Tell Congress: Stop Fueling War in Yemen
Yemen is facing a massive humanitarian catastrophe and we need your help to stop it. American aid is crucial to the Saudi war effort, and removing our assistance would limit Saudi attacks and maybe even push them to the negotiating table.
Email your lawmakers now and tell them to support the War Powers Resolution to end US support for the Saudi-led war in Yemen.
Ways to take Action:
- Call Congress and tell them to End the US-Saudi War on Yemen- Call 1-833-786-7927
- Sign this Petition
- Email your Senator to let them know they should support this bill.
Check out this great Fact Sheet from Indivisible
P.S. From About Face: Veterans Against the War: Veterans are sharing videos statements telling congress #YemenCantWait”- please share and use to the hashtag to raise awareness and build public pressure.
YEMEN: A Humanitarian, Military & Political Tragedy
Humanitarian:
- “…Saudi jet bombers that have rained down bombs on Yemeni markets, schools, factories, residential neighborhoods and a hospital, and contributed to the deaths of over 10,000 civilians” 3.
- “…the Saudis are deliberately trying to create a famine inside Yemen in order to essentially starve the Yemenis to the Negotiating table - - and the United States is participating.” 5
- “The Saudis seemingly deliberate bombing of roads, bridges, ports and cranes contributes to the death of a Yemeni child every 10 minutes, every day, according to the U.N.” 6
- “In March, 2017, a USAID official testified before the Senate that 17 million Yemenis (60% of the population) are suffering from food insecurity.[little supply, nor access to food]. The magnitude of the famine is staggering. According to a January 2017 report to the U.N. Security Council, Yemeni children are at greatest risk, with two million acutely malnourished and half a million starving. 7
- “As a result of the war, more than 7 million people are on the verge of starvation in Yemen, United Nations officials say, and the country faces an unprecedented cholera outbreak that has spread at an alarming rate in only 7 months.” 8
Military and Political Mistake:
- “Despite the clear connection between U.S. arms to Saudi Arabia and Yemeni civilian suffering, the U.S. continues to sell billions of dollars of munitions to Saudi Arabia.” 3
- “Engaging our military against Yemen’s Houthis when no direct threat to the United States exists and without prior congressional authorization would violate the separation of powers clearly delineated in the Constitution.” 9
- Al-Qaeda (Sunni) works closely with Saudi Arabia (also Sunni).It is not aligned with Houthis. “…Indeed, according to U.S. defense officials, the U.S.-backed Saudi war against Houthis in Yemen has already ‘strengthened Al Qaeda there’ and poses ‘a serious threat to U.S. security…According to press accounts, Al Qaeda in Yemen has fought against the Houthis on the same side as Saudi coalition forces in several battles… while also operating closely with Saudi-financed Islamist militias. The Houthis have never been ‘associated forces’ to Al Qaeda; they are Zaydis, a branch of Shiite Islam, and strongly oppose the Sunni Al Qaeda, which promotes sectarian violence against Shia.” 8
- U.S. businesses follow Trump to Saudi Arabia: “His first international destination as president, Saudi Arabia, is where he reportedly registered eight companies during his campaign…JPMorgan Chase, Citigroup, Dow Chemical and Blackstone…” 6
Footnotes:
1 In June, 2017 we only needed 4 more Senators to pass the Paul-Murphy-Franken Resolution! (It lost by 53 to 47.) Just one year earlier, a similar vote lost overwhelmingly by 71 to 27.
2 Friends Committee on National Legislation, 7/14/17 by Kate Gould
3 Ibid, 4/26/17
4. CREDO Action: www. act@credoaction.com (formerly “Working Assets.” Very progressive phone company.)
5 Senator Chris Murphy (D-Conn): ”Trump may be helping to create a famine in Yemen. Congress could stop him.” The Washington Post, 5/19/17
6 Ibid, Senator Mark Pocan, (D-WI)
7 U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops, 5/19/17
8 “Lawmakers Demand U.S. Withdrawal from Saudi-led War in Yemen,” Foreign Policy magazine, 9/28/17
9 Letter to Pres. Trump from 55 Representatives, 4/10/17. Friends Committee on Natl. Legislation, 3/29/17