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For nearly six years, a Saudi-led coalition has imposed a crippling blockade on Yemen. This blockade has been a leading driver of starvation and the broader humanitarian disaster in Yemen. There are now 16 million Yemenis suffering from malnutrition, including 400,000 children who may die without urgent assistance.
Recent reports from the UN World Food Program and CNN have shed light on how the blockade is preventing large quantities of fuel from entering Yemen, diminishing access to food, and hindering hospitals' ability to function.
On March 11, addressing the UN Security Council, World Food Programme Executive Director David Beasley corroborated CNN’s recent reporting on the Saudi fuel blockade, noting “most hospitals only have electricity in their intensive care units because fuel reserves are so low… It is hell on earth in many places in Yemen right now.” He concluded, “That blockade must be lifted, as a humanitarian act. Otherwise, millions more will spiral into crisis.”
Sen. Elizabeth Warren is seeking congressional co-signers on a letter urging President Biden to take decisive action. The letter calls on the president to tell Saudi Arabia it must stop using starvation as a weapon of war and lift its blockade on Yemen now.
Urge your Senators to sign on to Sen. Warren’s letter calling for an end to the Saudi blockade on Yemen.
On April 8th, Congressman Ro Khanna tweeted: "There is growing frustration among House members & Senators about the Admin response to the blockade & potential continued intelligence & spare parts to Saudis. 400,000 children may die. Letters unanswered. Talk on the hill if a WPR needed."
Such talk was an encouraging and long-overdue sign of life. A WPR is, of course, a "War Powers Resolution." Any single member of Congress can introduce one at any time and compel a vote on whether to end U.S. participation in a war.
Click here to email your Representative and Senators to urge that they immediately introduce legislation under the War Powers Resolution to end U.S. participation in the war, directly or indirectly, and end all provision of U.S. weapons to participants in the war.
Both houses of Congress did this twice when they knew Trump would veto it. No Congress Member has introduced such legislation in the current Congress.
The U.S. House of Representatives (in February and again in April, 2019) and the Senate (in December 2018 and March 2019) have each voted twice with strong bipartisan majorities to end the war on Yemen (vetoed by then-President Trump in April 2019).
The Democratic Party Platform of 2020 commits to ending the war on Yemen.
But Congress has yet to act since the veto threat disappeared along with Trump. And every day that the war goes unended means more horrific death and suffering.
Click here to let Congress know that action is indeed needed immediately.
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On February 4, President Biden announced in vague terms the ending of U.S. participation in this war. On February 24, a letter from 41 Congress Members asked the President to explain what he meant in detail (see link below).
Biden said on February 4 that he was ending U.S. participation in "offensive" attacks and "relevant" weapons shipments, but attacks (however one characterizes them) have continued, and so have weapons shipments. The Biden administration has paused two weapons sales to Saudi Arabia but not suspended all U.S. weapons sales and shipments to Saudi Arabia and the UAE, not removed U.S. logistical and maintenance support for the Saudi military, not demanded an end to the blockade, and not sought to establish a cease-fire and peace settlement.
We're now six years into this war, not counting the "successful" drone war that helped start it. Enough is enough. Deference to a president is not more important than human lives.
Yemen today remains the worst humanitarian crisis in the world, according to the United Nations. Over 4 million people have been displaced because of the war, and 80% of the population, including 12.2 million children, are in desperate need of humanitarian assistance. To add to the already dire situation, Yemen has one of the worst Covid-19 death rates in the world – it kills 1 in 4 people who test positive.
This humanitarian crisis is a direct result of the Western-backed, Saudi-led war and indiscriminate bombing campaign that have raged against Yemen since March 2015, as well as an air, land and sea blockade which prevents desperately-needed goods and aid from reaching the people of Yemen.
UN agencies and humanitarian organizations have repeatedly documented that there is no military solution possible in the current conflict in Yemen. The only thing the constant supply of arms to Yemen does is prolong hostilities, which increases suffering and numbers of the dead.
Congress needs to re-introduce the War Powers Resolution under the Biden administration.
Congress needs to permanently end weapons shipments to Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates.
Take action: Urge your Congress members to immediately end U.S. involvement in the war in Yemen!
After signing the petition, please use the tools on the next webpage to share it with your friends.
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-- The RootsAction.org Team
Background:
>> Center for International Policy: "Transferring Arms to the UAE Is Not In U.S. Security Interests"
>> United Nations: "Yemen on the Brink: 'We Have a Vaccine for This. It Is Called Food.'"
>> William Hartung, The Nation: "In Yemen, 6 Years of Suffering and Death in an Ill-Fated War"
>> Jacob Silverman, The New Republic: "Biden’s Worrying Reluctance to Confront Saudi Arabia"
>> Letter from 41 Congress Members to President Biden
www.RootsAction.org
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