The Saudi-led coalition attacking Yemen has promised that they will carry out an investigation following Thursday’s attack in the Saada Province. In the strike, Saudi warplanes attacked a schoolbus outside of a crowded marketplace, killing at least 50, mostly children.
The coalition says they are “firmly committed to investigating all claims regarding mistakes or violations of international law.” This statement was made through the Saudi press despite officials insisting on Thursday that the killings were a “legitimate military action” and perfectly legal.
Gory photos of dead children that followed, however, fueled a lot of calls from the international community to investigate the matter. UN Secretary-General Antonio Gutterres condemned the strike and urged an “independent and prompt investigation.” The Houthis, who control northern Yemen, backed the call.
In general, international probes don’t happen in Yemen. Saudi complaints keep the UN from issuing any critical statements, and the US has generally prevented the UN Security Council from backing anything on Yemen that the Saudis would object to. In the past, the UN has simply allowed the Saudis to investigate themselves.
The Saudi coalition’s internal investigations, to the extent they happen at all, rarely are made public. When they are, they have endorsed every attack, or denied that they happened at all.
Yeah. That’ll work alright. Criminals should always investigate themselves.
Or in the case of my local town government engaging in a “public-private partnership,” the co-applicant asking to do a development that they hope to make a profit on is also the regulatory body responsible with enforcing the rules on that developer (themselves). Nothing to see here folks, just move along!
Using the Federal model in your local government. On a national level, it’s K $treet lobbies that create the legislation. Vague enough to give the regulators huge discretion in enforcement. Then the influence peddlers get the regultary agencies headed via a corrupt political process. The head of the regulatory agency is from the industry to be regulated and is later rewarded via the revolving door. Competition is suppressed. High margins are protected. The public pays for the regulatory agency. And again when the product or service is purchased at a higher price.
That Saudi Lobby must be stuffing the pockets of our Senators/Reps, challenging Israel’s hegemony in that regard.
To quote John McEnro: “You cannot be serious.”
The US and Israel often make the same promise, in the same terms. Expect the same non-result.
They will find that the event is fake news, never happened.