The war in Yemen and John Faso

To the editor:

In 1948, U. S. and British planes airlifted supplies to Berlin to prevent the Soviet blockade from starving the populace.

In contrast, since 2015, the U. S. has been a partner in Saudi Arabia’s brutal military campaign of infrastructure destruction and blockade to starve one side in Yemen’s civil war into submission. That side’s fighters have not submitted, but the collateral damage to civilians has been horrendous, with disease and starvation rampant.

Because our legislators neglected their constitutional responsibility on wars, our nation’s reputation will be forever saddled with this near genocide. But finally, enough senators came together to pass legislation to discontinue our involvement in Yemen.

However, House Speaker Paul Ryan then added a section to a procedural vote dealing with the farm bill prohibiting discussing Yemen for the rest of the year (roll call 432), passed by a 206 to 203 vote. Meaning the Senate bill could not be voted on in the House this year, killing it.

Depressingly, our soon to be retired congressman, John Faso, voted with the majority, essentially agreeing to continue this monstrous war. Have they no shame?

Our Saudi partners in this war, of course, apparently executed a U. S. permanent resident and journalist.

While our CIA is confident Saudi Arabia’s man in charge, Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman (MbS) ordered the killing, the Trump administration is unconvinced. Consider: tapes apparently exist of the murder team, which came through customs carrying a bone saw, dismembering the body Know anyone who routinely carries a bone saw though customs?

Oil is a main reason our government helps Saudi Arabia with its war, and seems indifferent about the journalist’s murder. But help is on the way. Newly empowered Democrats in the House of Representatives are proposing a Green New Deal (Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez and others) that could put millions to work, and a bill to move the U. S. off fossil fuels was offered last year (Tulsi Gabbard).

A great nation like ours shouldn’t be serving Saudi Arabia’s war whims, nor turning a blind eye to the apparent dismemberment and dissolving in acid of a resident.

With friends like that...

Frank Stoppenbach

Red Hook