On Tuesday, the Senate voted down a resolution that would have withdrawn US support for the Saudi-led war on Yemen, choosing instead to continue to illegally assist what the UN has called “the world’s largest humanitarian crisis,” reports Dennis J. Bernstein and Shireen Al-Adeimi in this interview.
By Dennis J. Bernstein
Shireen Al-Adeimi is a doctoral candidate at Harvard University. But she is having a hard time focusing on her studies, when friends and family back home in Yemen are under violent attack by the heavily armed, US-backed Saudi forces, with many going hungry as a result of the Saudi blockade.
Al-Adeimi said on Tuesday, March 20, “This month marks the third anniversary of the U.S.-backed, Saudi-led war on Yemen. Despite the dire humanitarian crisis, however, the United States continues to sell arms to the Saudis and provide them with military support.”
A Saudi military member stands next to a damaged building in the area of the presidential palace in the southern city of Aden, Yemen. Sep 27, 2015. (Flickr Ahmed Farwan)
Senators Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.), Mike Lee (R-Ut.), and Chris Murphy (D-Ct.) had introduced a bill that aimed to force a withdrawal of the United States from the Saudi-led war, based on violations of the War Powers Act. But the Bill, Senate Joint Resolution 54, cosponsored by 10 senators, was voted down 55-44 on Tuesday.
Of course it was no surprise, given the amount of lobbying money spent by the Saudis to buy congressional silence and support. The bill also was met with fierce opposition by various Trump administration officials.
The American Conservative Magazine reported that “the media has been laying out the red carpet for Crown Prince bin Salman in Washington. What the establishment press won’t tell you is that no less than 25 American lobbying firms worked for the Saudi Arabian government in 2017 to the tune of $16 million, to burnish their image, manage the message, and get massive military contracts for the weapons of war that are now being used to kill, maim and slowly starve millions of civilians in Yemen today.”
I spoke with Shireen Al-Adeimi on Tuesday, March 20, directly following the vote by Congress to continue aid for the US-supported, Saudi-led slaughter.
Dennis Bernstein: Shireen, what is your response to the Senate voting to continue aid to the Saudis?
Shireen Al-Adeimi: It is very disappointing because it ensures that millions more Yemenis will continue to suffer. On average, 130 children die every day in Yemen due to malnutrition and disease caused by the Saudi-led blockade. Many more will die because of US bombs which are dropped from Saudi jets. People continue to die for no reason at all.
DB: Could you give us a little background?
SAA: The Saudis began bombing Yemen in March, 2015. Right now, some 80% of a population of 24 million people are in desperate need of humanitarian aid. Yemen is experiencing the world’s worst cholera outbreak in modern history, with over 1 million cases. There is a severe water crisis affecting 15 million people in Yemen.
Hundreds of thousands have died of malnutrition and disease because Saudi Arabia is not only bombing Yemen but is also blockading Yemen by land, sea and air, ensuring that no aid or medicine can come into the country. The Saudis have created what the UN calls “the worst humanitarian crisis on earth today.”
DB: Could you describe the United States’ role in all of this?
SAA: In January, the US Army published an article detailing their support for the Saudis, including training Saudi soldiers, advising military personnel, maintaining and upgrading vehicles and aircraft, providing courses on communication and navigation, and providing Saudi jets with mid-air refueling. This is in addition to the billions in weapon sales between the US and Saudi Arabia every year.
The bottom line is that the United States is benefiting from this relationship with the Saudis and it doesn’t seem to matter that this has caused such a humanitarian toll in the process. Estimates are that over 75% of the targets in Yemen have been civilian targets.
DB: Is there a notable difference between the policies of the last administration and those of the Trump administration?
SAA: Absolutely not. This began under the Obama administration, which sold billions in weapons to the Saudis and provided them with the logistical services I just mentioned. The Trump policy in Yemen is basically on autopilot, following blindly what the Obama administration did. This is very much a bipartisan effort.
King Salman greets President Obama and the First Lady during a state visit to Saudi Arabia on Jan. 27, 2015. (Official White House Photo by Pete Souza)
DB: Tell us more about how this is evolving on the ground.
SAA: People have lost their jobs. There is no future to look forward to. People who were once wealthy or middle-class are now resorting to begging on the streets and selling their possessions. Three million are displaced internally because there is nowhere to go with the blockade in place. People can’t find water, they can’t find food, they can’t find medicine or fuel. They can’t decide whether to take a sick child to the hospital or provide them with food. It is as bad as it can get.
DB: The Saudi prince was just in D.C. He said that he really feels for the people of Yemen and that he is working on easing the blockade because he understands how devastating it has been. What is your response to that?
SAA: It is a complete fabrication. They are the ones imposing the blockade, they are the ones bombing a sovereign country. They have no business in Yemen at all. And then to claim that it is the Houthis who are preventing food and medicine from coming into the country is completely absurd. In fact, the Saudis have acknowledged that they are using starvation as a weapon.
They have already bombed most hospitals in Yemen. Four times they bombed Doctors without Borders hospitals. So far they have caused the death of at least 10,000 civilians through airstrikes and tens of thousands more through disease and malnutrition caused by the blockade.
DB: The US media has once again dropped the ball.
SAA: MSNBC reported on Yemen once in 2017 and not once since then. There is no reporting on the humanitarian crisis, on the resolutions before Congress. When it comes to the relationship between the US and Saudi Arabia, people just don’t want to go there.
DB: What are human rights organizations saying about the potential for famine?
SAA: The UN has designated Yemen a level 3 for famine out of a range of 1 to 4, but when you have people already dying of starvation it doesn’t matter much what level they establish. In 2015, 15,000 children died of hunger and disease in Yemen and a similar number in 2016. We are not at the brink of famine, we are already there. People are dying of starvation every day.
DB: Is it possible to get through to folks on the ground there? Is there outreach from the country for support?
SAA: Organizations such as Oxfam and Save the Children do have their ships there and they do bring in aid and food to the 7 million people who depend on it every day. But even that flow is obstructed by the Saudis. The cost of fuel has increased 200%. Family members like myself are sending cash, as are organizations like Doctors without Borders, to keep people employed and afloat. Kids are dying of diseases that are completely preventable. No one has to die from cholera.
DB: How do you explain these congress people who support this ongoing war and famine in Yemen? Are they owned by the weapons manufacturers?
SAA: Some claim that it protects Saudi interests and prevents Iran from spreading its tentacles in the region. But they undoubtedly have contact to the Saudis and to the weapons manufacturers who want to maintain their interests in Saudi Arabia.
Dennis J. Bernstein is a host of “Flashpoints” on the Pacifica radio network and the author of Special Ed: Voices from a Hidden Classroom. You can access the audio archives at www.flashpoints.net.
Shame on the disUnited States of America, its traitorous Congress, its murderous military, its warmongering corporations, its mendacious “leadership”, its capitulating media and its oblivious people. May you all be exposed as the frauds that you are and may the misery you have sown come back ten-fold in your teeth.
Just learned something interesting about the “edit” function: Posts which were supposed to be deleted – weren’t. This despite the little statement each time specifying they had been.
I also have encountered this technical problem from time to time, Zachary. I suggest that you alert the site manager when this occurs.
The UN has failed the Yemenese. Another example of a UN member state attacking another member state without the UN saying boo. What’s the point of the UN if it can’t get aggressive members to stop attacking their neighbors?
An increasingly out of the closet Israeli-Saudi-US Axis portends more war.
“The recent months have witnessed unprecedented Saudi calls for normalization with Israel, even though calling for such a move publicly was considered ‘a sin’ before bin Salman’s rise to power.
“The recent period has also witnessed an informal economic rapprochement between Riyadh and Tel Aviv, where former Saudi businessmen and former senior officials have visited Israel. Camera lenses have also captured handshakes between Israeli officials and Saudi princes, which is unprecedented.
“Israel has supported the current blockade imposed by Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, Bahrain and Egypt on Qatar. Tel Aviv has repeatedly called on Doha not to host prominent Palestinian figures, which is now a view shared by Riyadh and Abu Dhabi.”
https://www.middleeastmonitor.com/20171021-israeli-official-confirms-bin-salman-visited-tel-aviv-last-month/
Lots of interesting things in these two sentences. The Saudi Prince fellow still has lots of money, and he can buy all the “media” he feels he needs. Ditto for “lobbying firms” – 25! And obviously also Congress Critters. One way of keeping the old wallet topped off is to tap into the bank account of the many Saudi Billionaires who happen to be unhappy with the young whippersnapper.
Saudi Arabia’s crown prince reportedly bragged about having Jared Kushner ‘in his pocket’ after being told classified information meant for Trump
What does that headline have to do with anything? The link article and others like it describes how Trump’s Intelligence Briefings were carefully read by son-in-law Kushner. Lots of really nice information there, and it might well have included information about the political situation inside Saudi Arabia. Who was supporting the New Prince, and who wasn’t? WELL, what if Kushner hotfooted it to Saudi Arabia carrying the names of the “anti” billionaires? Wouldn’t you suppose the New Prince would be happy?
Coincidence? Who knows. But some authors have observed that Kushner needs to raise at least a billion bucks within a year to dig his way out of some bad investments. Lots and lots of nations might be interested in the Super Secret stuff Trump is supposed to read, but doesn’t. BTW, there are reports some of the Saudi Billionaires were sort of "tortured" in order to squeeze out those big bucks. Nice guy, the New Prince. Having the American Slum Landlord in his pocket would have been a good feeling. Assuming of course there is a word of truth to any of this.
This may remain one of the mysteries of the universe.
http://www.businessinsider.com/saudi-crown-prince-jared-kushner-relationship-2018-3
Making a search for the terms ‘bernie sanders warmonger’ turned up some interesting results – even on Google.
h**p://www.ancreport.com/report/bernie-sanders-a-warmonger-and-economically-illiterate-2/
Why Bernie Sanders is an Imperialist Pig
h**ps://www.blackagendareport.com/bernie_sanders_imperial_pig
Bernie might or might not be a good deal for things not involving Holy Israel. On anything even remotely connected with that dingleberry of a murderous and thieving apartheid state, he’s totally in the Wars For Israel corner.
Thanks for exposing lying Senator Sanders, Zach. We need to be really clear about this phony democrat (aren’t they all?).
I went to Washington DC with a hundred dollar bill and tried to buy the government. They laughed at me.
I went back with a thousand dollars and tried to buy the government. Same result.
I went back with a million dollars and tried to buy the government. Not enough, they said.
I went back to buy the government with several billion dollars and they said SOLD!
There is a moral to my story. Once you guess the moral, you know what must be done.
This is unconscionable and unforgivable, on the part of President Trump and Congress, with assistance from the Deep State. They all know full well that 9/11 was orchestrated by the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, and that Saudi Arabia is unnecessarily forcing people to suffer and die; yet, they capitulate to them anyway to satiate weapons manufacturers and lobbyists. It’s more likely than not that the Zionists and “J Street” support these actions, as well. Islam, in general, is wrongly blamed – with simplistic, misleading, and false arguments – when in reality, it’s a radical offshoot of Islam known as Wahhabiism. Wahhabiism was created in the 1700s or 1800s by a group of men who are the direct predecessors (some, by blood) of the royal family of Saudi Arabia. Most, if not all, of what is referred to as “radical Islamic extremism” is actually Wahhabiism.
The hypocrisy, sanctimoniousness, and corruption of American politics has never been greater than it is now. There are no worse people than those who try to speak from a moral high ground, lecturing and bullying others into submission using gaslighting as a tactic, whilst being fully complicit in the commissions of the most grotesque atrocities ever to be inflicted on mankind. This deceit, in whole, is truly the personification of evil.
The Senate vote reflects pro-israel Lobby pressure to sustain the conflict in Yemen due to Israel’s interest in strategic control of the Bab-el-Mandeb Strait:
“Bab-el-Mandeb or Mandeb Strait is of great significance for the Israelis from a series of aspects. Assurance that the opponents will not dominate the significant waterway is vital to the Israeli military and security strategy. The Tel Aviv obsession with the Bab-el-Mandeb stems from on the one hand the strait’s geographic position and on the other hand the dangers threatening the regime’s security. […]
“Tel Aviv is obsessed with assurance to keep the strait open as it is afraid that once a new war with the Arab states breaks out, the strait comes to a closure by the Yemenis in a bid to impose a sea and land blockade on Tel Aviv, though for decades big regional countries like Saudi Arabia and Egypt, influenced by the Western powers and media pressures and propaganda on the flimsy Iranian dangers, have forsaken support for the Palestinian cause and instead chose to shift to compromising attitudes, which mean at least in the present time Tel Aviv feels no dangers are posed to its marine access by Riyadh and Cairo. […]
“Tel Aviv steps to secure a sufficient degree of control over the strait, including setting up sea bases in the area. Close to the Bab-el-Mandeb Strait, the sea bases are equipped with control facilities to watch the sea traffic and oil tankers on the Saudi, Yemeni, Sudanese, and Somalian coasts. Tel Aviv provided financial aids to such Africa’s coastal countries as Eritrea, Tanzania, and Kenya in return for stronger toehold there. Eritrea allowed the Israeli regime to build its military bases in the country’s Massawa port. Rawajiat and Mokhalawi are the two major Israeli bases on the coast of Eritrea and close to the Sudan border. Tel Aviv also rented Eritrean islands on the southern mouth of the Bab-el-Mandeb, including the Dahlak Archipelago on which the Israeli military established a base.
“Moreover, the Israelis set up two air bases on the two islands of Haleb and Fatima also close to Bab-el-Mandeb Strait in efforts to secure its vessels’ traffic. Yemen’s Perim island, seemingly under control of the Israelis, is used for merchant and military vessels’ traffic watch. The presence in the island offers to the Israelis direct control over the strait and also the nearby Yemeni coasts from Mocha to the south of Bab-el-Mandeb. […]
“Paramount Israeli interests lie in the military supremacy over other regional states to enable its military actions. […] Yemen revolution brought back optimism about rise of a strong government clean from corruption and foreign-favored puppet politicians. If the revolutionaries manage to build a stronger and more stable Yemen on the strength of the abundance of manpower and natural resources, this means Tel Aviv loss of sway over Bab-el-Mandeb is inescapable.”
http://alwaght.com/en/News/113413/How-Israel-Takes-Advantage-of-Yemen-Crisis?
Not only do I hold the arms manufacturers in this country responsible for this carnage and those they control within our government, but the mass media as well. Articles and pictures of dying children played well to an American audience when Syria was accused of using poison to kill people, and now they have nothing to say, and no pictures to show when it comes to the horror being perpetrated in Yemen. Even a country, whom I believe harbors anti-Muslim and anti-Arab sentiments, would not be immune to that. The media is in total complicity with the arms manufacturers who are making millions off of a genocide. I found it appalling when Trump took out a chart showing states, colored red, that would benefit from a continuation of our sale of arms to Saudi Arabia, as a grinning Mohammed bin Salman looked on in approval. No doubt Trump was also saddling up to those red states for future voters. The Art of the Deal.
I am deeply disgusted with the country I happened to be born in – the USA. I can only hope that Yemen is the albatross around our necks that wakes us up to the demonic force that America has become.
I recall Uncle Bernie encouraging the Saudis to “get their hands dirty” in Yemen a couple of years ago. Now, he introduces this bill when he knows it has no chance of passing. He’s a phony.
I agree Nancy. Sanders is the poster child for slimy, two-faced politicians. That so many Americans were taken in by him, tells you how clueless most of them are.
Your comment informs us that you are a troll. Bernie Sanders is hardly a warmonger. But you know that. So the obvious point of your post is to troll. Move along David Brock.
Making a search for the terms ‘bernie sanders warmonger’ turned up some interesting results – even on Google.
h**p://www.ancreport.com/report/bernie-sanders-a-warmonger-and-economically-illiterate-2/
Why Bernie Sanders is an Imperialist Pig
h**ps://www.blackagendareport.com/bernie_sanders_imperial_pig
Bernie might or might not be a good deal for things not involving Holy Israel. On anything even remotely connected with that dingleberry of a murderous and thieving apartheid state, he’s totally in the Wars For Israel corner.
Making a search for the terms ‘bernie sanders warmonger’ turned up some interesting results – even on Google.
h**p://www.ancreport.com/report/bernie-sanders-a-warmonger-and-economically-illiterate-2/
Why Bernie Sanders is an Imperialist P i g
h**ps://www.blackagendareport.com
Bernie might or might not be a good deal for things not involving Holy Israel. On anything even remotely connected with that dingleberry of a murderous and thieving apartheid state, he’s totally in the Wars For Israel corner.
Making a search for the terms ‘bernie sanders warmonger’ turned up some interesting results – even on Google. But unfortunately the “moderation won’t allow the stuff to be posted directly, so I’m going to summarize.
Bernie Sander wanted military intervention in Yugoslavia. He voted yes on Bombing Kosovo. (One of his staff members resigned over it)
He voted to finance the Iraq War multiple times. Supports the war in Afghanistan and voted for it.
Supported the coup in Ukraine and voted to give 1 billion dollars towards it.
Supports aiding Al Qaeda in Syria and calls them “moderate rebels”
Voted to invade Libya. Clinton said “With all due respect, senator, you voted for regime change with respect to Libya. You joined the Senate in voting to get rid of Gaddafi, and you asked that there be a Security Council validation of that with a resolution.” About the only truthful thing that’s ever come out of her mouth. Bernie was a cosponsor of the war propaganda resolution.
Voted for sanctions on Iran and Libya
Pro Drone Strike
He supported US intervention in Somalia, Haiti, Bosnia, Liberia, Zaire (Congo), Albania, Sudan, Afghanistan and Yugoslavia
He Supports Saudi Arabia bombing Yemen and he is in total denial that Saudi Arabia is backing ISIS not fighting them.
Totally supports Israel. He told people in a town hall meeting to shut up about it.
Corporate welfare – Bernie loves the F-35
Bernie might or might not be a good deal for things unrelated to Holy Israel. On anything even remotely connected with the dingleberry of a murderous and thieving apartheid state, he’s totally for any and all the Wars For Israel.
Thanks. The ignorance of the Sandernistas is appalling.
Speaking of trolls, who the hell are you?
He did not say that. Perhaps a correct the record troll.
Senator Sanders was talking about the battle with ISIS in Iraq.
“I want to make sure that our young men and women are not fighting a never-ending war in the region, not getting killed. I want to make sure the leaders of the effort are in fact Saudi Arabia, Qatar and Jordan and the UAE. I want the Muslim nations to take the lead. I want their troops to be on the ground. I want them to be aggressive. I want them to be spending the money necessary to defeat ISIS. I want us to be in a supportive role but not leading the effort.”
https://www.realclearpolitics.com/video/2015/02/11/bernie_sanders_this_war_is_a_battle_for_the_soul_of_islam_and_it_should_be_muslim_countries_sending_troops.html
And people wonder how one could call the American Empire EVIL? Yemen. I rest my case. And the American public is complicit by their indifference. Only an evil population could stand by and permit their country to continue this atrocity against millions of innocent people.
And the rulers of Saudi Arabia pretend to represent Islam? They are criminal liars of the worst sort. Islam is a religion of peace, and these ghouls twist it to cover their brutal crimes. The Earth would be a happier place if these monsters were gone from it.
The American people I know have hardly to no knowledge of anything of what’s happening in Yemen. Here in this article we are told of the scant news coverage this war crime is receiving. While every American loses a little more to a lot of their civil liberties, is it no wonder to how well the MSM continues to keep these Americans in the dark? If the truth were to ever come out about how our spreading democracy in the case of Yemen is no more than an effort by the Saudis to establish their brand of Islam which is Wahhabism, it would be interesting to observe the American citizens response. Stop for a moment, and then consider to how our American hard earned tax dollars are being spent to advance such a primitive way of life. In fact think of this, 15 of the supposed 911 hijackers were Saudi, and none were from Yemen, nor Iran, nor Syria, nor Libya, nor Iraq, but yet we bomb and kill the wrong people. At least we Americans should petition our government, and ask, what gives here? Who knows maybe a rogue senator or congress member may reveal the truth, ‘it’s all about enriching the Military Industrial Congressional Complex’…yeah now that’s worth going broke and dying for (heavy on the sarcasm there).
Joe, that the American people don’t know what is happening in Yemen is an indictment of them. Every citizen has the moral duty to be informed of what is being done in their name, and to act towards preventing criminal activity by their country. If they fail to do this, then they are enabling criminals to use their tax money to commit horrible crimes, while they have decided to look the other way. If you do not become an informed critic of your nation, then you are a bad citizen, and a bad human being.
How does we get informed when the news does not report what is happening?
Making a search for the terms ‘bernie sanders warmonger’ turned up some interesting results – even on Google. But unfortunately the “moderation won’t allow the stuff to be posted directly, so I’m going to summarize.
Bernie Sander wanted military intervention in Yugoslavia. He voted yes on Bombing Kosovo. (One of his staff members resigned over it)
He voted to finance the Iraq War multiple times. Supports the war in Afghanistan and voted for it.
Supported the coup in Ukraine and voted to give 1 billion dollars towards it.
Supports aiding Al Qaeda in Syria and calls them “moderate rebels”
Voted to invade Libya. Clinton said “With all due respect, senator, you voted for regime change with respect to Libya. You joined the Senate in voting to get rid of Gaddafi, and you asked that there be a Security Council validation of that with a resolution.” About the only truthful thing that’s ever come out of her mouth. Bernie was a cosponsor of the war propaganda resolution.
Voted for sanctions on Iran and Libya
Pro Drone Strike
He supported US intervention in Somalia, Haiti, Bosnia, Liberia, Zaire (Congo), Albania, Sudan, Afghanistan and Yugoslavia
He Supports Saudi Arabia bombing Yemen and he is in total denial that Saudi Arabia is backing ISIS not fighting them.
Totally supports Israel. He told people in a town hall meeting to shut up about it.
Corporate welfare – Bernie loves the F-35
Bernie might or might not be a good deal for things unrelated to Holy Israel. On anything even remotely connected with that dingleberry of a murderous and thieving apartheid state, he’s totally for all the Wars For Israel.
Perhaps you forget that there are many people whose main occupation is to know how they will be able to feed their family, keep their housing, take care of their health etc… and probably do not have at their disposal computer and internet access… How do you spend time learning when every day is a struggle to survive? In France, according to statistics, there are about 14% of people below the poverty line, and even if there are fewer, this is a significant part of the population that cannot and probably never will be informed. So, what do we do?
Much of the time, those “saudi” jets have US/Uk pilots running the missions…absolute knowledge and complicity in this war by the US…no boots on the ground(maybe) but plenty of boots in the air….
Surprised at the number who voted for this, actually…with the right pressure, now that the spoiled little dictator has left, we may be able to get those votes…better late than never
Regards
D
I almost forgot. While the National media call Putin a dictator or president Maduro a strong man, they have nothing to say about Saudi Arabia genocidal human record under our beloved prince. It takes a conscious effort to avoid the obvious. Each medium bears direct responsibility for its reporting. The National media are just kissing Saudi ass. The former ‘s National coverage only serves to underscore their “puffery” on steroids.
I don’t know where to star. Since the article has numerous points, I will address briefly the contrast between the Saudi prince visiting US and North Korea. While the latter is treated with scorn and repulsiveness, the former is given the royal treatment. While the prince is called a reformist and friend, Yemen is being decimated criminally by “our” royal friend. The irony is inescapable.
Couldn’t help but notice at the link that my “democratic” Senator Donnelly voted with the Republicans for death, destruction, and continued profits for Big Weapons.
Why on earth should Indiana retain a fake Democrat when – for the same money – we could have another genuine Republican knuckle-dragging thug?
Besides PR, what’s the difference?