The war in Yemen finally gets the attention of the US political establishment. Serious opposition
to a US war effort has not materialized for more than a decade. Saudi Arabia
has a dismal human rights record and the war in Yemen is a serious human rights
violation as well as a violation of international law. It is blatant
imperialism, by a small tyrant government with imperialist ambitions. Saudi Arabia
is also heavily backed by the US government which has been selling that
government arms. The death of Saudi journalist Jamal Khashoggi has triggered a
reaction that should have taken place decades ago. This is better late than
never. Bernie Sanders, who is still in the US Senate, has sent these letters
out to supporters and those he perceives as his supporters. Sanders is on the
political left of US Congress, which is not really that far to the left of the
overall political spectrum. But supporting his move against Saudi Arabia is a
good cause—not as a vehicle to support him, but a move that will educate the public
and bring attention to a serious foreign policy .
- សតិវអតុ
-The letter:
Sisters
and Brothers -
This week I will go to the floor of the United States
Senate to try and stop a war that has led to the deaths of hundreds of
thousands of civilians, mass starvation and one of the greatest humanitarian
crises the world now faces.
I am talking, of course, about the Saudi led war in
Yemen and the United States’ role in supporting that war.
In the spring, along with Senator Mike Lee and Senator
Chris Murphy, I introduced a bi-partisan resolution calling on the United
States to withdraw our armed forces from this horrific conflict. It was
defeated 44-55. But things have changed. The humanitarian crisis grows worse
and more Americans, and members of Congress, are now aware of the brutality of
the despotic Saudi regime. The Saudi government is a dictatorship which allows
no criticism, treats women as third class citizens and was recently responsible
for the cold-blooded murder of dissident journalist Jamal Khashoggi. The United
States should not be partnering in Saudi Arabia's disastrous military
adventurism.
Despite Trump's venal support for the Saudi regime, I am
confident that we now stand an excellent chance to win this vote which I plan
on bringing back to the Senate floor this week. But I need your help.
As you may know, this war began in March 2015 when a
coalition led by Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates attacked Yemen’s
Houthi rebels. And the war has dragged on and on and on - with unimaginable
human suffering.
According to the United Nations, the war in Yemen has
created the most severe famine in more than 100 years. In one of the poorest
countries on earth, as a result of this war, some 85,000 children have starved
to death over the last several years and millions more face death if the war
continues. Further, the country is currently experiencing the worst cholera
outbreak in the world with as many as 10,000 new cases each week. This has
occurred because Saudi bombs have destroyed Yemen's water infrastructure and
people are no longer able to access clean water.
Above and beyond the humanitarian crisis, this war has
been a disaster for our national security and the security of our allies. The
chaos caused by this conflict has significantly benefited extremist groups like
Al Qaeda and the Islamic State.
Further, and an issue that has long been of concern to
many of us, this war has not been authorized by Congress and is therefore
unconstitutional. Article I of the Constitution clearly states that it is
Congress, not the president, that has the power to declare war. Over many
years, Congress has not exercised that authority. That must change.
The fact is the United States, with almost no media
attention, has been Saudi Arabia’s partner in this horrific war. We have been
providing bombs the Saudi-led coalition is using, refueling their planes before
they drop those bombs, and assisting with intelligence. And in too many cases
our weapons are being used to kill civilians. In August, it was an
American-made bomb that obliterated a school bus full of young boys, killing
dozens and wounding many more.
The killing of Jamal Khashoggi underscores how urgent it
has become for the United States to redefine our relationship with Saudi
Arabia, and to show that the Saudis do not have a blank check to continue
violating human rights.
With your help, we can win this vote.
In solidarity,
Bernie Sanders
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