November 2, 2018, part 2: The US demand cease fire and peace talks: reactions and backgrounds – UN wants peace talks soon
Erster Teil / First part:
https://www.freitag.de/autoren/dklose/jemenkrieg-mosaik-476b-yemen-war-mosaic-476a
Schwerpunkte / Key aspects
(Kursiv: In Teil 1 / In italics: In part 1)
Klassifizierung / Classification
Für wen das Thema ganz neu ist / Who is new to the subject
cp1 Am wichtigsten / Most important
cp1b Am wichtigsten: Kampf um Hodeidah / Most important: Hodeidah battle
cp2 Allgemein / General
cp3 Humanitäre Lage / Humanitarian situation
cp4 Flüchtlinge / Refugees
cp5 Nordjemen und Huthis / Northern Yemen and Houthis
cp6 Südjemen und Hadi-Regierung / Southern Yemen and Hadi-government
cp7 UNO und Friedensgespräche / UN and peace talks
cp8 Saudi-Arabien / Saudi Arabia
cp8a Jamal Khashoggi
cp9 USA
cp10 Großbritannien / Great Britain
cp11 Deutschland / Germany
cp12 Andere Länder / Other countries
cp13a Waffenhandel / Arms Trade
cp13b Mercenaries / Söldner
cp13c Wirtschaft / Economy
cp15 Propaganda
cp16 Saudische Luftangriffe / Saudi air raids
cp17 Kriegsereignisse / Theater of War
cp18 Sonstiges / Other
Klassifizierung / Classification
***
**
*
(Kein Stern / No star)
? = Keine Einschatzung / No rating
A = Aktuell / Current news
B = Hintergrund / Background
C = Chronik / Chronicle
D = Details
E = Wirtschaft / Economy
H = Humanitäre Fragen / Humanitarian questions
K = Krieg / War
P = Politik / Politics
pH = Pro-Houthi
pS = Pro-Saudi
T = Terrorismus / Terrorism
Für wen das Thema ganz neu ist / Who is new to the subject
Einführende Artikel u. Überblicke für alle, die mit den Ereignissen im Jemen noch nicht vertraut sind, hier:
Yemen War: Introductory articles, overviews, for those who are still unfamiliar with the Yemen war here:
https://www.freitag.de/autoren/dklose/jemenkrieg-einfuehrende-artikel-u-ueberblicke
cp7 UNO und Friedensgespräche / UN and peace talks
Siehe auch / Also look at cp1, cp2, cp9
(A P)
UNO begrüßt Initiative für neue Friedensgespräche
Der UNO-Sondergesandte für den Jemen, Griffiths, hat die Forderungen der USA nach neuen Friedensgesprächen für das Land begrüßt.
Alle beteiligten Parteien sollten diese Möglichkeit ergreifen, sagte Griffiths. Es könne keine militärische Lösung für den Konflikt geben.
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Vereinigte Staaten fordern Verhandlungen innerhalb von 30 Tagen
Washington erhöht jetzt den Druck für Friedensgespräche – vor allem auf ihren Partner Saudi-Arabien.
Die Vereinigten Staaten wollen die festgefahrenen Friedensbemühungen für den Jemen neu beleben und haben Verhandlungen noch für den November angekündigt. „Es ist Zeit für ein Ende der Kampfhandlungen“, forderte der amerikanische Außenminister Mike Pompeo am Dienstag. Die Raketen- und Drohnenangriffe aus den von den Huthis kontrollierten Gebieten auf Saudi-Arabien und die Vereinigten Arabischen Emirate müssten aufhören.
Zudem erhöhte Pompeo den Druck auf den amerikanischen Verbündeten Saudi-Arabien. Auch die von dem Königreich geführte Koalition müsse ihre Luftangriffe auf alle bevölkerten Gegenden im Jemen stoppen, fügte er hinzu. Die Gespräche sollten vom Sondergesandten der Vereinten Nationen, Martin Griffiths, geleitet werden.
Verteidigungsminister James Mattis will Gespräche noch im November ansetzen. „In 30 Tagen wollen wir alle an einem Tisch versammelt sehen“, sagte er laut einem CNN-Bericht bei einer Veranstaltung des amerikanischen Friedensinstituts in Washington.
Bei den Gesprächen soll es um Rahmenvereinbarungen für die jemenitische Zentralbank, den Austausch von Gefangenen und die Wiedereröffnung des Hauptstadtflughafens in Sanaa gehen. Die Vereinigten Staaten hatten die Konfliktparteien aufgerufen, die Kämpfe einzustellen und an den Verhandlungstisch zurückzukehren.
Schwedens Außenministerin Margot Wallström sagte am Mittwoch, dass ihr Land bereit sei, Gastgeber der Friedensverhandlungen zu werden
www.faz.net/aktuell/krieg-im-jemen-vereinigte-staaten-fordern-friedensverhandlungen-binnen-30-tagen-15867067.html = http://www.spiegel.de/politik/ausland/usa-draengen-saudi-arabien-zu-verhandlungen-mit-huthi-rebellen-im-jemen-a-1236141.html
Mein Kommentar: „Auch die von dem Königreich geführte Koalition müsse ihre Luftangriffe auf alle bevölkerten Gegenden im Jemen stoppen“. Man beachte das. „Unbevölkerte Gebiete“ sollen sie also weiterhin bombardieren dürfen, als da wären: Straßen, Brücken, Farmen, Wasserbohrer, Brunnen, einzeln stehende Flüchtlingszelte, LKWs mit Ladungen aller Art, Busse auf der Landstraße, …. – Die Huthis sollen natürlich gar keine Geschoße mehr auf Saudi Arabien abfeuern dürfen.
(** B K P)
Why the US call for Yemen ceasefire is doomed to fail
Mike Pompeo's call for an end to fighting has an eye on the mid-terms but is likely to fall on deaf ears among the combatants and will not hasten talks any time soon
Pompeo’s call is significant, as it urges all parties to the conflict to support Martin Griffiths, the UN special envoy to bring peace in Yemen. The Houthis were called out first to cease their asymmetric attacks using drones and missiles against Saudi Arabia and the UAE, adding, “Subsequently, coalition air strikes must cease in all populated areas in Yemen.”
James Mattis, US defence secretary, weighed in saying parties in Yemen need to join UN-led peace talks "in the next 30 days". An optimistic deadline, one that would be celebrated if achieved. The recent attempts to start talks between Yemeni President Abd Rabbuh Mansour Hadi and the Houthis in Geneva failed miserably.
There are two overarching reasons for the US policy shift on Yemen. First, the congressional and political pressure in the US is influencing the Trump administration to find a fix before the mid-term elections. Second, Mattis and Pompeo are using the post-Khashoggi extrajudicial killing backlash as leverage to reign in Mohammed bin Salman's reckless policy in Yemen.
With the spotlight on Mohammed bin Salman's viability to remain as crown prince and looming concerns over the succession of his father, the US is not only seeking stability in a key Middle East ally, but engineering a mitigation strategy for domestic political dynamics where the alliance with Riyadh has become increasingly toxic.
Adding to this, US diplomatic pressure has arisen at all angles to rescind Saudi Arabia’s political and economic blockade on Qatar.
But above all, US support for the Saudi-led coalition isn’t working.
One must question whether, if Pompeo is attempting to bring an end to the war, why is the US still refuelling Saudi-led coalition aircraft? Surely a concrete step such as ending refuelling would send a stronger message to stop bombing of densely populated areas in Yemen. Pompeo’s vision for parties to "replace conflict with compromise" punches above its weight in Yemen.
Focusing only on the Saudi-led coalition and the Houthis isn’t necessarily pragmatic either, as conflict tensions exist between Hadi, the UAE-backed Southern Transitional Council (STC), late president Ali Abdullah Saleh’s loyal forces and tribal militias scattered in between.
For the Houthis, US calls for peace are the height of hypocrisy. Hussain al-Bukhaiti, a Yemen-based journalist and Houthi supporter, told me that Pompeo’s remarks are a "cover up for a new forthcoming operation in Hodeidah". He added: "To ask the Houthis to stop missile attacks in return for the coalition to only stop bombing highly populated areas is a US project to contain the war in Yemen.
"If the US want to bring peace in Yemen, they can start by stopping the supply of weapons to the Saudi-led coalition," he added.
Speaking to Salem Thabet al-Awlaki on Thursday, the official spokesperson for the UAE-backed STC explained "the specifics of the American call to stop the war are not clear". Although the STC will remain committed to the UN-led peace process, it will not drop its "self-determination goals" to see secession from north Yemen. Meanwhile, the Saudis are escalating strikes against the Houthis, including in the capital Sanaa. Time will tell how the parties will respond by the end of the month – by Khalil Dewan
https://www.middleeasteye.net/columns/what-are-reasons-behind-us-policy-shift-yemen-2131946678
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Yemen: will calls for peace lead to more violence?
At last there is the chance of meaningful Yemen peace talks, so we'd be well advised to expect an intensification of violence.
How does that make any sense? It comes down to the desire of the warring parties to influence the negotiation, by making last minute gains.
This explains why Houthi rebels in the blockaded port of Hodeidah are today worried that the Saudi-led coalition is about to launch an assault against them.
To anyone who has covered conflict such steps are depressingly familiar.
Military commanders often see the approach of talks - it's been suggested that the Yemeni warring parties will meet in Sweden later this month - as their last chance to capture new ground, while simultaneously changing the equation at the peace table.
So what does this mean in the Yemeni context? The Saudi coalition has been seeking for months to take Hodeidah.
Given the slow pace of its operations to date, it's open to question whether they can actually seize it in the weeks before any talks begin, but they can add pressure, even while the US calls for a ceasefire.
If they are able to make gains on ground that would mean their heavy guns 'overlooked' the harbour, then they might hope to reap dividends in Sweden without actually having to go through with a bloody assault.
From their side the Houthis know that they will come under international pressure in Sweden to take some confidence building steps of their own.
They have used long-range missiles to target Saudi population centres and may well have to pull these back, away from the border with the Kingdom, as part of peacemaking efforts.
and
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The battles in #Yemen are now witnessing a spike in intensity. When U.S. said 30 days to a ceasefire, what warlords heard was: You got 30 days to unleash hell and try to make military gains on ground. Trend seen before. Shows ill-intent by factions not willing to de-escalate.
I see a lot of war cheerleaders from all sides drumming chest with: we're closer to a total military victory more than ever now. No you're not. More than three years of all out war and no one faction or coalition is. Stop. Time for cooler heads to prevail. Time for peace
Warlords and pro war pundits fear peace will marginalize role and diminish their income/clout. Here's an idea, if we fail to convince through offer of peaceful reintegration, we literally put them in battle frontlines to fight tooth and nail for their current status quo.
https://twitter.com/omeisy/status/1058310298376065024
https://twitter.com/omeisy/status/1058312340435808256
https://twitter.com/omeisy/status/1058315880457588736
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Yemen government says it is ready to resume peace efforts, coalition silent
The Saudi-backed Yemeni government said on Thursday it was ready to work on confidence-building measures under U.N.-led peace efforts as the United States pressed for an end to a war that has pushed Yemen to the brink of starvation.
Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates, who are leading a coalition fighting Yemen’s Iranian-aligned Houthi insurgents in a conflict that has lasted more than three years, have yet to publicly comment on calls by the United States and Britain for a ceasefire.
The internationally-recognized government of President Abd-Rabbu Mansour Hadi said it was ready to return to the negotiating table after U.N.-led consultations collapsed in September when the Houthi delegation failed to show up.
“The Yemeni government is ready to immediately discuss all confidence-building measures,” it said in a statement.
Those steps should include freeing of prisoners, support for the central bank, reopening of airports and U.N. monitoring of Hodeidah port to prevent arms smuggling, it added.
The Houthis, who accuse the government of preventing their delegation from traveling to the last round of consultations, said on Tuesday that they are also willing to re-engage.
and
(A P)
The Government welcomes calls to stop the war according to the three terms of reference
The Yemeni government on Thursday welcomed calls for a halt to the war in the country and efforts to bring about peace.
In a statement published by the official news agency Saba, stressed that the statements made by several countries in the past days urging the importance of pushing forward efforts to reach a political solution according to the three terms of reference are consistent with the Government's desire.
http://almasdaronline.com/articles/160412
My comment: of course, the Hadi government insists on its “three references”: One of them, UN SC resolution 2216, includes the de facto claim that the Houthis must capitulate. The others refer to the political situation of 2012/2014, the way back is blocked by 3 ½ years of war. “Back to square One” is the Hadi government’s “peace” politics.
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As US and Western Allies Suddenly Push Peace in Yemen, Can Their Endgame be Trusted?
The U.S. has expressed a desire to rely in Yemen upon the often practiced and rarely successful strategy of breaking a nation into multiple enclaves based on ethnicity and political affiliation. The process, known as balkanization, has been implemented with disastrous results in Syria, Sudan and elsewhere.
Houthis reject the prospect of balkanization
The U.S. has expressed a desire to rely upon the often practiced and rarely successful strategy of breaking a nation into multiple enclaves based on ethnicity and political affiliation. The process, known as balkanization, has been implemented with disastrous results in Syria, Sudan and elsewhere.
Mattis said on Tuesday that he wants a political resolution in Yemen to include a clause that will give local autonomy to the Houthis, but many Yemeni parties, including Ansar Allah, described the remarks as an intervention and a violation of Yemen’s sovereignty.
Abdulmalik Al-Ajri, who is close to Ansar Allah’s leader and is a member of the Political Bureau of the movement, responded to Mattis: “We [Houthis] as part of the national makeup of the Yemeni People are present in most areas of Yemen,” adding, “Mattis’ point of view does not represent the vision of Ansar Allah or any other political forces.”
Yemen’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs for Ansar Allah, based in Yemen’s capital Sana’a, also criticized remarks by Mattis about the need for the establishment of a semi-autonomous region in Yemen, saying Washington’s proposed solution for Yemen included dividing the country.
In his recent comments, Mattis also made statements implying a need to destroy Yemen’s domestic ballistic missile program and demilitarize the border between Yemen and Saudi Arabia, a move strongly rejected by Yemen’s resistance.
Responding to Mattis’ statements, Yemen’s foreign minister said that Yemenis are defending their motherland and will not allow their sovereignty to be undermined in any way, adding:
Our missiles are meant to safeguard Yemen’s security. We did not attack anyone prior to the onset of the Saudi-led military aggression.”
High-ranking officials in the Houthi movement told MintPress that should a political settlement be reached, these weapons will be exclusive to a national army representing all Yemenis. Yemen’s officials and citizens alike consider the domestic missile program a vital component of national defense against the Saudi coalition, which is equipped with the latest high-tech, U.S.-supplied weapons.
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[Sanaa government] FM Welcomes Griffith’s Invitation for Political Talks in Yemen
Foreign Minister Hisham Sharaf welcomed Wednesday United Nations' envoy for Yemen Martin Griffith’s statement concerning numerous invitations for an immediate re-launch of negotiations and a ceasefire in Yemen.
Sharaf called on the permanent members of the Security Council, who called on a re-launch of negotiations and a ceasefire, to take practical and immediate steps to implement such calls. And not merely to keep them as statements through which they try to drop a duty towards the Yemeni People after nearly four years of suffering.
Minister Sharaf pointed out that the current reality of the events is supposed to reflect those calls to swiftly resume political consultations to agree on a framework for political negotiations, and confidence-building measures, in particular enhancing the capacities of the Central Bank of Yemen, the exchange of prisoners and the re-opening of Sanaa airport.
The Foreign Minister affirmed that Sana'a was, is, and always to reach out for peace, the peace which serves the Yemeni People, sovereignty, security and stability.
https://english.almasirah.net/details.php?es_id=3529&cat_id=1
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Ansarullah: Whoever Wants to Stop War on Yemen Should Issue Security Council Resolution
A member of Ansarullah’s Political Council, Mohammed al-Bakhiiti, said in a statement on Wednesday that "The American statements about stopping the war on Yemen are just calls, and those who want to stop the war on Yemen should go to issue a resolution from the Security Council.”
He pointed out that the United States is directly involved in the war on Yemen and has a desire to continue the aggression against Yemen, “we will not be fooled in its calls," he said.
He also pointed out that Ansarullah rejects "just talk about any autonomy in Yemen."
https://english.almasirah.net/details.php?es_id=3530&cat_id=1
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After the coalition's demand to stop fighting in Yemen ... Houthi reveals the secret behind Washington's new position
The leader of the Ansar Allah (Houthis) group, Mohamed Ali al-Houthi, questioned the seriousness of the United States on stopping the war in Yemen.
"The Americans are the leaders of the coalition, so their demand to stop the aggression must be translated by them, with their allies who are under their control and walking according to the goals they set for them," al-Houthi, head of the Supreme Revolutionary Committee, said in a tweet on Twitter.
With regard to the motive behind this claim, Al- Houthi said : It represents: "renounce their responsibility, and an attempt to abandon their previous statements after the knowledge of the world the crimes of aggression aggression."
(A P)
Houthi official rejects US mediation in efforts to resolve Yemen conflict
The Houthi Ansarullah movement has opposed a US proposal for mediation in efforts to resolve the conflict in Yemen, holding Washington responsible for the Saudi-led aggression against Yemen.
Mohammed al-Bakhiiti, a member of Ansarullah’s Political Council, told Iran’s Arabic-language Al-Alam news network on Wednesday that peace would be restored to Yemen if the US ended its war on the impoverished country.
https://www.presstv.com/Detail/2018/10/31/578637/Yemen-Ansarullah-war
and
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A statement issued on Thursday by the Head of the National Delegation Mohammed Abdul Salam in response to American statements calling for the halt of the war on #Yemen, which included the following points:
Our Yemeni people have been and are still present for positive interaction with any international efforts that are serious, credible and impartial.
When America calls for a halt to the war against Yemen, it calls itself.
If America is serious about stopping the war, it must demonstrate tangible steps by lifting the political cover for this absurd war.
America must stop immediately to provide logistical support and information and stop arms deals and then the invitations will have impact.
What we see on the reality is the opposite of the real peace that we are keen onit to lift the suffering of our Yemeni people.
America's allies continue to mobilize, indicating a military escalation in the West Coast and other fronts.
We confirm the readiness of our people, the army and the popular committees to confront any escalation.
We are the people to deal seriously with any practical steps, not formality calls which launches for the election seasons.
https://www.facebook.com/LivingInYemenOnTheEdge/posts/1989770734409280
and full text https://english.almasirah.net/details.php?es_id=3534&cat_id=1
(A P)
EU renews call for ‘political solution’ in Yemen
The European Union (EU) yesterday reiterated its support to the United Nations (UN)’s efforts to find a political solution in Yemen.
“We support the UN-led process on stopping the conflict in Yemen and resume the peace process,” the EU’s spokesperson for foreign affairs and security policy, Maja Kocijančič, told reports at a press conference which was held at the Belgium capital of Brussels.
“The only solution for the conflict in Yemen is a political solution,” Kocijančič stressed, adding: “We have been very vocal when it came to the humanitarian side of this conflict, where 12 million people face a terrible famine.”
https://www.middleeastmonitor.com/20181101-eu-renews-call-for-political-solution-in-yemen/
(A P)
Guerre au Yémen : la France et les Etats-Unis appellent à la fin de l’offensive saoudienne
Mardi matin, invitée de BFM-TV, la ministre des armées française, Florence Parly, a également rompu avec la position de prudence de la France, estimant que l’intervention de la coalition emmenée par le royaume saoudien contre les rebelles houthistes au Yémen était « sans issue ». « Il est plus que temps [qu’elle cesse] », a-t-elle déclaré.
Mme Parly a rappelé que la guerre voulue par le tout-puissant prince héritier saoudien Mohammed Ben Salman est à l’origine d’une « crise humanitaire comme on n’en a jamais vue ».
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UN asks Sweden to host Yemen peace talks following western pressure
Special Envoy to Yemen Martin Griffiths calls for peace talks between Houthis and the government within a month
The United Nations has asked Sweden to host Yemen peace talks as western powers make a push for a deescalation of the country's civil war.
Swedish Foreign Minister Margot Wallstrom said the UN asked if Sweden "could be a place for the UN envoy to gather the parties in this conflict".
Ms Wallstrom told Sweden's news agency TT that Copenhagen would be "happy about it" but that nothing was definite.
"We have always supported UN envoy Martin Griffiths, both in the United Nations and in the EU," she said.
In response, Mr Griffiths welcomed international calls for the resumption of peace talks on Wednesday.
“I urge all concerned parties to seize this opportunity to engage constructively with our current efforts to swiftly resume political consultations to agree on a framework for political negotiations, and confidence-building measures, in particular enhancing the capacities of the Central Bank of Yemen, the exchange of prisoners and the re opening of Sanaa airport," he said in a statement.
"We remain committed to bring the Yemeni parties to the negotiations table within a month. Dialogue remains the only path to reach an inclusive agreement.”
and as background information, the US’ latest moves: https://www.alaraby.co.uk/english/news/2018/10/31/us-demands-saudi-arabia-halt-yemen-air-strikes
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Sweden says it could host Yemen's warring sides for talks
Sweden on Wednesday offered to host talks between Yemen's warring parties as Washington called for an urgent halt to hostilities and the U.N. special envoy ramped up efforts to revive discussions that failed nearly two months ago.
Swedish Foreign Minister Margot Wallstrom said the United Nations has asked her country if it "could be a place for the U.N. envoy to gather the parties in this conflict" — the internationally recognized government, supported by a Saudi-led coalition, and Yemen's Iran-backed Shiite rebels known as Houthis.
Wallstrom told Swedish news agency TT that her country would be "happy about it," but that nothing is definite.
https://abcnews.go.com/International/wireStory/sweden-host-yemens-warring-sides-talks-58871279
https://www.middleeastmonitor.com/20181101-fm-sweden-could-host-yemen-peace-talks/
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Office of the Special Envoy of the Secretary-General for Yemen: Martin Griffiths welcomes recent calls for an immediate resumption of the political process and a cessation of hostilities in Yemen
The Special Envoy of the Secretary General for Yemen, Martin Griffiths, welcomes the recent calls for the immediate resumption of the political process and measures to reach a cessation of hostilities in Yemen. The Special Envoy stresses that there can be no military solution to the conflict. The Special Envoy will continue to work with all parties to agree on tangible steps to spare all Yemenis the disastrous consequences of further conflict and to urgently address the political, security and humanitarian crisis in Yemen.
“I urge all concerned parties to seize this opportunity to engage constructively with our current efforts to swiftly resume political consultations to agree on a framework for political negotiations, and confidence-building measures, in particular enhancing the capacities of the Central Bank of Yemen, the exchange of prisoners and the re-opening of Sana’a airport. We remain committed to bring the Yemeni parties to the negotiations table within a month. Dialogue remains the only path to reach an inclusive agreement.”
The Special Envoy is encouraged by the positive engagement of the Government of Yemen and the Houthi movement, and will continue to work with all concerned parties in the region to reach an inclusive political settlement to end the conflict in Yemen.
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UN aims to re-launch Yemen peace talks 'within a month'
The United Nations said Wednesday it aims to re-launch Yemen peace talks "within a month", shortly after the United States called for the warring parties to come to the negotiating table.
UN envoy Martin Griffiths welcomed calls for an immediate resumption of talks and a ceasefire in Yemen.
"I urge all concerned parties to seize this opportunity to engage constructively with our current efforts to swiftly resume political consultations to agree on a framework for political negotiations," he said in a statement.
"We remain committed to bring the Yemeni parties to the negotiations table within a month."
Pentagon chief Jim Mattis said on Tuesday that Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates, which are in a US-backed coalition fighting Shiite Huthi rebels in Yemen, are ready for talks.
"We have got to move toward a peace effort here, and we can't say we are going to do it some time in the future," Mattis said at the US Institute of Peace in Washington.
"We need to be doing this in the next 30 days," he added.
https://osesgy.unmissions.org/martin-griffiths-welcomes-recent-calls-immediate-resumption-political-process-and-cessation = https://www.dailymail.co.uk/wires/afp/article-6338103/UN-aims-launch-Yemen-peace-talks-month.html
Comment: Your Excellency, Are you stalling? Where is Sana'a Airport opening&payment of salaries. You promised "in 2 weeks". No delivery! "Confidence building" has failed as expected and now we try "Dialogue".Negotiations between war factions:Yemen (Sana'a)&SAUDI-UAE only way out!
https://twitter.com/commonsense575/status/1057702071594614784
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U.S. Officials Push for Yemen Talks
Washington’s abrupt change in tone could bolster the UN envoy’s efforts to end the fighting and convene negotiations sooner rather than later.
On October 30, the U.S. government’s public position on Yemen appeared to shift as Secretary of State Mike Pompeo and Defense Secretary James Mattis called for the parties to cease hostilities and begin peace talks in November. Mattis’s remarks were made during a U.S. Institute of Peace webcast event, while Pompeo’s were issued as an official State Department press release hours later.
Previously, the Trump administration’s position centered on cautious support of Gulf coalition efforts against the Iranian-supported Houthi rebel
The change in public positions comes in the wake of the Jamal Khashoggi affair, and amid mounting congressional pressure to end the war or halt U.S. support for the coalition.
Prior to yesterday’s statements, senior U.S. officials had privately urged coalition partners to bring the war to a close before the United States was forced to publicly call for it. Washington is particularly concerned about the coalition’s inability to conduct precision targeting with any consistency, resulting in heavy civilian casualties.
Likewise, Pompeo’s statement called for the cessation of “missile and UAV strikes from Houthi-controlled areas” into Saudi Arabia and the UAE, as well as the halting of airstrikes in Yemen’s “populated areas.” His careful wording did not appear to include Houthi attacks inside Yemen or coalition airstrikes on unpopulated areas. He also failed to mention Iran—an odd omission given that Tehran has enabled Houthi missile attacks through weapons smuggling and otherwise stoked U.S. concerns about its role in Yemen.
Mattis also referred to a “pull back” from the borders, while Pompeo suggested “demilitarization of borders” as a confidence-building measure. It is unclear if they were referring to the Yemen-Saudi border alone, or to maritime borders as well.
Regarding the call for peace negotiations in November, that timeline fits with recent comments by UN special envoy Martin Griffiths
If U.S. support proves genuine and durable, Griffiths has a plausible chance of convening peace talks in the next month. Mattis claimed that Saudi Arabia and the UAE are “ready” for that step, though reports of a coalition troop surge in Hodeida suggest they have other plans in the immediate term.
https://www.washingtoninstitute.org/policy-analysis/view/u.s.-officials-push-for-yemen-talks
and broader overview: https://www.dailymail.co.uk/wires/ap/article-6341125/Yemeni-rebels-seek-pressure-Saudis-US-calls-truce.html = https://apnews.com/2c45dc5e7bdf4bd984089e52b16be9ac
My comment: Be aware: “as well as the halting of airstrikes in Yemen’s “populated areas.””. This means: They fortheron would be allowed to raid on “unpopulated areas”, as streets, bridges, water wells and water drills, farms, trucks, busses on the road… – The Houthis of course should not be allowed to fire any more missiles. – US bias is obvious also from this statement.
Comment: Good if the US pressures coalition to withdraw. Neutralising the coalition is one step forward. However, Yemenis should decide how to end the internal conflict, on future governing system & transition arrangement. No outside power should dictate or influence that.
https://twitter.com/Ndawsari/status/1057589775035744256
(* A P)
Film: Elisabeth Kendall on France 24 TV (31 Oct 2018)
What is important about the new Mattis announcement on Yemen peace talks?
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GE7wPHdiOz0
and clip https://twitter.com/Dr_E_Kendall/status/1057710928102342661
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U.S. says 'climate is right' for talks to end war in Yemen
The Trump administration on Wednesday reinforced its call for a ceasefire in Yemen and said the “climate is right” for the combatants to return to U.N.-backed peace talks to end the more than three-year war.
“We have come to the assessment that the climate is right at this time to move forward,” Palladino told reporters.
A U.S. source familiar with the issue said that one of the driving factors is progress made by U.N. special envoy for Yemen, Martin Griffiths, during a September visit to the Houthi-held capital, Sanaa.
At that time, Houthi leaders expressed an interest in participating in talks that Griffiths wants to occur in November, the source said.
“They want to be there,” the source said of the Houthis, adding that the war, a looming famine, economic desperation and growing public resentment against the rebels “is not good for them either.”
Comment: US press releases may be just an electoral slogan. If there is any seriousness in this matter, the United States should submit a draft resolution to the UN Security Council for an immediate halt to the war in Yemen.
https://twitter.com/adughaish1/status/1058251970664816640
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Britain backs calls for Yemen ceasefire and peace talks
The UN special envoy for Yemen backs calls for ceasefire efforts and stresses military action is not the solution.
Jeremy Hunt, the foreign secretary, spoke last night about the issue with Martin Griffiths, a British diplomat who is serving as the UN special envoy for Yemen.
In a statement, Mr Griffiths said he welcomed the calls for the immediate resumption of the efforts to reach a ceasefire and stresses that military action is not the solution to this conflict.
"We remain committed to bring the Yemeni parties to the negotiations table within a month. Dialogue remains the only path to reach an inclusive agreement," he said.
My comment: No, “Britain” does NOT back a ceasefire. Look at cp10. UN envoy Griffith is British, but he is not “Britain”.
And
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Yemen: Jeremy Hunt 'welcomes' US Yemen announcement
Jeremy Hunt has welcomed the US call for a cessation of hostilities in Yemen as a very positive move that could head off a "terrible" humanitarian crisis.
The foreign secretary told BBC Newsnight that a cessation of hostilities could create a humanitarian corridor and deliver a durable peace.
He was speaking after the US defence secretary James Mattis called on all parties in the conflict to take part in UN-led peace talks within the next 30 days.
Asked about the overnight announcements from Washington, the foreign secretary told Newsnight: "This is an extremely welcome announcement because we have been working towards a cessation of hostilities in Yemen for a long time.
"Obviously the United States has considerably more leverage with Saudi than we have. But what we have been doing is trying to bring together the Saudi coalition on the one hand, the Houthis on the other, backing the plans by the United Nations envoy Martin Griffiths who I met last night.
"If we can land this - we strongly support all efforts to do so - we could create a humanitarian corridor and head off this terrible situation in Yemen where nearly half the population are now dependent on humanitarian food aid. That is incredibly worrying situation."
Asked about Alistair Burt's suggestion on Tuesday that a ceasefire would be unwise without a political deal, he said: "This is different to a ceasefire. Ceasefires have to be monitored and they get broken. This is something that we have been discussing with the US and other people for a while.
"Essentially this is in a way more profound. This is about a deal where the Saudi coalition would agree to stop bombing civilian areas and the Houthis would agree to stop sending missiles into Saudi Arabia. And there you have the potential for a durable peace that could actually potentially go beyond a ceasefire."
https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-politics-46044125
My comment: ?? Ceasefire or no ceasefire? The British government’s position, by its best, is “opaque” (also look at cp10). And it is highly hypocritical. Oh yes: Can you tell why BBC omitted crucial points Hunt also had told?
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British PM May backs call for de-escalation in Yemen
British Prime Minister Theresa May on Wednesday backed a U.S. call for a cessation of hostilities in the Yemen war, a conflict that has killed at least 10,000 people and brought on the world’s worst humanitarian crisis.
But foreign minister Jeremy Hunt told lawmakers that Britain - an ally and arms supplier to Saudi Arabia - would be careful in any response to the Saudi role in the conflict due to commercial interests and a fear of “unintended consequences”.
Foreign minister Hunt welcomed the U.S. announcement but he added that Britain’s position had to be considered for two reasons.
“Firstly we do have a commercial relationship (with Saudi Arabia). There are jobs in the UK...at stake so when it comes to the issue of arms sales we have our procedures,” Hunt said.
Second, he said, “we just have to be very careful about any action we take that there aren’t unintended consequences”.
My comment: Whow. “would be careful in any response to the Saudi role in the conflict due to commercial interests and a fear of “unintended consequences”. Of course, the “commercial interests” are the highest value this government has. And, as far as the warning of “unintended consequences” is concerned, just remember the behavior of the British government in the Skripal case. British government’s hypocrisy is even larger than anyone could imagine.
Comment: Double speak of this horrible immoral Tory government. As usual.
https://www.facebook.com/judith.brown.794628/posts/10157115005443641
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Film: US commanding Saudi war on Yemen: Analyst
The United States has been playing a key role in commanding Saudi Arabia in an unbalanced war against the impoverished Yemeni people, says a commentator.
Hadi Kobaysi, political analyst, told Press TV on Wednesday that “they (the US authorities) have the command of this war. They can ask the Saudis to stop” the conflict.
Kobaysi said that “they (Americans) want to stop this war because the cost of the war till now is 300 billion dollars,” and “if the Saudis keep paying money for this war, they can’t pay for [US President Donald] Trump.
So, the reason that the US administration is calling for a ceasefire in Yemen has nothing to do with “humanity or ethical reason,” the analyst argued.
https://www.presstv.com/Detail/2018/10/31/578649/Yemen-US-Saudi-Arabia
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Canada joins U.S., Britain in calls to Saudi Arabia for ceasefire in Yemen
Canada is joining the United States and Britain, two of the biggest arms suppliers to Saudi Arabia, in calling publicly for the Mideast kingdom to strike a ceasefire in Yemen, where more than 3½ years of conflict have triggered what aid groups call the world’s worst humanitarian crisis.
This sharp increase in diplomatic pressure comes as relations between the West and the Saudi monarchy have cooled following Riyadh’s killing of dissident journalist Jamal Khashoggi.
My comment: Britain did not call for a ceasefire! Look above and cp10. – Canada is another important arms supplier to Saudi Arabia.
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Oman welcomes U.S. and British calls for ceasefire in Yemen
Oman said dialogue was the best way to solve the conflict and bring security and stability to Yemen, and expressed its support for U.N. efforts to bring about a peaceful settlement.
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The death of one man has seen US change its tune as 14 million starve in Yemen
WORLD leaders didn’t care that half this country’s population was starving to death — until one man was killed. WARNING: Distressing
IT HAS taken three years, 14 million people on the brink of starving to death and 10,000 dead civilians before the US finally asked for the chaos in Yemen to stop.
But it may be too late for the impoverished Arab nation, which borders Saudi Arabia, as it faces effectively being wiped off the Earth as more than half its population starve due to a sickening Saudi war tactic.
But it is one story which has gripped the world — the death of US-based journalist Jamal Khashoggi by Saudi agents in Istanbul last month — which may have finally triggered a Western response to the disturbing situation in Yemen.
However, experts say this won’t be enough to end the devastating war.
The major shift comes as the US view rapidly dims of Saudi Arabia’s powerful Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, amid global outrage over the Khashoggi murder.
“There is no doubt that the Khashoggi case has turned American opinion against the Saudis,” said Charles Schmitz, an expert on Yemen and chair of the geography department at Towson University.
But he noted that the United States was still deeply involved in the war effort.
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US shifts on Yemen as toll mounts and Saudi alliance falters
"There is no doubt that the Khashoggi case has turned American opinion against the Saudis," said Charles Schmitz, an expert on Yemen and chair of the geography department at Towson University.
Waleed Alhariri, who heads the US operations of the Sanaa Center for Strategic Studies, noted that there have been previous ceasefire attempts that quickly unraveled.
The US statement "might be a sign of frustration by the US administration that things are getting out of hand. Or maybe it's a way of saying that they are trying to do something but cannot, and are blaming the warring parties that they cannot resolve the conflict," Alhariri said.
"It's a good diplomatic statement but it has not been backed by concrete, genuine action or a full-scale diplomatic effort to solve the conflict," he said.
But Schmitz, the professor at Towson University, said there could be a way forward by addressing the Huthi missile strikes into Saudi Arabia.
The Saudis, backed by the United States, have voiced outrage over the projectiles and blamed Iran, but Schmitz believed the rebels saw the missiles as a bargaining chip, noting that they did not target Riyadh until the kingdom's intervention.
"The Huthis very much want to stop the bombardment, the Saudis very much want to stop the Huthi missile threat, and if the United States could contribute to that, I think it would go a long way," he said.
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CARE Statement on Yemen
The comments made last night by Secretary Pompeo and Secretary Mattis are strong statements that this conflict must end. As a humanitarian organization, CARE is working hard to stave off starvation, cholera outbreaks and the worst effects of a collapsing economy and a country suffering under the burden of war.
https://reliefweb.int/report/yemen/care-statement-yemen
A political solution is the only way to avert famine, says CARE
Amidst discussion of a famine declaration in Yemen, CARE calls for the implementation of an immediate ceasefire and political action to end the conflict. Only political will for peace can stop the fast deteriorating food and currency crisis in Yemen.
CARE welcomes the recent call by US Defense Secretary James Mattis for a swift cessation of hostilities in Yemen and support for a UN-brokered peace plan; as well as UK Foreign Secretary Jeremy Hunt’s support for a ceasefire that will allow for humanitarian corridors to ensure the safe passage of aid.
While these statements are moves in the right direction, it is imperative now that all parties to the conflict take action to implement an immediate ceasefire and participate fully in peace talks. The only real and lasting solution to the catastrophic humanitarian crisis in Yemen is a political solution to the ongoing conflict. Urgent action is needed right now to end the suffering of unthinkable millions of people. This human tragedy must come to an immediate end.
https://reliefweb.int/report/yemen/political-solution-only-way-avert-famine-says-care
Comment: "A declaration of famine would mean that the international community has already failed the people of Yemen."
https://twitter.com/YemenSource/status/1058028138612121600
My comment to comment: Well, at first this would mean: Then they just should starve without any declared famine.
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Save the Children Statement on Yemen
“Save the Children welcomes Secretary of Defense Mattis and Secretary of State Pompeo’s calls for a cessation of hostilities from all parties to the war in Yemen, and a return to the peace table in the next 30 days. This brutal conflict continues to claim the lives of more than 100 children per day – not just from conflict but also from disease and extreme food insecurity, which have been exacerbated by the ongoing violence. We thus also urge the Administration to continue making every effort to help improve humanitarian access for aid organizations
https://reliefweb.int/report/yemen/save-children-statement-yemen
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Mercy Corps Statement On Calls For Yemen Peace Talks
"Secretary Pompeo's call for a ceasefire is a step in the right direction, but the final destination still remains unclear. This is, undoubtedly, the best opportunity for peace we have had in four long years of war, but if other members of the UN Security Council don't also keep the pressure on all warring parties, there is a chance these negotiations will fall short. A lasting political solution is the only way to halt the overwhelming humanitarian catastrophe unfolding across Yemen today.
https://reliefweb.int/report/yemen/mercy-corps-statement-calls-yemen-peace-talks
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International Committee of the Red Cross: Yemen: Political solution needed to end intense suffering for Yemeni families
Robust political efforts are needed to bring an end to warfare that has caused intense suffering for families in Yemen, the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) said Wednesday.
“People in Yemen face two horrifying menaces: war and hunger. Civilians have paid the heaviest price for the conflict. Millions are displaced and millions go to bed hungry every night,” said Fabrizio Carboni, the ICRC’s regional director for the Near and Middle East.
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NRC statement: US call for Yemen ceasefire provides glimmer of hope
"We highly welcome US Secretary of Defense James Mattis' call for a ceasefire in war-torn Yemen within the next 30 days.
This can be the political breakthrough that we have long requested from parties to this brutal war. It must be promptly followed by a political solution where all actors involved finally sit down and agree on an end to four years of hell for Yemeni women, men and children.
https://reliefweb.int/report/yemen/nrc-statement-us-call-yemen-ceasefire-provides-glimmer-hope
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Yemen – ‘We Need A Ceasefire Today – Not Tomorrow, Next Week Or Next Month’
In response to the statement from the US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo calling for a ceasefire in Yemen in 30 days last night, Naser Haghamed, CEO of Islamic Relief Worldwide, said:
“Tuesday’s statement from the US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo calling for a ceasefire in 30 days is welcome but the people of Yemen need far more. We need a ceasefire today – not tomorrow, next week or next month.
Now is the time for all UN Security Council members to seize the chance and pass a new resolution on Yemen, calling for an immediate ceasefire and bring all warring parties to negotiate a meaningful and lasting solution to the conflict.
The UK Government as ‘pen holder’ on Yemen at the UN must now take the lead. It must urgently put a new draft resolution before the Security Council, calling for an immediate ceasefire. The citizens of Yemen can wait no longer.
The US has shown significant leadership on this issue overnight. The UK government speaks of a commitment to Global Britain, now is the time to show it.”
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Qatar welcomes US call for ceasefire in Yemen
https://www.rt.com/newsline/442821-qatar-us-ceasefire-yemen/
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"All of our donors recognize that alleviating suffering in #Yemen is a moral priority and a humanitarian imperative." Suffering caused by those "donors" through arms sales, blockade & airstrikes targeting civilians, infrastructure & food supplies/production?? "Big thanks" indeed.
https://twitter.com/YemenSource/status/1058032740677963776
commenting on https://reliefweb.int/report/yemen/under-secretary-general-humanitarian-affairs-and-emergency-relief-coordinator-mark-10
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Zarif: Pakistan has offered very good plan to end Yemeni crisis
Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif, who is on an official visit to Pakistan, said Prime Minister Imran Khan has put forward a “very good” initiative to help end the Saudi-led war on Yemen, which has killed and injured over 600,000 civilians.
“The Pakistani prime minister has offered a very good suggestion to end the war against the Yemeni people,” Zarif told reporters in Islamabad on Wednesday.
“We negotiated with the (Pakistani) foreign minister, the army commander, and the prime minister in this regard,” he said, adding that he voiced Iran’s readiness to help end the suffering of the Yemeni people and stop the Saudi-led attacks.
The Iranian top diplomat further expressed the hope that Pakistan and other countries would be able to pursue this issue as there has been an international consensus to end the Yemeni war.
cp9 USA
Siehe / Look at cp1, cp2, cp7 (Peace efforts)
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Upadate: 69 reps have now cosponsored @RepRoKhanna's #HConRes138! If your state reps are not on this list, please call (202) 224-3121 today and urge them to stop supporting Saudi's war on #Yemen
https://twitter.com/shireen818/status/1058009678662287360
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USA drängen auf ein Ende der saudischen Angriffe
Mit Unterstützung der USA führt Saudi-Arabiens Kronprinz im Jemen Krieg. Auf deren Druck sollen die Angriffe ein Ende haben – was auch mit dem Khashoggi-Mord zu tun hat.
Am Mittwoch ging die amerikanische Regierung zum ersten Mal seit Kriegsbeginn im März 2015 demonstrativ auf Distanz zu der Jemen-Katastrophe, die der 33-jährige Thronfolger als oberster Feldherr angerichtet hat.
Man habe den Krieg "da unten lange genug angeschaut", erklärte US-Verteidigungsminister Jim Mattis in Washington und forderte einen Waffenstillstand innerhalb der nächsten 30 Tage – eine strategische Wende in der US-Politik, die ausdrücklich auch von US-Außenminister Mike Pompeo unterstützt wird. Nach dem Willen der Regierung in Washington sollen die Kriegsgegner noch im November in Schweden zusammenkommen und unter Leitung des UN-Jemen-Beauftragten Martin Griffiths eine politische Lösung suchen. Er gehe davon aus, dass Saudi-Arabien und die Vereinigten Arabischen Emirate dazu bereit seien, sagte Mattis.
Sein Kabinettskollege Pompeo verlangte, alle Raketen- und Drohnenangriffe der Houthis auf das Territorium von Saudi-Arabien und den Emiraten müssten eingestellt werden, genauso wie umgekehrt die Luftangriffe der Koalition auf sämtliche besiedelte jemenitische Gebiete.
Mit den Erklärungen von Mattis und Pompeo wollen die Vereinigten Staaten nun das Ende des Jemen-Krieges von Mohammed bin Salman einleiten – nach dem Mordfall Khashoggi der nächste Rückschlag für die Machtambitionen des saudischen Kronprinzen – von Martin Gehlen
https://www.zeit.de/politik/ausland/2018-11/krieg-jemen-kronprinz-mohammed-bin-salman-usa = https://diepresse.com/home/ausland/aussenpolitik/5522882/Washington-zieht-im-Jemen-die-Notbremse
Weiterer Bericht https://www.nzz.ch/international/die-usa-dringen-auf-frieden-in-jemen-ld.1433174
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USA stellen Saudi-Arabien im Jemen-Krieg ein Ultimatum
Die Trump-Regierung hat die Konfliktparteien im Jemen-Krieg aufgefordert, innerhalb von 30 Tagen eine Waffenruhe einzurichten. Der Fall Khashoggi dient dabei als Gelegenheit, Druck auf die Saudis auszuüben.
Dreieinhalb Jahre nach Beginn des Krieges im Jemen haben die USA einen offenbar ernsthaften Versuch zu dessen Beendigung gestartet. In einer konzertierten Aktion riefen der amerikanische Verteidigungsminister James Mattis und US-Aussenminister Mike Pompeo die Konfliktparteien zu einem Waffenstillstand innerhalb von 30 Tagen auf. Anschliessend sollten «substanzielle» Friedensverhandlungen unter der Leitung des UNO-Sondergesandten Martin Griffiths in einem neutralen Land, vermutlich in Schweden, beginnen.
Man wolle «alle Parteien», also die Huthis sowie die von Saudi-Arabien geführte Koalition, am Verhandlungstisch sehen, sagte Mattis, der von den proiranischen Rebellen die Einstellung ihrer Drohnen- und Raketenangriffe auf Ziele in Saudi-Arabien und den Vereinigten Arabischen Emiraten forderte. Im Gegenzug müsse auch die saudische Luftwaffe ihre häufig wahllosen Bombardements im Jemen unverzüglich stoppen.
Es ist sicherlich kein Zufall, dass die Trump-Administration gerade jetzt den Versuch zur Beendigung des Blutvergiessens im Jemen gestartet hat. Der Druck des amerikanischen Kongresses, noch vor den Zwischenwahlen kommende Woche im Jemen aktiv zu werden, nimmt ständig zu.
Zudem bietet die weltweite Empörung über die Ermordung von Jamal Khashoggi durch staatliche saudische Killer der US-Diplomatie eine hervorragende Gelegenheit, Druck auf den saudischen Kronprinzen Mohammed bin Salman auszuüben.
https://www.luzernerzeitung.ch/international/usa-stellen-saudi-arabien-ein-ultimatum-ld.1066107
https://www.zeit.de/politik/ausland/2018-10/mike-pompeo-usa-waffenruhe-jemen-saudi-arabien
Mein Kommentar: Das ist keinesfalls „eine gute Gelegenheit“ für die USA. Durch eine solche Formulierung soll suggeriert werden, als habe die US-Führung nur auf eine solche Gelegenheit gewartet. Das ist keineswegs der Fall. Die ganze Sache kommt der US-Führung ganz im Gegenteil sehr ungelegen, ausgelöst von der Khashoggi-Affäre und verstärkt durch den Druck im Kongress. Es geht allein darum, dass für die Trump-Regierung der Preis für ein festhalten am bisherigen Kurs zu hoch wird (innenpolitisch und international), und daher eine Entlastung notwendig ist. Man rückt von den Saudis gerade genug ab, um dann insgesamt das Bündnis mit den Saudis (Waffengeschäfte eingeschlossen) erhalten zu können. Siehe nächsten Artikel.
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Machtwort im Jemen-Krieg-«Die USA wollen die Saudis als Verbündete retten»
SRF News: Warum fordern die USA ausgerechnet jetzt einen Waffenstillstand?
Guido Steinberg: Diese Forderung der US-Regierung hat meines Erachtens sehr viel mit der Ermordung des oppositionellen saudischen Journalisten Khashoggi zu tun. Die US-Regierung möchte, wie es scheint, ihre Beziehungen zu Saudi-Arabien retten und versucht zu diesem Zweck, Zugeständnisse von Riad zu erzwingen.
Wie rettet man eine Beziehung, wenn man die eine Partei quasi ans Gängelband nimmt?
Die Saudis sind bereits am Gängelband, denn sie sind stark von den USA abhängig. Es geht für die US-Administration vor allem darum, Druck aus dem Kongress abzuwehren. Dort forderten beide Parteien – die Demokraten und die Republikaner – nach dem Fall Khashoggi Sanktionen. Die US-Regierung hat nur einige schwache Sanktionen gegen das Mordkommando verhängt. Das wird aber nicht reichen.
Das Kalkül der Trump-Administration ist jetzt, diesen Waffenstillstand zu fordern. Die Saudis werden dieser Forderung möglicherweise nachgeben. Dann kann die US-Regierung dem Kongress sagen, dass sie eine Verhaltensänderung der Saudis bei einem wichtigen Thema erwirkt hat und man sich damit zufrieden geben soll.
Ist diese Forderung denn mehr als ein Fingerzeig an die Adresse der Saudis?
Mit Sicherheit. Saudi-Arabien ist massiv abhängig von militärischer Unterstützung durch die Amerikane
Ich denke, dass wir in den nächsten Tagen einige Bewegung sehen werden. Die Saudis und die verbündeten Emirate werden auf die Forderungen der USA eingehen müssen – in welcher Form auch immer (mit Audio)
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Filme: Krieg im Jemen: US-Regierung fordert Ende der Kämpfe
https://www.tagesschau.de/multimedia/video/video-465993.html
Krieg im Jemen: USA dringen auf neue Verhandlungen
https://www.tagesschau.de/multimedia/video/video-466179.html
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Doppelmoralist des Tages: USA fordern Huthis zum Waffenstillstand auf - nicht aber die Saudis
US-Außenminister Mike Pompeo fordert ein Ende der Kämpfe im Jemen. Der Aufruf zum Waffenstillstand richtet sich vornehmlich an die Huthi-Rebellen. Diese sollten aufhören, die saudisch geführte Koalition anzugreifen. Im kommenden Monat werden Friedensverhandlungen der UN beginnen.
Von der UN geführte Verhandlungen zur Beendigung des Krieges im Jemen werden im kommenden Monat beginnen, so der US-Außenminister Mike Pompeo am Dienstag.
Pompeo: Es ist jetzt an der Zeit, die Feindseligkeiten einzustellen, einschließlich von Raketen- und UAV-Angriffen aus von Huthi kontrollierten Gebieten in das Königreich Saudi-Arabien und die Vereinigten Arabischen Emirate. Schlussfolgernd müssen Luftangriffe der Koalition in allen stark bewohnten Gegenden des Jemen eingestellt werden.
Der US-Verteidigungsminister Jim Mattis glaubt an die Gesprächsbereitschaft Saudi-Arabiens:
Wir müssen uns in den Friedensbemühungen nach vorn bewegen. Wir können nicht sagen, dass wir es irgendwann in der Zukunft machen werden. Wir müssen das in den kommenden 30 Tagen tun.
https://deutsch.rt.com/international/78591-usa-fordern-ende-kaempfe-im-jemen/
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First signs of a U.S. shift on the war in Yemen
Experts tell Axios the call from Secretaries Mattis and Pompeo this week for a cease-fire in Yemen within 30 days could change the direction of the war, but only if followed by more significant steps.
What they're saying:
Bruce Riedel, director of the Brookings Intelligence Project and longtime CIA employee: "This is an important change in American policy, calling for an end to hostilities, but it is only a first step. The administration will need to follow up with a robust effort to press the Saudis to end the war with or without the Houthis cooperating."
Perry Cammack, a former State Department official and fellow at the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace: "The 30-day Mattis and Pompeo ultimatum is highly welcome and long overdue. The considerable military, logistical and intelligence support the Trump administration provides to Saudi Arabia gives it considerable leverage at a moment when the despicable murder of Jamal Khashoggi has back-footed Saudi crown prince Mohammed bin Salman. But is President Trump willing to use this leverage to force a change [in] Saudi calculations?"
Aaron David Miller, Middle East Program Director at the Wilson Center: "Seriousness and breakthrough in U.S. policy on Yemen depends on how much leverage we're prepared to use. ... Ending air war will buy time for talking and save lives. It will not settle the crisis or fix Yemen."
Robert Jordan, former U.S. ambassador to Saudi Arabia and Diplomat in Residence at Southern Methodist University:"
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Film: Khashoggi effect? US calls for ceasefire in Yemen
Is the Trump administration distancing itself from Saudi Arabia's crown prince, and more specifically his war in Yemen? The US defence secretary and his counterpart at the State Department are calling on both sides to lay down their arms. Could Yemen be feeling a Khashoggi effect? Has Washington grown tired of supporting an offensive that's killed civilians indiscriminately and left the Arab world's poorest nation facing cholera and starvation?
https://www.france24.com/en/20181031-debate-yemen-saudi-arabia-jim-mattis-famine
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Film: Khashoggi case may affect US support for Saudi war on Yemen: Pundit
The murder of Saudi dissident journalist Jamal Khashoggi may affect the United States’ support for Saudi Arabia’s war on Yemen, says an academic.
“In fact this situation with Khashoggi is causing reassessment of the relationship between the United States and Saudi Arabia. We even have the Secretary of Defense [James] Mattis suggesting that there must be a ceasefire in Yemen. We know the situation there is catastrophic," James H. Fetzer, professor emeritus of the University of Minnesota Duluth, told Press TV in an interview on Thursday.
"This is truly and appropriately a worldwide catastrophe that deserves much more attention from the world than the death of a single journalist but interestingly the death of a single journalist which was quite brutal and clearly premeditated may actually lead to some relief for the Yemeni people,” he added.
“The United States would do well to take this occasion to assert some moral leadership here by not only condemning Saudi Arabia for this brutal and sadistic murder of Jamal Khashoggi but also for its ongoing efforts in Yemen,” Fetzer said.
https://www.presstv.com/Detail/2018/11/01/578701/Saudi-Arabia-Yemen-US-war-Khashoggi-murder
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Film, Elisabeth Kendall: Why has it taken the #Khashoggi case to get the world to start paying attention to what's happening in #Yemen? Here's a short clip from my interview on Al Jazeera.
https://twitter.com/Dr_E_Kendall/status/1058083173140230149
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Ansarullah slams world’s double standards on Saudi atrocities: Ansarullah
The Houthi Ansarullah movement criticizes the UN for its dual approach to Saudi crimes, saying the world body is attaching more significance to the Khashoggi murder case than the Riyadh regime’s broader bloodshed and atrocities in the course of its three-and-a-half-year-old war against an entire nation in Yemen.
In a statement issued on Thursday, the chairman of the Supreme Revolutionary Committee of Yemen, Mohammed Ali al-Houthi, slammed the international community for applying double standards vis-à-vis the Saudi war on Yemen and the murder of dissident Saudi journalist Jamal Khashoggi at Riyadh’s Istanbul consulate.
Houthi called on the global community to address the plight of the Yemeni people just as it deals with Khashoggi’s murder.
He said every victim of the “illegal” Saudi raids “deserves the same attention as Khashoggi,” but “unfortunately none of the clear war crimes in Yemen has provoked the same international outrage.”
He urged the formation of a fact-finding committee to launch a full-fledged investigation into the crimes of the Saudi regime and its allies in Yemen.
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The Trump administration backs a cease-fire in Yemen. Will it persuade Saudi Arabia?
THE TRUMP administration on Tuesday took a first step toward adjusting U.S. relations with Saudi Arabia in the aftermath of the brutal murder of journalist Jamal Khashoggi. It issued a call for a cessation of hostilities in Yemen.
Yemen is where U.S. action is most urgently needed to contain the damage the crown prince has caused.
Until this week, the Trump administration had offered rhetorical support for a U.N. peace mission while continuing to aid the Saudi air force with refueling and targeting.
Mr. Pompeo and Defense Secretary Jim Mattis said U.N. peace talks should begin by the end of November and focus on confidence-building measures, including the demilitarization of the border and the placing of heavy weapons under international observation.
That formula seems tilted in favor of the Saudis, but international officials say there is some reason for it.
The Houthis, who refused to attend U.N. talks in September, still control the capital, Sanaa, and the port of Hodeida; they might take a cease-fire as a victory rather than a respite. U.N. officials have been seeking to induce the rebels, who have the backing of Iran, to take steps that show they are serious about making peace — as they have said they are.
The Saudis also claim they are open to peace talks. But the regime’s maneuvering on Yemen has been eerily similar to that in the Khashoggi case. F
If the Trump administration is serious about putting an end to this catastrophic war, it will have to find a way to counter the mendacity as well as the cruelty of Mohammed bin Salman’s regime.
My comment: This article also should whitewash the US involvement and crimes. Take: “Yemen is where U.S. action is most urgently needed to contain the damage the crown prince has caused”. The bad, bad crown prince… but now the good forces, the savior and policeman of the world must help and act. Bullshit! There always has been “US action” on Yemen – much more than could have been any good: Arms sales to Saudi Arabia, refueling of Saudi fighter jets, US personal in the Saudi command room and taking care of Saudi fighter jets, political support for Saudi Arabia and the Yemen war…. – “That formula seems tilted in favor of the Saudis, but international officials say there is some reason for it”: No, the reason given here is simple bullshit. The Houthis did not refuse to take part in the Geneva peace talks, the Saudis arrogate to control the Yemeni air space and access of flights to Sanaa airport, not giving the Houthi delegation any guarantee of safe return – and refusing the transport of wounded for medical treatment. – This is a typical Washington Post article: It sounds neutral and critical, but it’s just critical to an US “rogue” ally who actually is released for being brought down. The US is painted as the champion of justice. Bullshit.
(* A B P)
Film: Yemen: What next? - BBC Newsnight
The US has called for Saudi airstrikes and Houthi rebel attacks to end within 30 days in Yemen. Listen to what Ambassador Thomas Shannon, Former Under Secretary of State for Political Affairs, and Safa Al Ahmad, Journalist and Filmmaker, have to say about the announcement.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IvTWNqcdPXI
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The Fall of the House of Saud?
The first cracks are appearing
Here is Secretary of State Mike Pompeo’s statement, which, in the context of our historic alliance is a real slap in Riyadh’s face. Not only are the Saudis told that military activities in Yemen’s populated areas “must cease,” but they’re given a deadline of thirty days to stop the slaughter. The new US position is carefully phrased: the Houthis have to stop lobbing missiles into the Kingdom, and then “subsequently” the Saudis will stop the wanton killing.
However, everything is negotiable, especially with this administration, and indeed another seemingly compulsory American diktat is that talks to find a political solution to Yemen’s decades-long civil war are to begin as soon as possible.
This is an enormous breakthrough for the anti-interventionist movement, closing off one of the major spigots of murderous conflict left open by the previous administration. It confirms the high hopes of those of us who bet the America First anti-globalist faction would win out against the pro-Saudi group centered around Jared Kushner.
There was a debate within the administration over US support for the Yemen war, with the hardcore nationalists opposed, but they were outvoted by the generals, whose closeness to the Kingdom is traditional. Yet the Khashoggi killing wasn’t the only factor dooming the Saudi lobby to defeat: it was also the slow drip of atrocity stories, disturbing photos of starving children – and a famine deliberately induced by the Saudis.
We hear much weeping and wailing by our virtue-signaling liberals that the death of tens of thousands of Yemenis wasn’t enough to end US complicity with Riyadh’s evil, but this only shows a complete ignorance of human nature. It’s not a moral failing but a failure of the imagination: people simply cannot conceive of so enormous an evil. The Khashoggi atrocity brought the Saudis’ barbarism down to a human individualized scale and made it comprehensible.
What this all boils down to is that a seismic shift in our Middle Eastern policy is in the works, one that would have happened regardless of who occupies the Oval Office. – by Justin Raimondo
https://original.antiwar.com/justin/2018/10/31/the-fall-of-the-house-of-saud/
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US using Saudi weakness over Khashoggi to push for end to Yemen War
The United States is working to capitalize on what it regards as new leverage with Saudi Arabia to end the brutal civil war in Yemen and ease a regional standoff with Qatar, according to multiple US and diplomatic officials.
Seeing an opening created by the kingdom's new pariah status after the killing of a dissident journalist, US officials say the time is ripe to move on longstanding goals, including forcing an end to the Saudi-led bombing campaign that has prompted a humanitarian crisis in neighboring Yemen.
The officials acknowledged that neither the Yemen war nor the dispute with Qatar can be solved quickly. But the administration hopes to make progress on both fronts by the end of the year,
While American officials previously expressed private displeasure at Mohammed's intervention in the Yemen war and the Saudi-ordered kidnapping of Lebanese Prime Minister Saad Hariri, they mostly aired their grievances in private while maintaining in public that the alliance with Saudi Arabia was necessary to counter Iran's influence.
But Khashoggi's murder, and the ensuing coverup, have made it more difficult to keep those grievances private.
Trump has privately fumed at the Saudis for putting him in the situation of having to defend his decision to fastidiously cultivate a close relationship with Mohammed and his father, King Salman. He and his advisers are in agreement that forcing some kind of resolution on Yemen is a good way to make the best of a bad situation.
The Saudi stand-off with Qatar, which has fractured a security alliance importance to the US, has been another thorn in the Trump administration's side.
Asked Wednesday whether he felt betrayed by the Saudis, Trump suggested it was the kingdom's leaders that betrayed themselves.
Trump has come to the belief in recent days that the American public is starting to catch on to the Yemen catastrophe, including through powerful images of starving children in the New York Times.
A congressional source told CNN the Khashoggi murder has "put a face" on the broader problem related to the US-Saudi relationship and renewed momentum on Capitol Hill to push for legislation that would end US involvement in the war in Yemen.
"Because of the privileged resolution that will come to a vote sooner or later and that is certainly something that's weighed on the administration," a senior congressional aide told CNN. "I am sure Mattis and Pompeo are well aware of that."
https://us.cnn.com/2018/10/31/politics/us-saudi-yemen-khashoggi/index.html
My comment: My comment: This article also should whitewash the US involvement and crimes. Take: “US using Saudi weakness over Khashoggi to push for end to Yemen War” and also “The United States is working to capitalize on what it regards as new leverage with Saudi Arabia to end the brutal civil war in Yemen”: The bad, bad crown prince… but now the good forces, the savior and policeman of the world must help and act. Bullshit! The US always had been “pushing” on Yemen – much more than could have been any good: Arms sales to Saudi Arabia, refueling of Saudi fighter jets, US personal in the Saudi command room and taking care of Saudi fighter jets, political support for Saudi Arabia and the Yemen war…. – This is a typical US mainstream article: It sounds neutral and critical, but it’s just critical to an US “rogue” ally who actually is released for being brought down. The US is painted as the champion of justice. Bullshit. – The US government did not want to “capitalize” on what ever, on the contrary, it would have preferred to continue business as usual, changing nothing. But now, as a collateral damage of the Khashoggi murder, the political price the government would have to be for doing nothing, is estimated too high – and this is the only reason why they move.
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The U.S. Is Calling for a Ceasefire in Yemen to End the Saudi-Iran Proxy War
The renewed diplomatic drive reflects a convergence of political pressures: international outrage over the slaying of a U.S.-based Saudi journalist and a Yemeni humanitarian crisis fueled by the dual threats of war and hunger in the Arab world’s poorest country.
The administration’s new push comes amid mounting fears of a fresh Arab coalition assault on the Red Sea port of Hodeida, the entry point for 70% of food imports and international aid to Yemen.
“Yemen has more problems than any people deserve to carry,” Mattis said.
The fact that the Pentagon chief offered detailed thoughts on the urgency of a need for diplomatic progress, even before Pompeo had weighed in, strongly suggests that the administration has reached a turning point in its approach to Yemen, which also confounded the Obama administration. At stake is not only the humanitarian crisis in Yemen but also the future of the American relationship with Saudi Arabia, long the linchpin of U.S. policy in the Persian Gulf.
“It’s about time,” said one congressional critic, Rep. Ro Khanna, D-Calif. “After more than three years of war, thousands of dead, millions on the brink of starvation, and growing pressure from Congress, the Trump administration is finally calling for an end to the Saudi-led war in Yemen,” Khanna said in a statement.
The U.S. proposal was greeted with skepticism in Houthi-controlled Sanaa. Sultan Al-Samaey, a member of the Houthi political council, said that while the war needed to be brought to an end, the group would only support “a peace which will preserve our independence.”
Ayoub Al-Tamimi, a Sanaa resident and political activist, said: “This is simply a solution that will only plant land mines in the future of this region. There is no solution that can come from Trump or the Democrats, only booby traps.”
Mattis called for demilitarization of Yemen’s border with Saudi Arabia “so that the Saudis and the Emirates do not have to worry about missiles coming into their homes and cities and airports.” He also said measures should be taken to “ensure that all Iranian-supplied missiles to the Houthis” are put under “international watch.”
“This has got to end. We’ve got to replace combat with compromise,” Mattis said.
Mattis put the primary blame on Iran. He said its proxies and surrogate forces are fueling the conflict.
“They need to knock it off,” he said.
http://time.com/5441252/us-yemen-ceasefire-saudi-arabia/
My comment: Of course, the US is warring party in Yemen. Thus, Mattis blames Iran although Iran has much, much less to do with the Yemen war than the US and US allies like the UK – not to mention Saudi Arabia and the Emirates. It’s also odd that he requires measures “that the Saudis and the Emirates do not have to worry about missiles coming into their homes and cities and airports”, but no measures “that the Yemenis do not have to worry about missiles coming into their homes and cities and airports”. And, while it would really make sense to put all Houthi missiles (that they had been supplied by Iran is propaganda) under “international watch”, this really only would make sense if the Saudi air force would put under “international watch” as well. – and, for the headline, again: The Yemen war is no Saudi-Iranian proxy war. If it really is any proxy war, it is an US proxy war.
Comment: Don't rush. The US does not want to end the conflict in #Yemen. Here is what it is really concerned and cares about: protecting Saudi border amid failure of the Saudi-led coalition to achieve an outright military victory. It can end the war in Yemen, though!
https://twitter.com/FuadRajeh/status/1057996039720972290
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Too Little Too Late in Yemen
Pompeo and Mattis finally say they want to end the devastating conflict. But they’re far from getting serious about it.
On Tuesday, Secretary of State Mike Pompeo issued a written statement, and Secretary of Defense James Mattis made remarks at a Washington think tank, to the effect that the war must stop. Mattis said all parties should meet in Geneva for talks led by U.N. envoy Martin Griffiths within the next 30 days. Pompeo said these talks should “address the underlying issues of the conflict, the demilitarization of borders, and the concentration of all large weapons under international observation.”
However, the “underlying issues” are precisely what both officials are ignoring. The war, in its current incarnation, has gone on for almost four years, ravaging villages and cities, leaving 50,000 people dead, not counting those killed by disease and starvation, and more than 3 million displaced. Its most recent raging battle, over the Red Sea port of Hodeida, has blocked the import of food and other basic supplies, placing more than 8 million people on the brink of famine.
Mattis condemned Iran for continuing to supply arms to the Houthi rebels of northern Yemen. But he didn’t so much as wave a finger at Saudi Arabia for its airstrikes, which have been enabled by American munitions and intelligence support—and which have also killed many civilians.
Pompeo was a bit more evenhanded in his spread of the blame, though he demanded that, as a prelude to peace talks, the Houthis cease hostilities—then, “subsequently,” the coalition of Saudi and Emirati forces, which are backing Yemen’s displaced government, must cease bombing populated areas. Pompeo would have made a better case had he instead used the word simultaneously. The Houthis are unlikely to stop fighting based on little more than an assurance that their foes will reciprocate at some point in the future.
Early on in this expanded war, President Barack Obama aided the Sunni powers, in part to assure them of continued U.S. support in the wake of the Iran nuclear deal, which inspired worries that Washington was forming an alliance with Tehran. After the Saudis started bombing Houthi-held areas indiscriminately, Obama pressured them to stop and, once that failed, cut back on assistance—but didn’t end it.
Trump has taken a harder line on the regional dispute, drawing closer to the Saudis and all but waging war on Iran; in that spirit, he has increased support of the Saudi air war in Yemen.
Here is where Pompeo and Mattis are skirting the key issue, at least the issue on which they could have some direct and immediate impact.
It is good that Pompeo and Mattis issued their calls for peace. Pompeo’s marks the first call by the Trump administration for a halt to the Saudi and UAE bombing (however ineffectual the call may be, given its demand that the Houthis stop fighting first). Now they should go further and delink the war from the wider sectarian conflict that’s fueling it—using what pressure they have, including the suspension of arms sales, to move all parties to the peace tables, irrespective of consequences for Saudi or Iranian influence in the region. The human costs are soaring too high for a little geopolitical skirmishing to get in the way of peace – by Fred Kaplan
https://slate.com/news-and-politics/2018/10/yemen-war-trump-pompeo-mattis-saudis.html
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Let's Not Treat Koch's Libertarian Opposition to U.S. Military Action in Yemen as 'Unexpected'
Can we stop being surprised (or pretending to be surprised) at well-established critiques of interventionism?
Over at The Daily Beast, Spencer Ackerman takes note of the cross-ideological alliance trying to put an end to the U.S. military's participation in Saudi Arabia's deadly activities in Yemen. The alliance itself is not new
What's new, Ackerman notes, is that the Charles Koch Institute is briefing conservative lawmakers about a resolution introduced by Rep. Ro Khanna (D–Calif.) that would direct the president to end all military action in Yemen that is not covered by the 2001 Authorization for Use of Military Force (AUMF). To keep U.S. forces involved in the conflict, the White House would need to seek an explicit declaration of war from Congress.
The resolution has 69 co-sponsors right now, only three of which are Republicans (Rep. Thomas Massie of Kentucky among them). The Koch Institute and libertarian-conservative FreedomWorks are going to be pushing Republicans to try to get a vote in November, after the midterms. Whether such a resolution would actually change anything is a question that deserves our skepticism. Every presidential administration since that of George W. Bush has used the AUMF to justify military activity against any terrorist organization overseas.
The subheadline of Ackerman's piece calls the Koch Institute's involvement "unexpected." Media companies should be past this by now, particularly since they've obsessed over the Kochs for nearly a decade. The Koch Institute's foreign policy page is very clear that while it supports a strong military, it's opposed to the sort of interventionist adventures associated that have defined our activities in the Middle East for years now
https://reason.com/blog/2018/10/31/lets-not-treat-kochs-libertarian-opposit
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Yemen’s Spiraling Crisis
UN officials warn that deteriorating conditions threaten disaster for Yemenis on a scale few have ever witnessed. Ending the civil war is essential, and the United States could prod the peace process.
Can Congress Move the Needle?
U.S. support for the Saudi-led coalition, which includes targeting intelligence, aerial refueling, and military equipment, began under the Obama administration. It has picked up under the Trump administration, which sees the war as a means to roll back Iran.
American lawmakers from both parties have been critical of Saudi Arabia’s prosecution of the war, all the more so amid concerns that Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman has been reckless, fomenting crises in Lebanon and Qatar. The assassination of journalist Jamal Khashoggi, a critic of the crown prince, appears to be a boiling point.
Whether the Trump administration prods its allies to end the fighting remains unclear. In the meantime, Congress has three main levers to press the Trump administration:
Reporting requirements.
Arms sales. A vote of disapproval on the sale of precision-guided missiles narrowly failed in the Senate last year; another could soon come up. But a two-thirds majority would be needed if the president were to issue a veto.
War powers. Resolutions invoking the 1973 War Powers Act would, if successful, require the Trump administration to cease its participation in the war absent a congressional declaration of war or authorization of force.
Signals that the United States might limit its support for the coalition could upend a status quo that has only dragged out Yemen’s immiseration.
https://www.cfr.org/article/yemens-spiraling-crisis
(* A P)
Jim Mattis and Mike Pompeo must back up calls for peace in Yemen with more than words
Defense Secretary Jim Mattis and Secretary of State Mike Pompeo called for an end to the war in Yemen and Saudi airstrikes that have targeted civilians. That’s a great start, but if the U.S. is serious about ending the violence, we will need more than words from Washington.
Those are welcome words from top U.S. leadership who just a month ago told Congress that despite criticism of coalition airstrikes, the Saudi-led attacks had made “every effort to reduce the risk of civilian casualties.”
Washington’s opposition must comprise more than a few nice lines for the Peace Institute. It’s long past time for the U.S. to reconsider its support for the Saudi coalition and its ongoing attacks in Yemen. The U.S. has a prominent role to play. Washington’s call for peace are meaningless without the U.S. cutting they very supplies and assistance that support the deadly airstrikes and further the conflict.
(* A P)
STATEMENT: REP. KHANNA’S RESPONSE TO SEC. POMPEO’S SUPPORT FOR ENDING THE CONFLICT IN YEMEN
In light of Secretary Pompeo’s recent statement, Rep. Ro Khanna, sponsor of H. Con. Res. 138, which seeks to stop U.S. military participation in Saudi Arabia's war against the Houthi rebels in Yemen, issued the below response:
“It’s about time. After more than three years of war, thousands dead, millions on the brink of starvation, and growing pressure from Congress, the Trump Administration is finally calling for an end to the Saudi-led war in Yemen. We have tremendous leverage over the Saudi-led coalition and should demand this Administration do all in their power to bring both sides to the peace table and end the war. However, just a call for cessation of hostilities does not go far enough. We must end our material support and participation with the Saudi-coalition today. This is the step that will bring the Saudis and Emiratis to the negotiating table. Congress has the power to do this and must vote on H. Con. Res. 81 and S. J. Res. 54 to end our participation in the war. I’m also encouraged that the Charles Koch Institute voiced support for our efforts in Congress to end the war, this will lead to increased bipartisan support. I believe a clean debate and a straight up and down vote on both war power resolutions must be the first action when Congress is back in legislative session the week of November 13th.”
Con. Res. 138 currently has 69 bipartisan cosponsors, including Whip Hoyer, HASC, HFAC, and Rules ranking members. Senator Sanders has a companion resolution in the Senate, S.J. Res. 54.
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Mattis’s Call for a Yemen Ceasefire Shows that Congress is Getting Closer to Forcing US Military to Withdraw from the War, Says CEPR Co-Director
Defense Secretary James Mattis’s call for a ceasefire in Yemen is a direct result of congressional moves to end US military involvement, according to Center for Economic and Policy Research (CEPR) Co-Director Mark Weisbrot. Weisbrot has written numerous articles and op-eds about US responsibility in triggering the world’s worst humanitarian crisis, including “How Congress Can End the War in Yemen,” published last month. On Tuesday, Mattis told an audience at the US Institute for Peace the “only way we're going to really solve” the war in Yemen is with a ceasefire in the next month.
“Mattis is saying this because he is afraid that Bernie Sanders’ resolution is going to pass the Senate,” said Weisbrot, who is also president of Just Foreign Policy. “It got 44 votes last time, and according to Senator Chris Murphy (D-CT), it would have had a majority if not for the Young–Shaheen bill. And that was before the Khashoggi scandal, which has influenced a number of Senators to vote against helping the Saudis carry out this war and mass starvation of Yemenis.”
Mattis has made similar claims to support a negotiated settlement before, stating his intention in 2017 to resolve the war “politically as soon as possible.” Yet Mattis has also falsely claimed that the Saudi-led coalition is “making every effort” to reduce civilian casualties, and has opposed the congressional efforts to end US military involvement in the war by using the 1973 War Powers Resolution to demand withdrawal of US military personnel. In November of last year, the House voted by a margin of 366 to 30 to declare that US military involvement in the war in Yemen was “unauthorized.”
“Mattis would rather have a negotiated settlement before the US military is forced out by Congress, or before it is 100 percent clear to the world that they are going to be forced out,” Weisbrot said.
My comment: This sounds reasonable.
(* B P)
Senators urge Trump to suspend nuclear energy talks with Saudi Arabia
Both Republican and Democratic senators asked U.S. President Donald Trump on Wednesday to suspend civilian nuclear energy talks with Saudi Arabia after the murder of Saudi journalist Jamal Khashoggi.
“The ongoing revelations about the murder of Saudi journalist Jamal Khashoggi, as well as certain Saudi actions related to Yemen and Lebanon, have raised further serious concerns about the transparency, accountability, and judgment of current decision makers in Saudi Arabia,” the senators wrote.
“We therefore request that you suspend any related negotiations for a U.S.-Saudi civil nuclear agreement for the foreseeable future,” said the lawmakers, who included senators Cory Gardner, Rand Paul, Dean Heller and Todd Young.
In addition, Democratic Senator Edward Markey wrote another letter to Trump calling for a suspension of discussions on civilian nuclear cooperation with Saudi Arabia, and for the administration to revoke any approvals for the transfer of nuclear services, technology or assistance to the kingdom.
and
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Rubio, Young, Gardner, Paul, Heller Urge POTUS To Suspend Talks For U.S.-Saudi Civil Nuclear Agreement After Jamal Khashoggi's Murder
U.S. Senators Marco Rubio (R-FL), Todd Young (R-IN), Cory Gardner (R-CO), Rand Paul (R-KY) and Dean Heller (R-NV) today sent a letter urging President Trump to suspend negotiations for a U.S.-Saudi civil nuclear agreement after the murder of Jamal Khashoggi, a Saudi journalist and Washington Postcolumnist.
Earlier this month, Rubio, Young, and Gardner joined Senate colleagues in urging President Trump to launch an investigation and sanctions determination regarding his disappearance pursuant to the Global Magnitsky Human Rights Accountability Act.
The full text of the letter is below.
and
(* B P)
U.S. reevaluates relations with Saudi in aftermath of Khashoggi killing
U.S. lawmakers and members of the Trump administration are questioning America's close ties with Saudi.
Mattis tried to place some daylight between the U.S. and Saudi Arabia in Yemen, downplaying the U.S. hand in Saudi actions.
“We refuel probably less than … I think 20% of their aircraft. They have their own refuelers, by the way,” said Mattis.
The kingdom wants to start building nuclear reactors, and contractors from several countries, including the United States, have bid for the lucrative project.
In order for the U.S. company (so far, Westinghouse as been named as a bidder) to participate in the project, Saudi Arabia must first sign a “123 Agreement” with the U.S. State Department, as required by U.S. law. Basically, the civilian nuclear agreement sets non-proliferation standards to prevent a given country from building nuclear weapons.
Under the umbrella of the 123 Agreement, additional safeguards can be added if deemed necessary, though there have been reports that the Trump administration will try to waive these safeguards for Saudi Arabia.
Energy Secretary Rick Perry has been trying to negotiate this deal with Saudi Arabia, which has thus far refused to sign such an agreement. The potential for conflict of interest is significant here: In exchange for improving the odds of Westinghouse getting the bid, the U.S. could back off of wanting additional safeguards in the deal.
But then Saudi Arabia could ask the U.S. to look the other way on their killing of Khashoggi in exchange for granting the deal to a U.S. bidder.
The senators might try to use a provision in the Atomic Energy Act to block the Saudi deal if President Trump insists on trying to pursue the agreement.
Nonproliferation experts have long expressed alarm over the deal, with concerns peaking when Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman told CBS in a March interview that his country would acquire nuclear bombs if it felt that Iran had done the same.
This would be in violation the Nonproliferation Treaty (NPT).
(? B P)
How Should We Read the American Press? In Arabic.
News of the News: Like in the Middle East, U.S. political operatives and intelligence officials are increasingly using the cloak of journalism as a tool for their aims
https://www.tabletmag.com/jewish-news-and-politics/273097/american-press-middle-east
My comment: No time for a closer read.
cp10 Großbritannien / Great Britain
Siehe / Look at cp7
(B P)
Saudi Arabia spent a jaw-dropping amount indulging Boris Johnson just days before Khashoggi’s murder
On 19 September, Boris Johnson took a three-day trip to Saudi Arabia, costing £14,000. Paid for by Saudi Arabia’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the visit included travel, accommodation and food. And it all took place just days before Saudi journalist Jamal Khashoggi was murdered in Turkey.
Pathetic excuses
According to the Register of Members’ Financial Interests, the purpose of the trip was to ‘meet’:
with regional figures to promote education for women and girls.
But in a press release seen by The Canary, Andrew Smith from Campaign Against Arms Trade (CAAT) quickly took apart the claim:
The Saudi regime is not spending money on hospitality for Boris Johnson because it cares about his views on education. It is doing it because it knows that he’s got ambitions for Downing Street and it wants to buy influence.
Supporting arms sales
CAAT also pointed out that:
As Foreign Secretary Boris Johnson supported billions of pounds worth of arms sales to the Saudi military.
And Smith insisted that:
Politicians should not be taking money from authoritarian regimes or dictatorships like the one in Saudi Arabia, which has an appalling human rights record and has inflicted a humanitarian crisis on Yemen.
(* B K P)
COMMONS WRITTEN RESPONSE CONFIRMS SAUDI PILOTS BEING TRAINED IN WALES
A written answer to a parliamentary question has revealed that the UK is training Saudi pilots at RAF Valley on the North Wales island of Anglesey/Ynys Mon.
A question put to the Ministry of Defence by Plaid Cymru MP Jonathan Edwards about the security risk posed by the training brought a response from defence minister Mark Lancaster that dismissed any security risk as ‘negligible’:
Labour MP Lloyd Russell-Moyle made a direct link between the UK’s training and civilian deaths today in an infuriated response to Middle East minister Alastair Burt’s claim that the UK is not a party to the military assault on Yemen:
We arm the Saudis. We maintain the air force. We have British soldiers embedded in the control centres. We command the war flight paths. We train Saudi pilots in Wales – the only thing we don’t do is press the button to drop the bomb.
Can we just not be honest? We are party to this war. We have decided to cosy up to a regime that dismembers its own civilians in consulates of NATO allies.
(* A P)
UK accused of continuing 'business as usual' with Saudi Arabia after Khashoggi
During grilling of UK Foreign Secretary, MP asks whether UK is 'turning a blind eye' to human rights violations to secure post-Brexit deals
The British government was accused of continuing on “business as usual” with Saudi Arabia to score post-Brexit deals despite the murder of journalist Jamal Khashoggi in the kingdom’s consulate in Turkey earlier this month.
The accusation, delivered by Labour MP Ian Murray, came as UK Foreign Secretary Jeremy Hunt was grilled on Wednesday by the parliament’s Foreign Affairs Committee.
Murray told Hunt that the public listening to his comments and those of UK Middle East Minister Alistair Burt this week would be “quite right to conclude that the UK government have said business as usual with the Saudi Arabians”.
“At what point do we move off of business for usual and actually see that something has happened here that is completely and utterly abhorrent to our values and do something about it?” asked Murray.
“Or is it the case that the UK government is so desperate for post-Brexit trade deals, that human rights are so low down the agenda that we would turn a blind eye?”
Hunt rejected Murray’s characterisation of the government’s position and, as he stated repeatedly over the two-hour session, said he would wait to find out “exactly what happened”.
“We’ve been very clear: if these reports turn out to be true, they are against our values and it will have an impact on the relationship with Saudi Arabia,” he said. “But we do need to wait and find out exactly what happened and be considered in our judgement.”
David Miliband, a former British foreign secretary who is now chair and chief executive of the New York-based International Rescue Committee, called on the UK to seek a new Security Council resolution calling for a ceasefire.
During Wednesday's hearing, Hunt suggested that the UK would push a UN resolution for a ceasefire in Yemen if UN Envoy Martin Griffith's plan led to a sustained cessation of hostilities in the country.
https://www.middleeasteye.net/news/uk-welcomes-us-call-end-fighting-yemen-792221137
My comment: The British government showing its hypocrisy on a daily basis.
(A P)
Labour Accuses Theresa May Of Refusing To Back Yemen Ceasefire
'It’s clear from Theresa May’s response that she’s not backing that.'
Labour has accused Theresa May of refusing to support the US call for a ceasefire in Yemen.
A spokesman for Jeremy Corbyn said: “It’s quite clear that the Prime Minister is not supporting the call for an urgent ceasefire by the US administration.”
May was asked during PMQs on Wednesday if the UK would use its influence on the United Nations Security Council to put forward a resolution calling for a ceasefire and an opening up of negotiations.
(* A P)
Theresa May fails to back US calls for Saudi Arabia to stop bombing Yemen
Theresa May has failed to back US calls for an immediate cessation of hostilities in Yemen, where a three-year civil war has led to the “most terrifying humanitarian catastrophe on the planet”.
The prime minister was urged to support a United Nations resolution demanding an immediate ceasefire in the war-torn country after the US ramped up pressure by calling on both the Saudi-led coalition and the Houthi rebels to end their airstrikes.
Ms May told MPs that the UK supported calls for “de-escalation” in Yemen but the government’s position remained that a ceasefire would only work if there is a political deal between the conflict parties
Raising the point at prime minister’s questions, Tory ex-cabinet minister Andrew Mitchell, said: “Following the welcome call overnight from the American administration for the ending of the Saudi bombing campaign in Yemen, will you use Britain’s undoubted authority at the UN to press for a new Security Council resolution demanding an immediate ceasefire, and meaningful and inclusive negotiations to end what is the worst and most terrifying humanitarian catastrophe on the planet?”
Ms May replied: “We certainly back the US call for de-escalation in Yemen.”
She said the UK had coordinated a UN statement calling on the parties to agree steps towards a ceasefire earlier this year, adding: “This remains our position.”
and
(A P)
UK welcomes U.S. call for end to fighting in Yemen
Britain welcomed a call by the United States to end the fighting in Yemen and said that there was a chance to create a humanitarian corridor and head off a “terrible situation”.
“This is an extremely welcome announcement because we have been working towards the cessation of hostilities in Yemen for a long time,” Foreign Secretary Jeremy Hunt told the BBC.
My comment: Calling the British position “opaque” would be an understatement.
(A P)
Is Theresa May backing an immediate ceasefire in Yemen?
Labour claims her choice of words is more evidence of the government’s support for the Saudi-led bombing campaign
May’s choice of words did not go down well with the opposition. Labour criticised the government for failing to back the immediate ceasefire calls in their entirety and condemned the UK’s support for the Saudi-led coalition in Yemen, The Independent reports.
A spokesperson for leader Jeremy Corbyn said: “The [US] Defence Secretary and Secretary of State called for a ceasefire within 30 days and it’s clear from Theresa May’s response that she’s not backing that.”
The prime minister’s decision “goes to highlight the role that the British Government has played in supporting the Saudi-led bombing campaign in Yemen and the direct advice to Saudi military by British forces under Government direction”, they added.
The PM’s spokesperson, meanwhile, said that the US position appeared to be in line with the UK’s own “long-standing position” of advocating “de-escalation” of the conflict.
“But he would not say whether ‘de-escalation’ was the same as a ceasefire,” notes the HuffPost.
http://www.theweek.co.uk/97478/is-theresa-may-backing-an-immediate-ceasefire-in-yemen
(A K P)
Question by MP to Ministry of Defense: Yemen: Military Intervention
180801
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, whether restrictions have been placed on the work of Saudi-based UK (a) military personnel and (b) private contractors to his Department, in relation to the (i) preparation, (ii) maintenance and (iii) operational use of air-delivered weapons used in the conflict in Yemen.
Answer: UK-contracted personnel, including UK military personnel on secondment to BAE Systems, support the safe storage and issue of weapons from their place of storage to an end user, in accordance with long-standing government-to-government arrangements.
They do not load weapons for operations in Yemen, nor are they involved in the planning of operational sorties.
The UK Government operates one of the most robust arms export control regimes in the world.
My comment: The last sentence of the answer is the greatest joke.
cp11 Deutschland / Germany
(A K P)
Außenminister Heiko Maas zur Situation in Jemen
Zur aktuellen Lage in Jemen sagte Außenminister Heiko Maas heute gegenüber Spiegel Online:
Im Jemen spielt sich vor den Augen der Weltgemeinschaft eine beispiellose humanitäre Tragödie ab. Jede neue Runde der militärischen Auseinandersetzung führt das Land tiefer in den Abgrund. Deshalb haben wir nicht nur im Koalitionsvertrag deutlich Haltung dazu bezogen.
Erstmals seit langem zeichnet sich jetzt eine Gelegenheit ab, Bewegung in die festgefahrenen Friedensbemühungen zu bekommen. Die Forderung von Mike Pompeo und James Mattis nach einem Waffenstillstand und der Wiederaufnahme der Gespräche kommt im richtigen Moment. Wir unterstützen das nachdrücklich. Der UN-Sondergesandte Martin Griffiths hat bereits wesentliche Vorarbeit geleistet. Wir nutzen ebenfalls alle unsere Gesprächskanäle, um den Parteien deutlich zu machen, dass es jetzt nicht weitergehen kann wie bisher.
Wie brauchen jetzt endlich einen Waffenstillstand und Gespräche über eine politische Lösung.
https://www.auswaertiges-amt.de/de/newsroom/maas-spiegel-jemen/2156776
http://www.spiegel.de/politik/ausland/heiko-maas-unterstuetzt-us-initiative-zu-jemen-a-1236299.html
Mein Kommentar: Und der Jemenkrieg war 3 ½ Jahre kein Grund, die Waffenlieferungen an die Saudis auch tatsächlich zu beenden. Jetzt hat mal wieder die Stunde der Heuchler geschlagen.
cp12 Andere Länder / Other countries
Russia: Look at cp6
(A P)
Israeli official says Khashoggi death 'despicable', but Iran greater challenge
An Israeli official on Friday called the killing of journalist Jamal Khashoggi in Saudi Arabia’s consulate in Istanbul “despicable” but said that cementing ties with Gulf states in the struggle against Iran was Israel’s overriding concern.
In his remarks to radio station 102 FM, Energy Minister Yuval Steinitz did not explicitly say whether his views were those of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s government, which has been reticent in commenting on the case.
My comment: Israel as part of western community of values. LOL.
(A P)
Russia: The Houthi coup impeded cooperation between Yemen, Russia
Russian Ambassador to Yemen Vladimir Dushkin has said that the Houthi coup impeded plans of technical and scientific cooperation between Yemen and Russia.
In an interview with the Yemeni News Agency (Saba), Dushkin said that Russia had implemented a number of strategic projects in Yemen, including building electric plants, ports, airports, oil pipelines and fishery factories.
He added that the Yemeni army's weapons have been imported 90 percent from Russia, most of assistances have been provided freely, adding that Russia cancelled USD 6.4 billion from Yemen's debt to Russia and more than 50 thousand of Yemeni experts have been graduated from Russian universities in addition to constructional tools.
The ambassador affirmed that Russia will continues supporting efforts of President Hadi, affirming that Had president has personally played significance role in holding the national dialogue and defining its outcomes.
https://www.alsahwa-yemen.net/en/p-24954
(* B K P)
Trudeau's dilemma: how to be tough on Saudi Arabia and save jobs
Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau faces a dilemma as an election approaches - how to credibly clamp down on Saudi Arabia over its human rights record while sparing a $13 billion weapons deal with Riyadh.
Trudeau, who has promised “consequences” for the Oct. 2 murder of Saudi journalist Jamal Khashoggi, is under pressure to freeze an already unpopular $13 billion contract for armored vehicles built in Canada by U.S.-based General Dynamics.
The problem is that the deal underpins 3,000 jobs in the small city of London, Ontario, a recovering manufacturing center and a likely battleground in next year’s general election.
The debate over the deal is worrying to members of Trudeau’s ruling Liberal Party, including Peter Fragiskatos, the lawmaker from the London North Centre parliamentary constituency.
“A lot of jobs depend on this contract,” Fragiskatos said in an interview, noting Trudeau has visited the city several times and “understands very well the challenges that London has faced. I am advocating very strongly for my community.”
My comment: The living of people on an other part of the globe against “jobs”. And no idea of all these idiot neoliberal politicians to support creating other jobs for those involved. You could just send them to Yemen to kill civilians directly instead doing it the indirect way by arms sales. Mercenaries are even paid better by the Saudis and the UAE than factory workers.
(A K P)
First units of the #Saudi Armed Forces arrived today at Gianaklis Air Base in #Egypt for exercise ‘#ArabShield -1’. Many more units to come! (photos)
https://twitter.com/MbKS15/status/1057663778366672901
(* B P)
Ottawa Doubles Down on Double Standards. Canada’s $15 Billion Armaments Deal with The Saudis
Canada recently has been doubling down on two areas of global concern, highlighting its ongoing governmental rhetorical double standards.
Canadian politicians pride themselves in being guardians of “Canadian values”, one of which is its support of humanitarian principles throughout the world.When that attitude is compared to what Canada actually does, it does not hold up very well.In the current case with Khashoggi, it has presented a large conundrum for the government.
Canada’s government is very upset about the murder of Khashoggi in some mannerprobably by a Saudi hit team in the Saudi consulate in Istanbul.However they are not quite sure how upset they should actually be.Canada had signed a $15 billion armaments deal with the Saudis to supply them with 928 light armoured vehicles (LAV), later reduced to 742 LAVs.Now, while jumping on the Khashoggi distress train, they are unsure what to do about it and express that in a variety of not very coherent arguments.
The main argument is simply cancel the order as it will assuredly be used in a military fashion against civilians, in particular in the war torn country of Yemen.But…then come all the buts…it has a cancellation clause that will cost us billions…it has a non-disclosure clause…it will cause Canada to lose 3 000 jobs…we closely monitor our sales of arms…it will wreck our business climate…it will ruin our reputation.None of these stand up to the criticism about Saudi human rights abuses, mainly centered on the amount of killing they are doing in Yemen, let alone their terrible domestic record.
Canada’s government is very upset about the murder of Khashoggi in some mannerprobably by a Saudi hit team in the Saudi consulate in Istanbul.However they are not quite sure how upset they should actually be.Canada had signed a $15 billion armaments deal with the Saudis to supply them with 928 light armoured vehicles (LAV), later reduced to 742 LAVs.Now, while jumping on the Khashoggi distress train, they are unsure what to do about it and express that in a variety of not very coherent arguments.
The main argument is simply cancel the order as it will assuredly be used in a military fashion against civilians, in particular in the war torn country of Yemen.But…then come all the buts…it has a cancellation clause that will cost us billions…it has a non-disclosure clause…it will cause Canada to lose 3 000 jobs…we closely monitor our sales of arms…it will wreck our business climate…it will ruin our reputation.None of these stand up to the criticism about Saudi human rights abuses, mainly centered on the amount of killing they are doing in Yemen, let alone their terrible domestic record.
So I have to ask the government, to ask PM Trudeau, Finance Minister Bill Morneau, and Foreign Affairs Minister Freeland, what is the price that is too heavy to pay?
If Canada were truly interested in humanitarian concerns, the contract would be cancelled as the cost to Canada is negligible, almost non existent compared to the cost of tens of thousands of Yemeni lives – by Jim Miles
(* B P)
After the Khashoggi Murder, Pakistan Shakes Down Weakened Saudi Prince for $6 Billion
Pakistan’s Imran Khan rushed to support Mohammed bin Salman as the Khashoggi murder case destroyed the kingdom’s credibility—and the move paid off.
Pakistan has emerged as an apparent winner from the international outcry that followed a Saudi hit team’s murder of journalist Jamal Khashoggi in Istanbul at the beginning of October. By rushing to stand by Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, widely accused of ordering the execution, Pakistani Prime Minister Imran Khan got a $6 billion aid package, which he desperately needs to salvage the Pakistani economy. There undoubtedly is more to the deal, including benefits for Saudi-backed terrorist groups in Pakistan.
The Kingdom has been a major aid donor to Pakistan for decades, but the Saudi war in Yemen has strained relations. Nawaz Sharif turned down Mohammed bin Salman’s repeated requests for Pakistani troops to help pursue the war against the Houthis in Yemen. Sharif took the Saudi request to the Pakistani parliament, which unanimously voted against sending troops—a stunning rebuke to Riyadh and the crown prince. Without Pakistani armor the war quickly became a stalemate and an expensive quagmire for Saudi Arabia.
The Pakistani “no” on Yemen sent another message. For decades, Saudi Arabia had implied that if it ever needed nuclear weapons it would have access to the Pakistani nuclear arsenal, the fastest growing nuclear weapons inventory in the world. But if Pakistan would not send troops to fight the Houthis, it would surely not send the bomb. Mohammed bin Salman, widely known as MBS, had eroded the Kingdom’s deterrent with his reckless behavior in Yemen – by Bruce Riedel
cp13a Waffenhandel / Arms trade
Siehe / Look at cp12
(* B K P)
Yemen, Khashoggi, and the deadly Saudi trade
Saudi Arabia was the world’s second largest arms importer in 2017, with a total military expenditure topping US$69 billion including 10% of total global arms imports, according to the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (SIPRI).
For years, human rights advocates around the world have been calling on governments to ban arms sales to Saudi Arabia. By and large these calls have fallen flat.
Although a handful of countries, including Norway, Belgium, and Finland, have moved to block or at least pause the sale of weapons to Saudi Arabia and its coalition partner the United Arab Emirates over the conflict in Yemen, many others including Australia have shown no such hesitation.
Riyadh has made it clear that if trading partners want to use arms deals as political leverage – well, two can play at that game. When reports emerged in the media in August that Spain was considering halting the sale of 400 laser-guided missiles to Saudi Arabia over concerns that the weapons would be used in Yemen, the reaction was immediate. Behind closed doors, Saudi Arabian officials reportedly threaten to cancel other deals with Spain, including a €1.8 billion contract to buy five Spanish-made warships. The Spanish government backed down swiftly after workers at the shipyards held public protests, blaming the entire episode on “confusion” within the Spanish defence ministry.
Ultimately there are only two countries that matter when it comes to supplying Saudi Arabia’s military. According to SIPRI, the US alone provides 61% of Saudi Arabia’s military imports, and the UK makes up a further 23% (France comes a very distant third at 3.6%). Without their involvement, the effect of any arms embargo on Saudi Arabia will be purely symbolic.
Supporters of ongoing arms sales to Saudi Arabia do not deny that Western weapons are being used in Yemen, and have resulted in the deaths of civilians. They argue, however, that the alternative would be worse – that by providing Saudi Arabia with the most precise targeted weaponry, best intelligence and best training, the West is actually helping to minimise civilian deaths in Yemen.
“I believe we should be part of [supporting the Saudi coalition] only because it reduces the likelihood that children will be killed. And it reduces the likelihood that this war will extend. That doesn't mean children won’t be killed through mistakes. It doesn’t mean that this war won't last for a very long time,” said Norman Roule, former CIA National Intelligence Manager for Iran.
But I do believe if we pull out our support from the kingdom, we just raised the likelihood of civilian casualties. I confess I don't know why that is lost on some of the players who are involved. But again, I support our continued military assistance to the kingdom for that reason.
Opponents reject this line of reasoning. The UK-based Campaign Against Arms Trade (CAAT) argues that the continued engagement with Saudi Arabia’s military makes Britain complicit in violations of international humanitarian law, including potential war crimes.
Saudi Arabia is the United States’ single biggest export market for arms, making up 18% of total US arms exports and spending a reported US$5.5 billion on weapons systems and services from US contractors in 2017 alone.
The power of these titans of the US military-industrial complex to influence policy decisions should not be underestimated. Again, Trump’s comments are revealing. When asked in an interview whether he would consider imposing sanctions on Saudi Arabia over Khashoggi’s murder, he replied:
I tell you what I don't want to do. Boeing, Lockheed, Raytheon, all these companies – I don’t want to hurt jobs. I don’t want to lose an order like that.
British Prime Minister Theresa May has also rejected calls to suspend arms sales to Saudi Arabia in response to Khashoggi’s death.
The reality is that for all the sturm und drang over Khashoggi’s death, it is unlikely to make any significant difference to the Saudi’s relationships with major weapons suppliers around the world. Not even the Germans are proposing to permanently halt arms sales, only to institute a temporary pause – by Elise Thomas
https://www.lowyinstitute.org/the-interpreter/yemen-khashoggi-deadly-saudi-trade
cp13b Mercenaries / Söldner
(B K)
Al-Houthi: Replacing Mercenaries by Foreigners Due to their Inevitable Failur
The head of the Supreme Revolutionary Committee said on Wednesday that replacing the mercenaries of the US-Saudi aggression by foreigner mercenaries in the West Coast is due to the collapse of their morale and lack of their ability to continue the fight.
In a tweet, Mohammed Ali Al-Houthi pointed out that after the morale of the mercenaries in the West Coast collapsed, the US-Saudi aggression countries looked to replace them with foreign mercenaries from Sudan and other places in Africa.
https://english.almasirah.net/details.php?es_id=3527&cat_id=1
My comment: Really??
cp13c Wirtschaft / Economy
(* B E)
The port of Aden is witnessing a slight increase in navigation during 2018
The maritime movement in the port of Aden saw a slight rise in the total number of ships coming to it from January to September 2018.
The port received 522 ships, 11 percent more than last year, and the total number of containers traded, to 295 thousand and 601 TEU, an increase of 20 percent over the total containers for the same period last year.
According to statistics from the Gulf of Aden Ports Foundation, the increase in the volume of goods traded, in the dry and liquid port of Aden, rose to 96 per cent during the first nine months of the current year, compared with the same period in 2017
http://almasdaronline.com/articles/160398
(A E P)
Yemen's Saudi-backed government to resume oil exports soon: SABA
Yemen’s Saudi-backed government said it would work on resuming oil production and exports from new fields “in the coming days”, without specifying the quantity expected, SABA state news agency reported on Thursday.
The announcement came after the first cabinet meeting held by the newly appointed prime minister Maeen Abdulmalik Saeed.
cp15 Propaganda
Siehe / Look at cp1
(A P)
Amal was hospitalized by MSF several times as she apparently suffered TB in addition to malnutrition. She was know to Houthis as after an AP report which featured her along with other children, Houthis transferred 5 cases to Sanaa in front of cameras. Amal was left behind.
Three cases recovered after getting proper health care which Houthis apparently can afford in Sanaa. This video shows the children arrival in Sanaa.
Mahdi whom doctors said suffered complications like Amal, recovered after he was transferred to Sanaa by Houthis: before and after. #Yemen
Moaz suffered severe malnutrition and complications like Amal. He was taken to Sanaa with the 4 others. Doctors said he recovered. Can Houthis do more?
https://twitter.com/mokhbersahafi/status/1058249386671521792
My comment: They certainly could have. But it seems tob e quite twisted to try to blame the Houthis for the death of this child now, instead of those who had installed a blockade and bombed supplies again and again.
(A P)
One minor quibble with this otherwise excellent piece - the bit about the Houthis having eradicated AQAP from their areas is just inaccurate. Since early 2018 AQAP’s core operational terrain shifted north and west from Abyan and Shabwah to nominally Houthi-controlled Al-Bayda
https://twitter.com/AlexMello02/status/1058128464170102786
Here is another myth anti Saudi analysts have been pushing. Houthis never fought AQAP & they in fact created conditions that led to unprecedented spread of AQAP in #Yemen Please stop romanticizing with Houthis & creating false narratives to build case against KSA. No need
https://twitter.com/Ndawsari/status/1058212189603950593
My comment: This id somewhat strange propaganda. The Houthis had been a main target of Al Qaeda, remember the attaques against mosques at Sanaa in March 2015. At that time, before the Saudi intervention, Al Qaeda still had been much weaker than today. Blaming the Houthis for not having fought Al Qaeda is odd, as the Saudi fueling the war by their intervention just gave Al Qaeda the opportunity to grow much stronger. – Al Bayda province is a very bad example, in any case. The province not even is under nominal Houthi countrol, greater parts had been taken by the pro-Hadi forces pushing back the Houthis. In this situation, Al Qaeda could flourish, and partly fought the Houthis there, aligned with the pro-Hadi troops. – Also remember that the UAE is said to have made dealst o get Al Qaeda out of Mukalla and other sites in the South, granting them free retreat. And where did they retreat to???
(A P)
The $70 million grant will be transferred to the central bank and distributed directly to the teachers
http://almasdaronline.com/articles/160451
My comment: saudi blood money, worth just ca. 1/6500 of the coasts of the Saudi aerial war so far, showing priorities.
(A P)
Central Bank governor: The Saudi oil grant will provide $2 million a day
Yemeni central bank governor Mohammed al-Helm said the Saudi oil derivatives grant to Yemen, which is $60 million a month, will help alleviate the suffering of citizens and touch on their daily needs.
http://almasdaronline.com/articles/160414
My comment: This will not even be a drop in the Ocean, and is mere propaganda.
(A P)
Dear #Yemen NEWBIES, -Houthi rebels, supported by #Iran, staged a coup against the country in Sept 2014 right before finalizing new constitution via National Dialogue, which Houthi reps were apart of.
Houthis moved southward, starting street wars w the military support of former dictator, Ali Abdullah Saleh, who was killed recently by Houthis -Houthis killed 1000s w/ snipers, bombs, tanks, etc -The first AIR STRIKE by Houthis was in March 15 2015 on Pres Palace, #Aden.
Towards the end of March, and after the first airstrike by Houthis, Saudi coalition started its campaign in #Yemen to target Houthi rebels, military bases and recruitment locations.
Keep in mind the historical aspect of Houthi background re Imamate control/territories. - Thousands were recruited to fight against Houthi militias in multiple areas, including Taiz, Aden, Dhala and Baydha. This was done to protect #Yemen’s land, honor and sovereignty.
https://twitter.com/ToEducate/status/1057956451342258177
My comment: This propaganda thread starts with a lie: Iran warned the Houthis not to march at Sanaa and make a coup, but they did not care. And of course, the Iran propaganda card is widely played here. – While the 3 ½ years of Saudi aerial war, just is a “campaign in #Yemen to target Houthi rebels, military bases and recruitment locations”. Odd.
(A P)
Film: #Houthi Death Project in #Yemen
https://twitter.com/RepYemenEnglish/status/1057368898499215360
(* A P)
Concern over UK-based Iranian TV channel's links to Saudi Arabia
Iran International funded by firm with ties to Prince Mohammed bin Salman
A UK-based Iranian TV station is being funded through a secretive offshore entity and a company whose director is a Saudi Arabian businessman with close links to the Saudi crown prince Mohammed bin Salman, the Guardian can reveal.
The disclosures are likely to raise concerns about the editorial independence of Iran International, and comes at a time of growing fears about a number of Saudi-linked stations operating across London.
A source has told the Guardian that Prince Mohammed, who many believe is responsible for the murder of the journalist Jamal Khashoggi, is the force behind Iran International. The station, which is operating out of Chiswick, has not denied claims that it receives its funding from the Saudi royal court.
Iran International TV emerged abruptly on the London media scene last year; many of the 100-strong staff network were offered generous salaries, often double what rivals paid, but was elusive about its source of funding.
My comment: And even more propaganda, I guess.
(A P)
European Parliament praises UAE’s humanitarian, development initiatives in Yemen
European Parliament seeks to cooperate with ERC to deliver aid
A European Parliament delegation praised the humanitarian and development initiatives of the UAE in Yemen while stressing that the Emirates Red Crescent (ERC) is one of the most effective and influential organisations in the region.
The remarks were made when Dr Mohammad Ateeq Al Falahi, Secretary-General of the ERC, received Michele Alliot-Marie, Chairperson of the Arab Peninsula Committee of the European Parliament, and her delegation, at the headquarters of the ERC.
Dr Al Falahi highlighted the effectiveness of the ERC’s rescue programmes and development projects in Yemen.
Alliot-Marie expressed the appreciation of the European Parliament for the UAE’s efforts to ease the suffering and improve the lives of those affected by the events taking place in many Yemeni governorates while adding that she is keenly monitoring the ERC’s activities in Yemen and how it is handling the humanitarian situation with responsibility and efficiency.
My comment: the Europeans praise one of the main perpetrators in Yemen and accept to be misused for propaganda.
(A P)
Yemeni Vice President: Houthi Militias Impose War in Yemen
Yemeni Vice President Lt.-Gen. Ali Mohsen Saleh said that the war imposed by the Houthi putschist militias in Yemen is a defensive battle, lauding the support provided by the Arab Coalition to his country.
He pointed out that it is necessary to confront the Houthi group's threats to the Yemeni national interests and security as well as the region's.
https://www.spa.gov.sa/viewfullstory.php?lang=en&newsid=1836190
(* A P)
Facing global censure, Saudi envoy seeks to prop up Yemen
Sinking into a padded leather chair on a government jet, Saudi ambassador Mohammed al-Jaber buckles up for what he calls a mammoth mission -- rebuilding Yemen as it teeters on the edge of catastrophe.
After a ruinous three-year conflict, the Arab world's poorest country faces the double whammy of a looming famine and an economic crisis that has sent the Yemeni currency in free fall, as the United States urgently calls for a ceasefire.
Saudi Arabia has faced virulent international criticism for leading an intervention in Yemen in 2015 against Iran-aligned Huthi rebels -- and the recent murder of critic Jamal Khashoggi has put its bombing campaign under fresh scrutiny.
But Jaber, seen as the most influential Arab diplomat engaged on Yemen, sought to shift the narrative on another front: rebuilding the conflict-scarred country.
"Development of Yemen cannot wait until the Huthis accept peace talks," said Jaber, who was appointed ambassador in 2014, just days before the rebels overran the capital.
Jaber, 48, spoke to AFP on an aircraft this week flying to the informal capital Aden to oversee the arrival of a Saudi oil tanker with the first instalment of petroleum products worth $60 million.
As his aides served up pastries, dates and Arabic coffee, Jaber rattled off a list of what he called Saudi-funded "injection projects" related to electricity, education and healthcare.
"Our goal in Yemen is not to control it," the Riyadh-based envoy said, asserting the Saudi intervention was unlike the US invasion of Iraq.
"This is a war of necessity, not a war of choice."
But Jaber said extrapolating the Khashoggi affair to criticise Saudi efforts in Yemen was unfair.
He said images splashed in global media of emaciated Yemeni children in famine-like conditions "break my heart", but added that Saudi Arabia alone was not responsible.
The Huthis, he said, were an intractable foe, repeatedly spurning UN-backed efforts to jumpstart peace talks.
A seasoned diplomat, Jaber has consistently sought to emphasise Saudi-funded development projects, "suggesting an aim to shift the shape of the discourse on Yemen", said Adam Baron, a Yemen expert at the European Council on Foreign Relations.
https://www.dailymail.co.uk/wires/afp/article-6338387/Facing-global-censure-Saudi-envoy-seeks-prop-Yemen.html = https://www.yahoo.com/news/facing-global-censure-saudi-envoy-seeks-prop-yemen-153100176.html
cp16 Saudische Luftangriffe / Saudi air raids
(* A K pH)
Saudi coalition air raids day by day:
Oct. 30, 2018: https://www.facebook.com/lcrdye/photos/pb.551288185021551.-2207520000.1541061176./1167131833437180
(A K)
Saudische Koalition greift Luftwaffenstützpunkt im Jemen an
Die von Saudi-Arabien geführte Koalition hat Angriffe auf einen Luftwaffenstützpunkt in der Nähe des internationalen Flughafens in der jemenitischen Hauptstadt Sanaa geflogen. Das meldete die saudische Staatsagentur am frühen Freitagmorgen. Der Luftwaffenstützpunkt sei von den Huthi-Milizen genutzt worden, um Raketen abzuschießen, wurde der Sprecher der Koalition, Turki al-Malki, zitiert.
Einwohner hätten gesagt, es seien auf die Einrichtung rund 20 Angriffe geflogen worden. Der internationale Flughafen Sanaa sei weiter für die Vereinten Nationen und Hilfsoperationen geöffnet.
https://deutsch.rt.com/newsticker/78655-saudische-koalition-greift-luftwaffenstutzpunkt-im/
(A K pH)
20 Saudi-Led Airstrikes Hit Sanaa
The US-backed Saudi-led coalition warplanes launched on Friday night 20 airstrikes on the capital Sanaa , a local official told Saba..
Four airstrikes targeted Jarban camp in Sanhan district.
Six raids hit the military air base of Dailami.
Ten strikes hit Hamdan district.
http://www.sabanews.net/en/news513086.htm
(A K)
Saudi-led coalition launches Yemen attacks
A drone-launch air base near Yemen's Sanaa airport and ballistic missile launch sites near the country's capital have been attacked by the Saudi-led coalition.
The Saudi-led coalition in Yemen has attacked Sanaa International Airport and an adjoining air base being used by Houthi insurgents to launch drone and ballistic missile attacks, the coalition spokesman says.
Aviation at the airport and international aid efforts were not affected, Colonel Turki al-Malki told al-Ekhbaria TV on Friday.
He said a press conference will be held on Friday afternoon to provide evidence that the airport is being used by the Houthi to launch attacks.
Al-Masirah TV, which is controlled by the Houthis, said more than 30 air strikes targeted al-Dulaimi Air Base in Sanaa and the surrounding areas.
and
(A K)
Saudi-led forces conduct mass strikes on Yemeni capital & beyond, despite US ‘calls for ceasefire’
The Saudi-led coalition has carried out a series of airstrikes against “legitimate military targets” in Sanaa and elsewhere across Yemen, several days after senior US officials somewhat hypocritically called for a ceasefire.
“Coalition aircraft targeted legitimate military positions at al-Dailami Air Base, northeast of the capital, Sanaa,” the coalition leadership said in a statement, referring to the outskirts of Yemen’s civilian international airport which remains one of the few lifelines for the war-torn country.
The coalition claimed that it targeted the launch sites of ballistic missiles and drones, noting that overall more than 12 raids were carried out across Yemen in the early hours on Friday. Insisting that no civilian infrastructure was targeted, Saudi-led forces said that Sanaa airport is still operating as usual.
So far there have been no official reports of casualties from the raids, which come in the midst of a renewed UN-led peace effort, which is this time backed by the United States. Local reports indicate that the raids are continuing.
https://www.rt.com/news/442903-yemen-mass-saudi-airstrikes/
and
(A K pS)
Yemen: The Coalition Destroys The Terrorist Iranian-Houthi Militia Ballistic-Missile and UAV Launching Locations in Al-Dailami Airbase
conducted a targeting operation of legitimate military targets in Al Dailami airbase.
Col. Al-Malki clarifies: “This operation includes targeting of ballistic-missile launch and storage locations, UAV Ground Stations, bomb-making and assembly workshops and their support locations in Al-Dailami Airbase in Sana’a.”
He indicated that the targeting operations were conducted following an accurate intelligence operation, monitoring the terrorist Iranian-Houthi militia’s activities, with the aim of destroying and neutralizing such capabilities, that threaten regional and international security.
Col. Al-Malki concluded his statement by reaffirming that Sana’a International Airport is still open to UN and relief air traffic, and that all preventative measures were taken in the targeting operation. This operation was carried out in accordance with the International Humanitarian Law, its Customary Rules, and the Joint Forces Command of the Coalition Rules of Engagement
http://alriyadhdaily.com/article/4d1f28ca16ca42b8ba8c2e661209cc78
(A K pH)
US-Saudi Arial Strikes Bees’ Carrying Trucks, for 3rd Time
US-Saudi aggression targeted a truck carrying beehives with two airstrikes in Abs district, Hajja. This is the third time that US-Saudi airstrikes target beehives. The aggression intensifies targeting civilians' trucks in Abs district where was the last of it targeting four trucks carrying beehives, livestock and vegetable last week, killing and injuring civilians.
https://english.almasirah.net/details.php?es_id=3539&cat_id=1
photos: https://www.facebook.com/SaudiArabia.war.crimes.against.Yemen/posts/1922980974664554 and https://twitter.com/MohammedHojily/status/1058011700832690178
(A K pH)
More Saudi coalition air raids recorded on:
Nov. 1: https://english.almasirah.net/details.php?es_id=3542&cat_id=1 Saada p.
https://english.almasirah.net/details.php?es_id=3541&cat_id=1 Saada, Hajjah, Hodeidah p.
http://www.sabanews.net/en/news513098.htm Hodeidah p.
Oct. 31: https://english.almasirah.net/details.php?es_id=3520&cat_id=1 Saada, Hajjah, Mahwit p.
http://www.sabanews.net/en/news512887.htm Saada p., Jizan
(A K pH)
Film: What a sad Scene of Saudi/UAE aggression war crime on #Yemen Shihab, the boy who was killed by the Saudi/UAE aggression air raids refused to leave his toy even after he died.
https://twitter.com/I4Yemen/status/1057723475316654080
Remark: Where? When?
cp17 Kriegsereignisse / Theater of War
Siehe / Look at cp1b
(A K pH)
Bader P-1 Hits Invaders and Mercenaries’ Camp off Najran
Rocketry Force of the Army and Popular Committees fired Friday morning a homemade ballistic missile, Bader P-1, at US-Saudi mercenaries recently constructed camp in Al-Buqa desert off Najran.
https://english.almasirah.net/details.php?es_id=3546&cat_id=1
and
(A P)
Saudis respond to peace calls with heavy Sana'a bombing
Saudi Arabia has responded to calls for a ceasefire in its war on Yemen with a heavy bombing of the capital Sana'a with more than 30 airstrikes.
Yemeni armed forces and allied Houthi fighters responded to the attacks with a newly-unveiled Badr P-1 missile launched at an enemy assembly in the Saudi Najran province.
The stepped-up attacks by Saudi Arabia came after calls for a ceasefire and the renewal of peace talks by the US and Britain which are key supporters of the kingdom in the war which has been going on since March 2015.
https://www.presstv.com/Detail/2018/11/02/578787/Saudi-Coalition-bomb-Sanaa
(A K pH)
Saudi hits border areas in Saada
The US-backed Saudi-led coalition launched on Thursday a ground attack on residential villages and areas of Saada province, a local official told Saba.
The Saudi missile and artillery bombardment targeted citizens’ homes and farms in border Baqim district, the official said.
Meanwhile, the Saudi bombing attacked various villages in Razih district.
http://www.sabanews.net/en/news513095.htm
https://english.almasirah.net/details.php?es_id=3542&cat_id=1
(A K pS)
Houthis shell village, kill elderly woman blow off limbs of five kids
the Houthis shelled a village in Yemen's central Taiz on Monday killing an elderly woman and a child and blowing up off and tearing apart the limbs of five other kids rendering them between life and death.
The Shia Islamic terrorists fired heavy shells on Ajwad village in Makbana district to Taiz's northwest hitting one of the houses there and incurring the following casualties.
The shells killed:
Shamaah Ali Ahmed 65-year-old lady was killed.
Mumayaz Rafik Thabet, a three-year-old boy
The shelling severely injured and cut and charred the limbs of the following kids (photos)
https://www.alsahwa-yemen.net/en/p-24952
(* A K pS)
Gosaibi: MASAM Project Cleared Over 16,000 Mines, Unexploded Ordnance
The Saudi Project for Landmines Clearance in Yemen (MASAM) has cleared more than 16,000 mines, unexploded ordnance and improvised explosive devices planted by Iranian-backed Houthi militias in Yemeni villages and towns, since its launch in late June 2018.
In an interview with Asharq Al-Awsat, MASAM Program Manager Osama Al-Gosaibi said that the majority of mines were Iranian made, while others originated from Russia and Eastern Europe.
He noted that the project employed 41 teams inside Yemen, including 32 demining teams and nine rapid intervention groups to neutralize explosive devices, while the total number of team members is around 430.
“We work from Marib as the headquarters and we have teams in the governorates of Shabwa, Al Jawf, Al-Bayda, parts of Taiz, Bab Al Mandab, West Coast… and two teams in Sanaa,” he stated.
Three members were killed during demining operations, he said, stressing that MASAM was a “purely humanitarian project”, with Saudi supervision and funding.
Remark: by Saudi media, of course fine for Saudi propaganda.
(A K pH)
Yemeni Air Defenses Down US-Saudi Spy Drone in Taiz
https://english.almasirah.net/details.php?es_id=3519&cat_id=1
cp18 Sonstiges / Other
(*A H K)
War and Love: Poetry that goes beyond the death toll of Yemen's war
Sana Uqba's collection of striking poems returns humanity to the thousands of Yemenis who became nothing but a death tol
Sana Uqba, a Yemeni poet and journalist at The New Arab, wanted to make it clear that even just one life taken is a life too many. Her latest poetry book, War and Love, which releases on November 1, gives a stinging insight to life as a Yemeni experiencing war.
"I began writing poetry at a very young age. I've always been quite introverted and silent as a person, so writing was the only avenue I knew to release any sort of emotions or thoughts I had growing up," Uqba tells The New Arab.
"I was very protective and secretive of my initial writing because it was all so personal, but as I matured as a person I began to focus more on humanitarian and political issues.
"Eventually I found the confidence to share my work with the world and it was picked up by a few event organisers in London who invited me to perform. There were fewer than 50 people at the first event I performed at, but eventually I found myself standing in the middle of Trafalgar Square listening to the echoes of my words bouncing off the historic central London buildings in front of 500,000 protesters."
Her poetry grew more popular, landing Uqba the opportunity to write lyrics for musicians such as Lowkey and Sami Yusuf, who was once famously dubbed as Islam's biggest Rock star.
Vorige / Previous:
https://www.freitag.de/autoren/dklose/jemenkrieg-mosaik-475-yemen-war-mosaic-475
Jemenkrieg-Mosaik 1-475 / Yemen War Mosaic 1-475:
https://www.freitag.de/autoren/dklose oder / or http://poorworld.net/YemenWar.htm
Der saudische Luftkrieg im Bild / Saudi aerial war images:
(18 +, Nichts für Sensible!) / (18 +; Graphic!)
http://poorworld.net/YemenWar.htm
http://yemenwarcrimes.blogspot.de/
und alle Liste aller Luftangriffe / and list of all air raids:
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