Middle East

[Vrede too]

Legal Scholars Trash Pentagon’s Effort To Prevent Senate Debate On Yemen War
HuffPost obtained a letter the experts sent today to Senate leaders McConnell and Schumer.

[Vrede too]

44 Senators Made History by Voting to End Illegal US War in Yemen
In first-ever vote on withdrawing U.S. armed forces from an unauthorized war, 44 Senators voted to withdraw U.S. troops from the Saudi-led war in Yemen.

Vote Summary
Question: On the Motion to Table (Motion to Table the Motion to Discharge S. J. Res. 54 )

A handful from each party crossed the aisle. Burr (R-NC) and Tillis (R-NC) voted wrong, of course.

[billy.pilgrim]

44 Senators Made History by Voting to End Illegal US War in Yemen
In first-ever vote on withdrawing U.S. armed forces from an unauthorized war, 44 Senators voted to withdraw U.S. troops from the Saudi-led war in Yemen.

Vote Summary
Question: On the Motion to Table (Motion to Table the Motion to Discharge S. J. Res. 54 )

A handful from each party crossed the aisle. Burr (R-NC) and Tillis (R-NC) voted wrong, of course.

as did bill and lil marco

[Vrede too]

... A handful from each party crossed the aisle. Burr (R-NC) and Tillis (R-NC) voted wrong, of course.

as did bill and lil marco

As did SC's Senators. BRD is batting 0 for 6, as usual.

[Vrede too]

To: Burr (R-NC), Tillis (R-NC)

Re: 44 Senators Made History by Voting to End Illegal US War in Yemen
https://www.fcnl.org/updates/44-senator ... yemen-1312

Vote Summary
https://www.senate.gov/legislative/LIS/ ... 8#position

Shame on you for voting for genocide.

(Vrede too)

[Vrede too]

Thank you for taking the time to contact me about the situation in Yemen. I appreciate hearing from you.

On February 28, 2018, Senator Bernie Sanders (I-VT), along with Senators Mike Lee (R-UT) and Chris Murphy (D-CT), introduced S. J. Res. 54, a joint resolution to direct the removal of United States Armed Forces from hostilities in the Republic of Yemen that have not been authorized by Congress. If enacted, this resolution would remove United States Armed Forces from hostilities in or affecting Yemen that are not directed at al Qaeda or associated forces, until a declaration of war or specific authorization for such use of United States Armed Forces is enacted into law. On March 20, 2018, this legislation was tabled in the Senate by a vote of 55-44.

As you may know, since 2015, the United States has provided limited support to Saudi-led coalition military operations with regard to the conflict between the UN-recognized country of Yemen and the Houthi-aligned forces. This non-combat support has focused on providing best practices to the coalition, as well as working to improve procedures to reduce the risk of civilian casualties.

With regard to civilian casualties, our rules of engagement direct our commanders to make every effort possible to minimize potential civilian casualties in any engagement. We should take steps to ensure that coalition forces in the Middle East with which we are cooperating are doing the same.

I will continue to follow this issue closely. Please know that I will only support proposals that ensure our servicemembers have the appropriate authorities and resources to fight and keep America safe. Should legislation regarding these important issues come before the Senate, I will keep your views in mind.

Again, thank you for taking the time to contact me. Please do not hesitate to get in touch with me again about other issues that are important to you.

Sincerely,
Thom Tillis (R-NC)
U.S. Senator

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In Yemen’s secret prisons, UAE tortures and US interrogates

The Potential Legal Implications for the U.S. in the AP’s Disturbing UAE Torture Scoop

Our direct torture may or may not have ended with the election of Obama, but our decades of torture by proxy never ended.

House Votes to Mandate Investigation of U.S. Involvement in Yemen’s Secret Torture Prisons

The measure was adopted as part of a massive Defense Department budget bill, and it remains to be seen whether the Senate will pass similar language. Whether the measure is included in the final bill will depend on the conference committee reconciling the two versions and the assent of congressional leadership.

The Senate just confirmed torturer Haspel.

Current U.S. law prohibits American personnel from using interrogation techniques not authorized by a U.S. Army field manual on human intelligence collection, including many of the torture techniques the CIA used after 9/11. But its protections are much weaker when U.S. allies are the ones doing the torturing....

With Haspel Sworn In as CIA Director, Let's Stop Pretending That Her Atrocities Run Counter to American Values

... Prior to her confirmation, there seemed to be three common mainstream responses to Haspel's nomination: 1) The torture she oversaw wasn't torture/was acceptable under the circumstances; 2) Those who were tortured provided valuable intelligence, therefore justifying this abuse; and 3) Torture is "un-American" because it is morally and legally impermissible.

To those who fell into the third response, including senators and advocates alike, Haspel was seen as unqualified to lead the CIA precisely because of her role in facilitating torture. But to suggest that this disqualifies someone from a position in a particular agency is to say that her actions were deviations from the norm. On the contrary, history strongly suggests that Haspel's atrocious past is just what the CIA is looking for and what the US government will endorse. More specifically, and seen through a systemic lens, the torture she oversaw is completely in line with the violence that is condoned, perpetrated and overseen by the CIA in general....

When Obama became president, there was a push for "transparency" surrounding the torture programs, though at the same time, the administration sent a clear message that those who committed torture need not be afraid of consequences. That's why when President Obama released the "torture memos" in 2009, he stated, "It is our intention to assure those who carried out their duties relying in good faith upon legal advice from the Department of Justice that they will not be subject to prosecution."

Moreover, former US Attorney General Eric Holder ordered an investigation into the CIA's torture program later in 2009, to be conducted by John Durham, who at the time was appointed as special prosecutor to investigate the destruction of tapes with evidence of torture. However, Holder expressly stated that, "the Department of Justice will not prosecute anyone who acted in good faith and within the scope of the legal guidance given by the Office of Legal Counsel (OLC) regarding the interrogation of detainees." But what does "good faith" mean in light of a report that spells out prisoner abuses such as rectal feeding and sleep deprivation? This language suggests that torture isn't "un-American"; accountability for torture is....

[Vrede too]

Stop the U.S.-Backed Siege on Hodeidah (petition)

The United States is backing what is currently the world's worst humanitarian disaster. For the past week, the Saudi-led coalition, with support from the U.S., has been bombarding the Yemeni port city of Hodeidah. In a country already suffering greatly from this prolonged war, this attack on Yemen's main port is preventing vital humanitarian aid supplies from getting to those who desperately need them.

At least 15,000 civilians have already been killed in the war. Up to a million Yemenis have been affected by cholera. The UN reports that 10.6 million Yemenis are on the verge of starvation. At least 22 million Yemenis - 80% of the country's population - rely on the aid that comes through Hodeidah.

Congress has never authorized U.S. involvement in the war in Yemen, yet for almost three years the United States has literally fueled the conflict and its war crimes. Since March 2015, Saudi Arabia and its allies have targeted civilians, hospitals, schools, and farms with American made bombs dropped by planes refueled by the U.S. Meanwhile, the U.S. has provided Saudi Arabia and its allies political cover while they deliberately use starvation and disease as weapons of war. None of this brutality would be possible without continued American support.

Please contact your Representative and Senators today and tell them to demand a halt to U.S. support for this large-scale humanitarian disaster.

[Vrede too]

State Department Team Led by Former Raytheon Lobbyist Pushed Mike Pompeo to Support Yemen War Because of Arms Sales

Genocide is good business.

(Introduced) House Resolution Directs Trump to End U.S. Support for Yemen War

[Vrede too]

August was the bloodiest month this year for civilians in Yemen with more than 300 children among the casualties.

[Vrede too]

On Oct. 2, journalist Jamal Khashoggi went into the Saudi consulate in Turkey and never returned.

He was likely murdered by Saudi assassins under orders from the highest levels of Saudi royalty. Even though Khashoggi was living in voluntary exile in the United States, Donald Trump refuses to hold the Saudi government responsible. But dozens of business leaders are demanding accountability by cancelling their attendance at the Future Investment Initiative (FII) conference next week in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. The conference is a pet project of Prince Mohammed bin Salman (MBS), whose plan for Saudi economic growth relies heavily on the investors who were set to attend.

Despite the loss of attendees and major media sponsors including The New York Times, CNN and CNBC, the conference is still scheduled for Oct. 23–25. Companies that are willing to continue their support as advisers, sponsors or attendees are directly investing in a brutal regime. We need a massive public outcry to demand they denounce Saudi human rights abuses.

In September, Khashoggi wrote a piece for The Washington Post that was extremely critical of MBS and his record of human rights abuses. On Oct. 2, Khashoggi had an appointment at the Saudi consulate in Turkey to take care of paperwork ahead of his planned wedding in Turkey. His fiancée waited outside for hours, but he never came out.

The Saudi government at first insisted that Khashoggi left the consulate safely. In the last few days, it changed its story and claimed that he died during a botched interrogation. But Turkey gathered evidence that Khashoggi was likely brutally murdered. U.S. intelligence intercepts show that MBS himself authorized the assassination.

Saudi Arabia is responsible for the war in Yemen – the world's worst humanitarian crisis. Instead of opposing Saudi human rights abuses – including the detention of at least 60 human rights defenders and critics of the Saudi government – the Trump regime is enabling authoritarian MBS to act with impunity. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo met with Saudi royalty on Tuesday in Riyadh, just a day after Trump spoke to King Salman and told the media that "rogue" agents might be to blame for Khashoggi's death. Secretary of Treasury Steve Mnuchin is still set to attend the FII conference next week in the face of all the evidence that the Saudis are responsible for Khashoggi's death.

Saudi Arabia is strongly dependent on international financiers. The cancellation of the FII conference would be nearly as disturbing to MBS and his repressive regime as the consequences Trump refuses to impose. Trump and his cronies may want to let MBS off the hook, but public outrage can force at least one mechanism of accountability. Already dozens of big companies and speakers have cancelled their support, and massive grassroots pressure on the remaining sponsors could spell the end of the conference altogether.

Tell sponsors, speakers and advisors of the FII conference to drop all support for the event.

Thank you for standing up for peace.

Tell sponsors, speakers and advisors:

"Drop your support for ‘Davos in the Dessert’ and hold the Saudi government accountable for its role in the likely murder of journalist Jamal Khashoggi.”

[Vrede too]

Tell Congress: Stop Fueling War in Yemen

[Whack9]

Evangelical Pat Robertson on Journalist kidnapping and execution by Saudi Arabia:

https://www.vox.com/2018/10/17/17990268 ... ump-crisis

For those who are screaming blood for the Saudis — look, these people are key allies,” Robertson said. While he called the faith of the Wahabists — the hardline Islamist sect to which the Saudi Royal Family belongs — “obnoxious,” he urged viewers to remember that “we’ve got an arms deal that everybody wanted a piece of…it’ll be a lot of jobs, a lot of money come to our coffers. It’s not something you want to blow up willy-nilly.”

...

You’ve got one journalist — who knows? Was it an interrogation? Was he assassinated? Were there rogue elements? Who did it?...You’ve got $100 billion worth of arms sales...we cannot alienate our biggest player in the Middle East.”

[Whack9]

Pat Robertsons interpretation of the ten commandments:

"thou shalt not kill a weapons deal"

[billy.pilgrim]

Evangelical Pat Robertson on Journalist kidnapping and execution by Saudi Arabia:

https://www.vox.com/2018/10/17/17990268 ... ump-crisis

For those who are screaming blood for the Saudis — look, these people are key allies,” Robertson said. While he called the faith of the Wahabists — the hardline Islamist sect to which the Saudi Royal Family belongs — “obnoxious,” he urged viewers to remember that “we’ve got an arms deal that everybody wanted a piece of…it’ll be a lot of jobs, a lot of money come to our coffers. It’s not something you want to blow up willy-nilly.”

...

You’ve got one journalist — who knows? Was it an interrogation? Was he assassinated? Were there rogue elements? Who did it?...You’ve got $100 billion worth of arms sales...we cannot alienate our biggest player in the Middle East.”

who knew, I thought that Israel was the biggest terrorist in the ME that we armed with everything we could sell them.

[Vrede too]

who knew, I thought that Israel was the biggest terrorist in the ME that we armed with everything we could sell them.

Yeah, it's very strange that Pat would forget about Israel.

Tell Congress: End U.S. support for the Saudi-led war in Yemen

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Finland and Denmark join Germany in halting arms sales to Saudi Arabia

Because of the “continued worsening of the already terrible situation in Yemen and the murder of Saudi journalist Jamal Khashoggi”.

[Vrede too]

Republicans Used a Bill About Wolves to Avoid a Vote on Yemen War

And they screwed the wolves, too.

[Vrede too]

Bernie Sanders Is Forcing A Vote On Support For Saudi Arabia. Here's His Path To Victory.

Also Chris Murphy (D-Conn.) and Mike Lee (R-Utah).

[Vrede too]

Sometimes, these petitions take awhile to work.
http://blueridgedebate.com/viewtopic.ph ... d85#p61616

Back Murphy-Paul-Lieu-Yoho Limits on Weapons to Saudis (petition)

Defying Trump, US Senate votes to end US support for Yemen war
Senators also pass resolution saying that Mohammed bin Salman is responsible for the murder of Jamal Khashoggi.

... The final vote of the Yemen resolution was 56-41, with (only) seven Republicans breaking with their party to vote in support of the measure....

Too bad there's no effective way to say, "We told you so for almost 2 years."

Just moments ago, the Senate voted to end the US's illegal, unauthorized military participation in the Saudi-led war in Yemen.

Today is historic. Never has either chamber voted to invoke the War Powers Act.

This could not have happened without your support. In March of this year you took action calling on your Senators to support the bipartisan Yemen War Powers Resolution. At the time, the immediate result was not what we wanted. In a cowardly move, the Senate voted 55-44 to table the bill, meaning the Senate wouldn't even debate it.

Yet, after Senators Bernie Sanders (I-VT), Chris Murphy (D-CT), and Mike Lee (R-UT) re-introduced their resolution last month things began to change. War Powers Resolutions are privileged, meaning their sponsors can bypass the committees and leadership and bring them directly to the floor. In spite of this, every single War Powers Resolution--whether on Yemen or a different US war--has been tabled.

Not this time though.

The Senate voted to hold a debate and vote on the US's illegal participation in the Saudi-led war in Yemen. And now they've voted, 56-41, to reclaim their constitutional war powers.

It's hard to understate what an unprecedented moment this is. And it couldn't have happened without you. People like you contacting your senators and demanding they take action on the Saudi-led war in Yemen helped turn the tide.

Unfortunately, our victory today is incomplete. While the Senate took this historic move, yesterday the House of Representatives voted to strip all war powers resolutions pertaining to Yemen of their privileged status for the remainder of the session. This means it is extremely unlikely the House will even vote on this resolution.

While this is a disgraceful move by the House leadership--and one of many attempts to suppress a vote on the unconstitutional war in Yemen in the House--it does not diminish the historic nature of today's vote. And the fight is far from over. When an identical resolution was tabled back in March, we thought it was the end. And here we are today celebrating a victory in the Senate.

Thank you for taking action. And thank you for helping to make history.

In Solidarity,

Chip Gibbons, Policy & Legislative Counsel