To: Editor, New York Times and Public Editor, New York Times
.@nytimes: Acknowledge ongoing U.S. military involvement in Yemen's civil war
Just Foreign Policy
Clearly acknowledge in your reporting that U.S. military involvement in Yemen's civil war is ongoing and did not begin with recent U.S. missile strikes.
Why is this important?
A recent New York Times report claimed that U.S. cruise missile strikes against Houthi rebels in Yemen "marked the first time the United States has become involved militarily in the civil war between the Houthis, an indigenous Shiite group with loose connections to Iran, and the Yemeni government, which is backed by Saudi Arabia and other Sunni nations." [1]
The U.S. was already "involved militarily in the civil war" prior to the missile strikes. Human Rights Watch notes, "The US became a party to the conflict during the first months of fighting by providing specific targeting information and refueling planes during bombing raids." HRW identified the munition used in a Saudi Arabia-led coalition airstrike on a funeral ceremony in Sanaa on October 8 as a US-manufactured air-dropped GBU-12 Paveway II 500-pound laser-guided bomb. HRW described the attack, which killed at least 100 people and wounded more than 500, including children, as "an apparent war crime." [2]
Understanding that the U.S. was and remains "militarily involved" is crucial for understanding U.S. responsibility, for establishing context for the reported missile strike on the U.S. ship, and for understanding Congressional responsibility. Congress has never voted to authorize a U.S. war against Houthi rebels in Yemen. [3] If the U.S. is engaged in "hostilities" against Houthi rebels that have not been authorized by Congress, then Congress has an obligation under the Constitution and the War Powers Resolution to either pass an authorization for the use of force, or to vote on the withdrawal of U.S. forces from the conflict.
Urge the New York Times to correct the record concerning ongoing U.S. military involvement in Yemen's civil war by signing our petition.
References:
1. http://www.nytimes.com/2016/10/13/world/middleeast/yemen-rebels-missile-warship.html
2. https://www.hrw.org/news/2016/10/13/yemen-saudi-led-funeral-attack-apparent-war-crime
3. http://www.cnn.com/videos/tv/2016/08/16/senator-chris-murphy-on-yemen-saudi-arabia-conflict-the-lead-jake-tapper-interview.cnn
The U.S. was already "involved militarily in the civil war" prior to the missile strikes. Human Rights Watch notes, "The US became a party to the conflict during the first months of fighting by providing specific targeting information and refueling planes during bombing raids." HRW identified the munition used in a Saudi Arabia-led coalition airstrike on a funeral ceremony in Sanaa on October 8 as a US-manufactured air-dropped GBU-12 Paveway II 500-pound laser-guided bomb. HRW described the attack, which killed at least 100 people and wounded more than 500, including children, as "an apparent war crime." [2]
Understanding that the U.S. was and remains "militarily involved" is crucial for understanding U.S. responsibility, for establishing context for the reported missile strike on the U.S. ship, and for understanding Congressional responsibility. Congress has never voted to authorize a U.S. war against Houthi rebels in Yemen. [3] If the U.S. is engaged in "hostilities" against Houthi rebels that have not been authorized by Congress, then Congress has an obligation under the Constitution and the War Powers Resolution to either pass an authorization for the use of force, or to vote on the withdrawal of U.S. forces from the conflict.
Urge the New York Times to correct the record concerning ongoing U.S. military involvement in Yemen's civil war by signing our petition.
References:
1. http://www.nytimes.com/2016/10/13/world/middleeast/yemen-rebels-missile-warship.html
2. https://www.hrw.org/news/2016/10/13/yemen-saudi-led-funeral-attack-apparent-war-crime
3. http://www.cnn.com/videos/tv/2016/08/16/senator-chris-murphy-on-yemen-saudi-arabia-conflict-the-lead-jake-tapper-interview.cnn