Wednesday, April 1, 2015

UN: Yemen 'On Verge Of Total Collapse,' Saudis Killing Civilians With US Weapons

The United Nation has warned that the effects of the war in Yemen have pushed the contrary to the "verge of total collapse." The UN focused particularly on civilians who are caught in the crossfire between a Saudi-led forces bombing campaign and Houthis rebels who have taken the capital and are battling local government forces.

The air campaign along with ground battles has crippled the country with military attacks occurring in civilian areas. The Houthis have blamed the Saudis for civilian deaths in refugee camps whereas the Saudis have blamed the Houthis for locating forces in densely populated areas. The Houthis were cited as having been involved in attacks on hospitals.

The airstrikes killing civilians and militants in Yemen are coming from US made military equipment sold to Saudi Arabia.
Yemen spiraled further into chaos on Wednesday night, with a Saudi Arabia-led Arab coalition launching a military intervention marked by airstrikes by dozens of fighter jets and the deployment of thousands of ground troops and tanks on its Yemeni border. U.S. officials said they will offer intelligence and logistical support to the Saudis, but that’s really only a piece of it: The Saudi military is equipped with billions of dollars in advanced American-made weapons.  
Between October 2010 and October 2014, Washington and Riyadh reached more than $90 billion in weapons deals, according to a report published in January by the Congressional Research Service. The sales have included everything from war planes to armored vehicles, along with powerful missiles and bombs.
Since Friday at least 93 civilians had been killed according to the UN with 62 of the dead being children. Why do they hate us?

Will the US (at least) condemn what Amnesty International cited as indiscriminate killing in Yemen by the Saudis? Obviously it would be too much to ask to cut off arm sales to a state that has been sponsoring terrorism around the world including 9/11. 

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