To: The United States Senate
@clairecmc, @SenDonnelly, @Sen_JoeManchin, @MarkWarner, @SenBillNelson: #StopArmingSaudi War Crim...
Just Foreign Policy
Pass the Young and Merkley amendments to stop arming Saudi Arabia's war crimes in Yemen.
Why is this important?
Because of Saudi Arabia's war and blockade, Yemen is on the brink of famine [1] and a million malnourished children in Yemen are at risk from cholera. [2] Saudi Arabia's war in Yemen is also helping Al Qaeda, [3] as even the State Department acknowledged in a July 2017 report. [4] U.S. arming of Saudi Arabia's war in Yemen could make the U.S. a co-belligerent in international law and make U.S. officials liable for Saudi Arabia's war crimes. [5]
On June 13, only five Democratic Senators voted to keep arming Saudi Arabia's famine-inducing war in Yemen: Claire McCaskill of Missouri, Joe Donnelly of Indiana, Mark Warner of Virginia, Bill Nelson of Florida, and Joe Manchin of West Virginia. The vote was 47-53. If these five Democrats had voted with the Senate Democratic leadership and the majority of Senate Democrats, the Senate would have voted to block the Saudi arms deal. [6]
Senator Todd Young [R-IN] and Senator Jeff Merkley [D-OR] have introduced amendments on the National Defense Authorization Act [NDAA] which would block the arming of Saudi Arabia's war crimes in Yemen. Senator Young's amendment would prohibit any arms transfers to Saudi Arabia until the Saudis stop bombing civilian infrastructure and stop blocking humanitarian aid. [7] Senator Merkley's amendment would prohibit the transfer of cluster bombs to Saudi Arabia. [8]
Urge Claire McCaskill, Joe Donnelly, Mark Warner, Bill Nelson, and Joe Manchin to publicly back the Young and Merkley amendments to stop arming Saudi Arabia's war crimes in Yemen by signing our petition.
References:
1. https://maritime-executive.com/article/un-blockade-threatens-to-push-yemen-into-famine
2. http://www.npr.org/2017/08/02/541181026/one-million-malnourished-children-at-risk-of-cholera-in-yemen
3. http://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/middle-east/al-qaeda-group-leader-claims-fighting-alongside-us-backed-coalition-forces-yemen-a7713321.html; http://www.reuters.com/investigates/special-report/yemen-aqap/
4. https://www.state.gov/documents/organization/272488.pdf
5. http://www.reuters.com/article/us-usa-saudi-yemen-idUSKCN12A0BQ
6. https://theintercept.com/2017/06/13/saudi-arms-sale-senate-opposition-rand-paul-chris-murphy/
7. https://www.congress.gov/amendment/115th-congress/senate-amendment/585/text
8. https://www.congress.gov/amendment/115th-congress/senate-amendment/661/text
On June 13, only five Democratic Senators voted to keep arming Saudi Arabia's famine-inducing war in Yemen: Claire McCaskill of Missouri, Joe Donnelly of Indiana, Mark Warner of Virginia, Bill Nelson of Florida, and Joe Manchin of West Virginia. The vote was 47-53. If these five Democrats had voted with the Senate Democratic leadership and the majority of Senate Democrats, the Senate would have voted to block the Saudi arms deal. [6]
Senator Todd Young [R-IN] and Senator Jeff Merkley [D-OR] have introduced amendments on the National Defense Authorization Act [NDAA] which would block the arming of Saudi Arabia's war crimes in Yemen. Senator Young's amendment would prohibit any arms transfers to Saudi Arabia until the Saudis stop bombing civilian infrastructure and stop blocking humanitarian aid. [7] Senator Merkley's amendment would prohibit the transfer of cluster bombs to Saudi Arabia. [8]
Urge Claire McCaskill, Joe Donnelly, Mark Warner, Bill Nelson, and Joe Manchin to publicly back the Young and Merkley amendments to stop arming Saudi Arabia's war crimes in Yemen by signing our petition.
References:
1. https://maritime-executive.com/article/un-blockade-threatens-to-push-yemen-into-famine
2. http://www.npr.org/2017/08/02/541181026/one-million-malnourished-children-at-risk-of-cholera-in-yemen
3. http://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/middle-east/al-qaeda-group-leader-claims-fighting-alongside-us-backed-coalition-forces-yemen-a7713321.html; http://www.reuters.com/investigates/special-report/yemen-aqap/
4. https://www.state.gov/documents/organization/272488.pdf
5. http://www.reuters.com/article/us-usa-saudi-yemen-idUSKCN12A0BQ
6. https://theintercept.com/2017/06/13/saudi-arms-sale-senate-opposition-rand-paul-chris-murphy/
7. https://www.congress.gov/amendment/115th-congress/senate-amendment/585/text
8. https://www.congress.gov/amendment/115th-congress/senate-amendment/661/text