ACTION ALERT: Urge Your Senators
To Help End the War in Yemen!
John Rainwater / Peace Action
(August 10, 2022) — President Biden, during his campaign, promised to end US weapons sales and military support for Saudi Arabia. On his first Monday in office, 400 organizations from 30 countries demanded an end to Western backing of the war on Yemen, creating the most extensive anti-war coalition since 2003.
Just a few days later, on February 4, 2021, Biden announced an end to US participation in offensive operations in Yemen. Despite President Biden’s commitments, the US continues to enable the blockade — an offensive operation on Yemen — by servicing Saudi fighter jets and providing military, intelligence, and diplomatic support for the Saudi/UAE-led coalition. The blockade and resulting humanitarian crisis have only worsened since Biden took office.
This May, a War Powers Resolution to bring an end to US participation in the war was introduced in the House and currently has 113 co-sponsors. If you contacted your representative to co-sponsor that bill, thank you very much!
Now, Senators Bernie Sanders (I-VT), Elizabeth Warren (D-MA), and Patrick Leahy (D-VT) have introduced a companion bill in the Senate. The Yemen War Powers Resolution would further Biden’s pledge by ending US support for Saudi-led attacks on Yemen, including:
- Ending US intelligence sharing for the purpose of enabling offensive Saudi-led coalition strikes.
- Ending US logistical support for offensive Saudi-led coalition strikes, including the provision of maintenance and spare parts to coalition members flying warplanes that are bombing Yemen.
- Prohibiting US military personnel from being assigned to command, coordinate, participate in the movement of, or accompany Saudi-led coalition forces engaged in hostilities without specific statutory authorization. This resolution is considered “privileged” in the Senate, and as such could be voted on very soon! I need you to contact your Senators today and urge them to support the Yemen War Powers Resolution.
[Sample Actions] Please contact Senator Dianne Feinstein and Senator Alex Padilla and urge them to co-sponsor and support this crucial life-or-death legislation!
While there is currently a fragile cease-fire that has halted Saudi-led coalition airstrikes on civilians, there remains an inhumane aerial and naval blockade in place that is limiting travel and preventing food, fuel, and medical supplies from entering Yemen.
Since the war began in 2015, more than 377,000 people have been killed — 60 percent of which can be attributed to non-military reasons such as hunger, disease, and lack of clean water. In that time, the Saudi-led coalition has conducted over 23,000 airstrikes in Yemen that have killed almost 19,000 civilians, all while the US has administered nearly $55 billion in military support to Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates.
Both the House and Senate have passed Yemen War Powers resolutions in recent years, only to have them vetoed by former President Trump.
With all the uncertainty the coming mid-term elections provide, this could be our last best chance to fully commit the US to end all participation in this brutal war.
This could be a pivotal time for the Yemeni people, and an opportunity to help end the greatest humanitarian crisis on our planet. Thank you for taking the time to urge your Senators today to support the Yemen War Powers Resolution!
For peace in Yemen,
Jon Rainwater
Executive Director
Peace Action
