Saudis accuse the Houthis of being proxies for Shia Iran, their main regional rival. 

Targeting civilians

Yemen’s impoverished civilian population has been caught in the middle of this contagion of hostilities with Human Rights Watch finding in 2016 that 60 per cent of civilian deaths resulted from air strikes.

It reported that "[a]irstrikes have damaged or destroyed numerous civilian objects including homes, markets, hospitals, and schools, as well as commercial enterprises" which "appear to be in violation of international law."

This assessment is based on the monitoring of attacks that "do not discriminate between military targets and civilian objects." "Taken together", the report argues, "the attacks on factories and other civilian economic structures raise serious concerns that the Saudi-led coalition has deliberately sought to inflict widespread damage to Yemen’s production capacity." 

The effects of the conflict have been compounded by an air, land and sea blockade of Yemen imposed from November 2017 by Riyadh allegedly "to stem the flow of arms to the Houthis from Iran."

The blockade of Yemen’s Hodeida port in particular has been disastrous for a country "90 per cent dependent on imports", 70 per cent of which came through the port.

The war and blockade has pushed some seven million people to the brink of famine and left nearly 900,000 infected with cholera.

Mark Lowcock, who co-ordinates humanitarian affairs and emergency relief for the UN, has said that without urgently needed humanitarian aid, Yemen would be subject to "the largest famine the world has seen for many decades with millions of victims."

. . .

My gawd...this is NOT my country.  We need to seriously take our nation back.

Yep.

[countryguy]

Excuse me, Tabby, but which is "... not my country"?  The story reports on a war involving Saudi Arabia and Yemen, and makes no mention of the U.S..  Are you referring to American inaction, in the conflict?  American military support of Saudi Arabia?  Other than that, I'm unaware of any overt American involvement in the war.

Based solely on this story (I haven't been following the Yemen situation, otherwise), I would say that we should be making efforts to use our influence to stop these Saudi airstrikes on civilian facilities.  Without more information, I would be reluctant to say we should become more involved - especially so far as to put American personnel in "harm's way", there.

[Tabby]

Excuse me, Tabby, but which is "... not my country"?  The story reports on a war involving Saudi Arabia and Yemen, and makes no mention of the U.S..  Are you referring to American inaction, in the conflict?  American military support of Saudi Arabia?  Other than that, I'm unaware of any overt American involvement in the war.

Based solely on this story (I haven't been following the Yemen situation, otherwise), I would say that we should be making efforts to use our influence to stop these Saudi airstrikes on civilian facilities.  Without more information, I would be reluctant to say we should become more involved - especially so far as to put American personnel in "harm's way", there.

American "inaction"?

http://www.aljazeera.com/news/2017/11/united-states-leave-yemen-171112191346249.html

US politicians are set to debate a resolution that would limit "unauthorised" American involvement in the Saudi-led war in Yemen, but the bill is unlikely to move past the House of Representatives, analysts say.

H.CON.RES.81 is expected to be debated on the House floor on Monday. It calls for the invocation of the War Powers Act to end US participation in the war in Yemen.

The act, introduced in 1973, requires Congressional approval for the country's involvement in any war.

 
Ro Khanna
✔
@RoKhanna
By aiding the Saudis in airstrikes that kill civilians, we are creating a security vacuum that allows groups like ISIS to gain a foothold.
10:12 PM - Nov 12, 2017
 47 47 Replies   441 441 Retweets   1,226 1,226 likes
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According to Democratic Representative Ro Khanna, the resolution's main sponsor, the bill "acknowledges that our government is assisting the Saudi refuelling, and acknowledges that such activity is unauthorised".

Currently, the US provides midair refuelling for Saudi and UAE warplanes that are conducting air attacks in Yemen, as well as assistance with bomb targeting, Khanna said.

In another sign of his beliefs, the representative tweeted late on Monday in California: "By aiding the Saudis in airstrikes that kill civilians, we are creating a security vacuum that allows groups like [ISIL] to gain a foothold."

The US has been supporting Saudi Arabia and its allies - mostly Sunni, Arab states - since March 2015, when the Kingdom intervened in neighbouring Yemen to push back Houthi rebels and reinstate the government of President Abd-Rabbu Mansour Hadi.

Armed with US weaponry and logistical support, the Saudi-led coalition has been fighting the Houthi rebels, who are backed by Iran.

At least 10,000 people have been killed in the conflict, and seven million are in dire need of food assistance.

The US began supporting the Saudi-led coalition through a decision by then-US President Barack Obama, who cited the Authorisation for Use of Military Force (AUMF) to justify US involvement.

Since taking office, President Donald Trump has done the same.

Passed in 2001, the AUMF gives the president the power to "use force" against all "nations, organisations, or persons he determines planned, authorised, committed, or aided the terrorist attacks that occurred on September 11, 2001".

We've been there since Obama.  We are the new fighting forces for Saudi Arabia, like we have been for Israel for decades.

[steelydan]

As well as numerous other countries. The enemies you keep...

[Tabby]

As well as numerous other countries. The enemies you keep...

The terrorists you support makes you the terrorist nation.  Fer sure.