Saudi Arabia Is Killing Civilians with US Bombs

[polly7]

Last edited Mon Jan 25, 2016, 09:47 PM - Edit history (1)

January 25, 2016

Saudi Arabia has engaged in war crimes, and the United States is aiding and abetting them by providing the Saudis with military assistance. In September 2015, Saudi aircraft killed 135 wedding celebrants in Yemen. The air strikes have killed 2,800 civilians, including 500 children. Human Rights Watch charges that these bombings “have indiscriminately killed and injured civilians.”

This conflict is part of a regional power struggle between Iran and Saudi Arabia. The Saudis are bombing Yemen in order to defeat the Houthi rebels, who have been resisting government repression for a long time. Iran has been accused of supporting the Houthis, although Iran denies this. Yemen is strategically located on a narrow waterway that links the Gulf of Aden with the Red Sea. Much of the world’s oil passes through this waterway.

A United Nations panel of experts concluded in October 2015 that the Saudi-led coalition had committed “grave violations” of civilians’ human rights. They include indiscriminate attacks; targeting markets, a camp for displaced Yemenis, and humanitarian aid warehouses; and intentionally preventing the delivery of humanitarian assistance. The panel was also concerned that the coalition considered civilian neighborhoods, including Marra and Sadah, as legitimate strike zones. The International Committee of the Red Cross documented 100 attacks on hospitals.

snip ~

In an interesting twist, the Saudis contributed $10 million to the Clinton Foundation before Hillary Clinton became Secretary of State. In 2011, the year after the State Department had documented myriad serious human rights violations by Saudi Arabia, Hillary oversaw a $29 billion sale of advanced fighter jets to the Saudis, declaring it was in our national interest. The deal was “a top priority” for Hillary, according to Andrew Shapiro, an assistant secretary of state. Two months before the deal was clinched, Boeing, manufacturer of one of the fighter jets the Saudis sought to acquire, contributed $900,000 to the Clinton Foundation.

Hillary now says the U.S should pursue “closer strategic cooperation” with Saudi Arabia.

Full article: http://marjoriecohn.com/saudi-arabia-is-killing-civilians-with-us-bombs/

Yemen is being purposefully and systematically destroyed, its people are suffering unimaginably, it's proud history deliberately obliterated ..... while the rest of the world does nothing.

http://www.democraticunderground.com/1017295153

[malaise]

1. Show me your friends

and I'll tell you who you are.

[polly7]

2. You're right, malaise. nt.

[ronnie624]

16. *

[valerief]

3. You should see what they do to women who leave the house without wearing a tent. nt

[polly7]

4. Yes, I know what they do to them.

Millions of Yemeni children are on the verge of starvation, many war-crime atrocities have been committed, it literally ....... is being destroyed. Does anyone care?

[valerief]

5. Apparently the Saudis don't, just like the U.S. doesn't with their Iraq War. nt

[polly7]

6. No-one in the world cares, apart from those human rights orgs. being ignored and a few

journalists and bloggers paying attention. We sure don't see anything about it over here. Maybe our 'friends' have put the kibosh on letting us know just how many are suffering and dying because of their war-crimes. And then there are those who make billions selling them the weapons to do it, they probably don't need the attention either.

[valerief]

7. U.S. media is a blackout on what's going on in the world. Also, because our military budget

makes up over 60% of our discretionary taxes, it's clear the U.S. is in the business of feeding trillions to war profiteers.

A lot of us wise up over the years, but there's always a new generation of testosterone-enraged youths to exploit for the benefit of the oligarchs. How can we stop them from supporting the money class's interests? When that happens, we can make real progress, but until then, it's business as usual.

[jeff47]

26. The Saudis and Iranians care.

Yemen's a proxy war.

And like virtually all proxy wars, it is very bad for the people actually in the country.

[polly7]

28. I agree with that also. nt.

[gratuitous]

8. Hey, the right people are making a lot of money

So who cares about some piddly little crimes against humanity? And remember, if any of the righteously angry and vengeful survivors launch any counterattacks, then we have every reason and right to obliterate them, with our national political leaders yammering about making the sand glow with radiation while ordinary Americans cheer.

Aren't you proud to be an American?

[polly7]

9. I'm Canadian.

But we've aided in plenty of these shams, so I'm not proud either.

You're right, and it's all about further enriching those who've discovered that never-ending, ugly, evil war, especially on nations without the capability to fight back, is the most profitable racket of all.

[gratuitous]

14. Sorry, didn't mean you personally, polly7

It was a general question of the rhetorical type.

[polly7]

17. Oh no ... I'm sorry.

It's just that a lot of people here get angry that I'm Canadian and post these things, so I never like it to seem like I'm tricking anyone (not you, ... those who don't mind these wars) when even a rhetorical question like yours is asked. I know what you meant and it was a great post. I apologize .... I have a much easier time getting my meaning across vocally than I do writing it down.

[raouldukelives]

31. You know it. There are those invested in war crimminals.

And those who vest themselves in ending those crimes.

[Octafish]

10. Right now, Saudi Arabia doesn't know what the heck it's doing.

A while back, a Saudi prince reported 80-percent of the royal family favors a palace coup. All the oil in the world won't save any of them if they don't figure out how to treat people with respect -- even those who believe in democracy. If they really want to unburden their worries, they should try the concept where everyone has a piece of the action -- in theory, anyway.

[polly7]

11. That's just so weird.

It's like they've always had so much money that being concerned how to treat people with decency has never had to play a part in the fantastic lives they live - money gets them anything and everything.

Clueless and warmongering assholes. (Sorry ....... I've just followed all of this in Yemen since the beginning as well as their role in IS and absolutely hate what they're doing).

[Octafish]

12. It IS crazy.

A good buddy from college is Egyptian. He told me that the Saudi royals were hated by most every regular person in the Arab world because they were so loathe to share their oil wealth. In more recent decades the Saudis have started to fund opportunities for the average Saudi, but have been slow to trickle down.

Ironic, for them it may be too late. With oil prices nearing $23 a barrel (or whatever), their stash is worth a small fraction of what it was worth when the wars were crimping the hose to jack up prices. Perhaps they thought that the prices wouldn't come down, but they have financed all manner of purchasing around the world.

Now that the income side is way down, their payments are still high. Sounds like what happened to us in Detroit, except with more zeroes on the check to Wells Fargo. Things don't look any better for price hikes on the immediate horizon, with Iran getting ready to rejoin the global economy.

[polly7]

13. Yes, Iran finally being able to become a player on the world stage economically ...

Saudi Arabia and even many over here even who never wanted to see that happen and who are still working to try to stop it. The 'nuclear threat' was a complete bullshit excuse from the start, a lot of us knew that.

* Saudia Arabia.

[killbotfactory]

15. So the US and Europe will call for a no-fly-zone, right? nt

[polly7]

18. The hypocrisy is stunning, isn't it? nt.

[Orrex]

19. What's the big deal?

The US kills civilians with US bombs all the time. Hell, I thought that was our official policy now.

[FLPanhandle]

20. Hard for me to get upset about them using US bombs

If we didn't sell them weapons, Europe would jump right in to fill the void, or Russia, or China.

It's not like if we didn't sell them weapons, then they wouldn't have any.

[polly7]

21. God, what a horrible excuse.

Do you REALLY believe that war-crimes and atrocities like those destroying Yemen would be equipped and funded by anyone who wasn't SA's BFF? ......... and what a soulless, creepy way to defend the loss of life and suffering for millions. I imagine it IS hard for you to get upset over it. Sad.

[FLPanhandle]

22. It doesn't matter which of the many countries sold them the weapons

My outrage is saved for what the Saudi's decided to do with the weapons. I'll direct my outrage at the Saudi's use of those weapons.

Do you really think the if the US stopped selling the Saudi's weapons, that they wouldn't have a dozen arms merchants from other countries lined up within the hour? If so, you are quite naive.

[polly7]

23. No, I'm not naive. And your excuse is still bullshit. nt.

[FLPanhandle]

24. It's not an excuse.

It's being angry at the right people, and, yes, you are very naive if you think the Saudi's wouldn't have any weapons without the US.

[Bradical79]

25. That's not really the point

I don't see how you can blame one without blaming the other. We know what Saudi Arabia is going to do with the weapons. Ethically, I don't see how it's any different than if you sell a gun to someone who has made his intentions clear to murder his neighbors. "Well, someone is going to make money enabling this murderer, it might as well be me!".

[polly7]

27. Exactly! +1000. nt.

[Quantess]

29. K & R

[mmonk]

30. But someone made a buck or two.

No problem.