Is Saudi Arabia violating the US Foreign Assistance Act by impeding the flow of humanitarian aid into Yemen? It’s potentially a very important question, and one which nominee Jennifer Newstead answered with a definitive “maybe.”
Newstead, whose nomination as the State Department’s top legal adviser has been held up in the Senate primarily over questions about the Saudi war’s legality, says that there are “substantial questions” about whether the Saudis hindered US or other aid to Yemeni civilians. She promised a firm answer if she is confirmed.
That’s potentially already a very important answer, as even acknowledging that the law forbidding US military aid to countries that block humanitarian aid shipments is a lot more than anyone else in the administration has offered.
It also seems less a “question” than a certainty, since the Saudis have repeatedly bombed the Sanaa Airport and the UN has repeatedly confirmed that the Saudi-led blockade, which the US is participating in, has stopped aid ships reaching Yemen.
Having a legal adviser admit it’s a potential issue, even if she’s not confirmed yet, is potentially huge for those in Congress looking to limit US participation in Saudi war crimes, and might well improve her confirmation chances.
“…a legal adviser admit it’s a potential issue…might well improve her
confirmation chances.”
So, given the current state of Bizzaro World run amok, what are the odds that that is exactly what the nominee (and her handlers) intended?
The lawyers in Congress need to get a definitive response out of her because if they confirm without a definitive answer, the answer they get will most likely be one the Trump Clown Show directs her to give…unless she wants to hear those infamous words, “you’re fired!”
Has anyone shown that picture of that poor human being to Ivanka? Maybe she can do a Syria and get daddy to put pressure on the Saudis by lobbing some tomahawks their way.
I believe she could and Trump has already talked to the Saudis . Just go right in today or tomorrow . don’t waste any more time talking . Trump could get his buddy Putin to fly in with him . Russia has the biggest cargo plane in the world . Nobody would dare attack US and Russia at the same time .
Russia and the United States could load large enough cargo planes to drop sacks of grain in staving cities . We are both Christian countries this would be the Christian thing to do . Saudi Arabia would not dare shoot our planes down . It takes to long for ocean going ships to get there , get unloaded and than get the food delivered . Just drop whole grain it can keep people alive and doesn’t spoil easily .plus it doesn’t cost much / only a couple of pennies a day to feed a starving person .
You are correct. Towards the end of WW2 in Europe that was actually done successfully in the Western Netherlands which were still German occupied. I lived within a few hundred meters of the parking lot of the Amsterdam Olympic stadium which was a dropping point. The US and British bombers loaded with food roared over our rooftops. A very interesting aspect was that the drop point was secured not only by German soldiers but jointly by Dutch underground fighters!
The risk of food drops is that they can disappear into the so-called “black market”. That had happened with Swedish wheat brought to Amsterdam a few months earlier. The later US-UK airdrop was therefore heavily guarded from drop point to delivery to the population. There is no doubt that potential thieves would have been killed by the armed Dutch guards.
I remember that dried egg powder was also a terrific food. Add water and fry!
I believe that it is insufficient for Russian and US planes to only drop food in Yemen. In this case Russian, US, and Yemeni soldiers must protect this life saving cargo between drop and consumer. It must only go to the people who need it. That may not be easy in Yemen. If the Saudi’s will not collaborate we are powerful enough to hurt them even risking that the price of gas at our pumps will go up.