After two and a half years, the question of unauthorized U.S. participation in the catastrophic Saudi war in Yemen is finally being called.
Four Members of the House - Representatives Ro Khanna [D-CA], Thomas Massie [R-KY], Mark Pocan [D-WI], and Walter Jones [R-NC] have introduced a bipartisan resolution to end U.S. military participation in Saudi Arabia's war, which was never authorized by Congress. The bill currently has 22 official co-sponsors. According to Section 7 of the War Powers Resolution, this Khanna-Massie resolution to end U.S. participation in a war that has never been authorized by Congress is ”privileged” - it must go to the House floor for a vote, it cannot be buried in committee.
MoveOn.org is calling on Members of the House to back the Khanna-Massie resolution:
Stop the US-backed war in Yemen! The vote is next week. TY @RepRoKhanna + @repmarkpocan -- ask your rep to join: https://t.co/NC3DoC66eO https://t.co/smCsnN9lhu
— MoveOn.org (@MoveOn) October 5, 2017
MoveOn Campaign Director Sunjeev Bery added a personal appeal:
Good morning.
— Sunjeev Bery (@SunjeevBery) October 6, 2017
I need to share a few things.
About a war.
Many don't know about.
That has killed a lot of people.
That we the U.S. are helping fight.
But Congress never voted on.
YEMEN. (And next week Congress will finally vote.)
Thread (1/x) (photo: Hani Mohammed/AP) pic.twitter.com/4Gfb1CxKl7
This war is bad. Do not look away. It's brutal.
— Sunjeev Bery (@SunjeevBery) October 6, 2017
A dictatorship -- Saudi Arabia's King Salman -- is bombing its next door neighbor -- Yemen. And not paying much attention to where those bombs land. (2/x) pic.twitter.com/IKJRm7Zovy
Our own U.S. government has supplied bombs, cluster bombs, jet fuel, and intelligence to Saudi Arabia in its war.
— Sunjeev Bery (@SunjeevBery) October 6, 2017
When Saudi jets fly to Yemen to drop their bombs -- THEY GET REFUELED ON THE WAY BY THE U.S. AIR FORCE.
(And Congress never voted on this.) (3/x)
Yup, U.S. bomb fragments were found in the wreckage of a bombed Yemeni home last month. (4/x)
— Sunjeev Bery (@SunjeevBery) October 6, 2017
5 year old Buthaina died. All five of Buthaina’s brothers and sisters died.
(No vote by Congress on this war.)https://t.co/eBIBqC0HfU
Next week, Congress will vote on H.Con.Res 81 -- "House Concurrent Resolution 81." (5/x)
— Sunjeev Bery (@SunjeevBery) October 6, 2017
It's a bipartisan resolution, led by Democrats @RepRoKhanna + @RepMarkPocan, and Republicans Rep Thomas Massie + Rep Walter Jones Jr.https://t.co/NerDsqsI0M pic.twitter.com/xivlGI2gmr
If you want the U.S. out of this war, you can help.
— Sunjeev Bery (@SunjeevBery) October 6, 2017
Call your Member of Congress and tell them:
1 You want your Rep to vote FOR H.Con.Res 81.
2 Congress should decide questions of war.
3 You want Congress to vote against U.S. involvement in the Yemen war.
6/x
I forgot to give you the phone number! (7/x)
— Sunjeev Bery (@SunjeevBery) October 6, 2017
US Capitol Switchboard (202) 224-3121
- Ask for your Rep by name.
- Tell them: COSPONSOR and VOTE YES on H.Con.Res 81.
- Congress should decide questions of war - including Yemen.
So like every other battle we've fought this year, lives are on the line, and your phone call and pressure can make the difference.
— Sunjeev Bery (@SunjeevBery) October 6, 2017
The situation in Yemen is really bad, and U.S. military power is tipping the scale in the wrong direction. (8/x)https://t.co/RZ253GmdqJ
Saudi Arabia says it is fighting the Houthis, a Yemeni group that has overthrown the Yemeni government favored by Saudi Arabia's dictator. Many say the Houthis have help from Iran.
— Sunjeev Bery (@SunjeevBery) October 6, 2017
But in this war, Saudi Arabia has declared ENTIRE COMMUNITIES to be military targets. (9/x)
And so things have become horrible in Yemen, thanks to Saudi Arabia's reckless bombing, and the U.S. bombs, jet fuel, intelligence, and diplomatic support that keep the war going. (10/x)https://t.co/K8hf5vABag
— Sunjeev Bery (@SunjeevBery) October 6, 2017
I spoke with @CNN's Jake Tapper about U.S. arms in Yemen.
— Sunjeev Bery (@SunjeevBery) October 6, 2017
(Before I joining @MoveOn, I was at @AmnestyUSA.) (11/x)
Video:https://t.co/Px9oBemU0V
So there it is:
— Sunjeev Bery (@SunjeevBery) October 6, 2017
Yemen: Thousands dead, millions suffering, a dictator's war, U.S. weapons.
A bill in Congress that could stop this.
And the possibility of a vote -- if we push for it. (12/x)
Make the phone call: (202) 224-3121
— Sunjeev Bery (@SunjeevBery) October 6, 2017
Urge your Rep to back H.Con.Res 81.
Demand a vote.
No wars without a vote in Congress. #Yemen. (13/13)
One correction I need to make: Buthaina survived the U.S. bomb that kiled her siblings.
— Sunjeev Bery (@SunjeevBery) October 6, 2017
(I read this sentence in an Amnesty report too fast: "killing 16 civilians and injuring 17 more - including five-year-old Buthaina")https://t.co/AkLx6dCbcQ pic.twitter.com/qa2myvGGDh
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