Speaking to reporters on Friday, Secretary of Defense James Mattis promised the US was going to take a series of new measures with respect to the Saudi Arabian military and its war in Yemen, trying to reduce the number of Yemeni civilians killed in Saudi airstrikes.
Mattis suggested this would largely be a matter of training, saying that the US is going to “explain how you do bombing runs” to the Saudi pilots, and increase Saudi military capability to do what they think they need to in Yemen without killing innocent bystanders.
The Trump Administration has expressed growing concern about the number of civilians the Saudis are killing, both in attacks and naval blockade. Officials say this is the result of briefings given to President Trump about the mounting humanitarian crisis.
This newfound US interest in reducing the number of civilian deaths comes as Saudi airstrikes have spiked, and the number of civilian deaths is growing precipitously ever since the first US comments, suggesting they’re having little impact.
Interestingly, other US officials have tried to downplay their direct role in the Saudi war in recent weeks, and despite Mattis’ talk of improving the Saudis’ targeting, other Pentagon officials have claimed that the US has nothing to do with Saudi targeting whatsoever, and can’t be held responsible for what they hit.
The USA and UK already control targeting, how do they expect to imporve I wonder.
Did the Trump administration and mad dog Mattis just become aware of what has been going on for years? And NOW we’re going to “explain how you do bombing runs” to the Saudis? This is why Russia-gate is the gift that just keeps coming for the Trump administration.
OOOOR you can stop refueling the Saudi aircraft and organize an arms embargo.
Doesn’t look like Saudi Arabia or the USA is willing to let Yemen select it own leaders .
“…the US is going to “explain how you do bombing runs;,,,,” Criminally wrong answer mad dog muttis. The correct one is to stop the bombing, stop supplying the bombs and other weapons, remove all ‘merican operatives in Yemen, and order the boot licking sycophant Saudi puppet mercenaries to get the hell outta Yemen. No more ties with the Saudis.
How to lower civilian deaths? That’s so easy it’s stupid: stop attacking civilians. Stop supplying the weapons and fuel for the attacks. Just STOP. And, as a special added attraction, let Saudi Arabia know we don’t need them any longer; there’s an up-and-coming nation right next door who will be more than happy to sell us all the oil we can carry: Iran.
Maybe just stop bombing , that would help?
The USA supplies these camel jockeys with aircraft, bombs, fuel, refueling, targeting, intelligence and training.
They likely fly the aircraft, or the Israeli’s do.
> Mattis: Trying to Reduce Yemen Civilian Deaths
He means “increase”