Hundreds killed as Saudi coalition closes in on rebel enclave

[Eugene]

Source: Associated Press

AP June 11, 2018, 10:34 AM

SANAA, Yemen -- Heavy fighting in Yemen between pro-government forces and Shiite rebels has killed more than 600 people on both sides in recent days, security officials said Monday. A charity said meanwhile that an airstrike by the Saudi-led coalition had destroyed a new cholera clinic in the country's north.

Government forces, backed by the Saudi-led coalition, have been advancing along the western coast in recent weeks as they battle the Iran-allied rebels, known as Houthis.

The officials spoke on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to brief the media. Witnesses, who spoke on condition of anonymity for fear of reprisals, said the fighting has forced dozens of families to leave their homes.

The United States urged all parties of the conflict to ensure humanitarian access to the Yemeni people, Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said Monday. The U.S, he said, is closely following developments in Hodeidah and urged Emirati leaders to preserve "the free flow of humanitarian aid and life-saving commercial imports."

-snip-


Read more: https://www.cbsnews.com/news/yemen-hodeida-saudi-arabia-coalition-houthi-rebels-airstrike-cholera-clinic/

[louis-t]

1. And Donnie dumb fuck says "derp".

[TimeSnowDemos]

2. Sadly

This is a bipartisan mess. He's made it worse, but foreign policy is not something the world trusts either US policy with any more. For good reason.

[louis-t]

3. ???? Really?

[TimeSnowDemos]

6. Yeah

The US backed war in Yemen has been going on since 2004.

The US under Obama committed and helped commit VAST war crimes (E. G. deliberately targeting civilian infrastructure, collective punishment) and after watch SA blow up TWO pediatric hospitals with US weapons the US did what? Sold them hundreds of millions more in weapons.

"More than 70 health facilities in Yemen have been destroyed by a series of airstrikes conducted by the Saudi Arabian-led coalition since March 2015."

And after thst

"U.S. President Barack Obama's administration has offered Saudi Arabia more than $115 billion in weapons, other military equipment and training, the most of any U.S. administration in the 71-year U.S.-Saudi alliance, a report seen by Reuters has found."

https://www.reuters.com/article/us-usa-saudi-security-idUSKCN11D2JQ

And sure this was a year later:

Sources of food are a lifeline in the world’s worst humanitarian crisis, but are being targeted by the Saudi-led coalition

https://www.theguardian.com/world/2017/dec/12/bombed-into-famine-how-saudi-air-campaign-targets-yemens-food-supplies

You'll note that you probably didn't even hear about this stuff while Obama was President. But the left suddenly cares about it now. It's sad.

[Fred Sanders]

4. The Saudi coalition includes America! Aerial refuelling and recon., training and weapons...never

to be mentioned by corporate media.

[7962]

5. The UK and France are also providing support, not just the US

[TimeSnowDemos]

7. At the behest

Of the US.

As Yemeni people say, 'with out the US the Saudis would stop their bombing'.

And of course, does it matter if we're alone in our villainy? Does bombing and starving women and children suddenly matter less if the French and British play a roll?

Sure, why don't we just pull out and see what the French and Brits do.

[7962]

8. How 'bout Iran pulls out, since THEY started this? Why not stop backing the illegitimate rebels?

Iran is responsible. Just like they're propping up Assad in Syria, just like they're backing Hezbollah, Hamas, etc.
No, the US isnt always in the right. But Iran is the problem in Yemen.

[TimeSnowDemos]

9. Bwahaha

Lol

Iran is responsible. Too funny.

Not vaguely accurate, and a complete regurgitatation of baseless American propaganda. But thanks for the laugh.

Got another one about Iraqi WMDs? Maybe some eugenics propaganda?

Truly, all you're doing is spreading anti-Iranian propaganda to help dictators.

Iran and Yemen aren't even the same sort of Shia. It's like claiming the Protestants are in cahoots with Catholics in Northern Ireland because Jesus.

No, Yemen’s Houthis actually aren’t Iranian puppets

"According to a 2015 report to the U.N. Security Council Iran Sanctions Committee, Iran probably started providing small amounts of weapons to the Houthis in 2009 — five years after the first round of fighting between the Houthis and government forces"

"The Houthi’s takeover of Sanaa, Yemen’s capital, in September 2014 prompted Iran to increase its support. It now appears that small numbers — perhaps dozens — of Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) officers, with assistance from Lebanese Hezbollah, have set up a train and equip program for the Houthis. There have also been reports of intensifying shipping activity between Iran and Yemen.

This assistance, however, remains limited and far from sufficient to make more than a marginal difference to the balance of forces in Yemen, a country awash with weapons. There is therefore no supporting evidence to the claim that Iran has bought itself any significant measure of influence over Houthi decision-making."

https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/monkey-cage/wp/2016/05/16/contrary-to-popular-belief-houthis-arent-iranian-proxies/?noredirect=on&utm_term=.665f64868935

Now at the same time, what was the US doing? And Saudi Arabia?

Well the Saudis were attacking Northern Yemen, trying to ethnically cleanse the Shia there as early as 2009.

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Houthi_insurgency_in_Yemen

And you think that was caused by Iranians doing something in 2014.

Makes a lot of sense.

[7962]

10. Yeah, Al Jazeera is American propaganda.

The Houthis are certainly being used by Iran. They want a mess on the Saudi border. They've had weapons shipments intercepted. The UN says they're involved as well. Both the Iranians and the Saudis are nasty actors anyway, but Iran IS supplying the rebels all over the ME whether you agree with it or not. Its a game where a lot of people die, but without Iranian support this would be over. You even post that Iranian activity was intensifying back in 14, why would it be any different now?

https://www.aljazeera.com/indepth/opinion/2014/09/saudi-arabia-iran-great-game-ye-201492984846324440.html

https://edition.cnn.com/2018/01/15/politics/un-report-iran-saudi-yemen/index.html

https://www.reuters.com/article/us-yemen-iran-houthis/exclusive-iran-steps-up-support-for-houthis-in-yemens-war-sources-idUSKBN16S22R

You just get a different set of propaganda where you live.

[TimeSnowDemos]

11. Untrue

Saudis were bombing Yemen for years before Iran was anywhere near it. And as the Washington Post story says, the Irans beefed up in 2014, by which they meant a few DOZEN people.

So your contention is that a few dozen people and mostly small arms, is stopping the trillions of dollars we spend on the military and the hundreds of billions the Saudis have spent.

But a few school busses of iranian, after the conflict started, that's the "cause".

Again, nothing more than regurgitated propaganda.

Iran is one of the most Western and pro-American place in the ME. Have you been? Ever watched a documentary or three about it? Iran was destroyed and subjugated (and I mean proper mass disappearances and torture) by the US, to protect oil profits. The US backed dictator of Iran was brutal and ruthless and when he was finally overthrown he was replaced by anti-American religions leaders. Big shocker. The US was also planning to overthrow the government AGAIN in the late 1970s. All Iranians know this and yet they STILL want to make deals with the cause of their problems. Yes, like EVERY OTHER MAJOR NATION - they finance militias... so does Israel - who even went as far as giving jihadis medical treatment. Thousands of them.

Does that mean Israel is as bad as ISIS? I wouldn't say so... but you'd happily conflate countries with the militias they support. And that's another thing... you're siding with Saudi Arabia - the world's largest state sponsor of terror. Because a few dozen Iranians are helping prevent Shia in Yemen from being ethnically cleansed. And preventing a Saudi backed dictator (he ran in the last election unopposed) retake Yemen.

Have a think about this. Look at the facts beyond a few headlines. In fact, google why the Houthis are called the Houthis. It's informative.

Try reading the UK and German press as well.. the US press is WILDLY dishonest in relation to Yemen, either by making sure you only hear one side, or by just spewing US military lies back out without bothering to fact check them.

[7962]

13. I said they're BOTH nasty. But the Iranians are still run by the fanatics

At least the new guy in SA is actually letting a woman drive now. Among other things. Let them fight amongst themselves. It keeps them occupied. And if they get too squirrely, the Israelis will put them down.

[EX500rider]

12. "As Yemeni people say, 'with out the US the Saudis would stop their bombing'."

Doubtful, they would just buy munitions from Russia or China instead.
With the Rebels being backed by Iran AND firing ballistic missiles into Saudi, they have no reason to want the Rebels to win.