Yemen - The Attack On Hodeidah Is A Prelude To Genocide
Yemen is on the verge of another catastrophic event. The Saudi and United Arab Emirates plan to take the Red Sea port Hodeidah through which most of the food supplies to Yemen's come in.
The port is already under blockade and all ships are strictly controlled. Saudi 'inspections' of ships already taking so long that some food rots before it can reach land. The UN is complaining that there is too little food is coming through:
Yemen is the world’s worst humanitarian crisis, according to the United Nations, with some 8.4 million people severely short of food and at risk of starvation.
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“I am particularly concerned about the recent decline of commercial food imports through the Red Sea ports,” Mark Lowcock, U.N. emergency relief coordinator, said in a statement read out to a Geneva briefing on Friday.
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“If conditions do not improve, a further 10 million people will fall into this category by the end of the year,” he said.
Eighteen out of twenty-six million Yemenis may soon die of hunger. If that happens it will be a genocide.
The UN has warned that any fighting over the port will have extreme consequences. Eighteen million people will probably starve if the port is blocked or the roads from the port into the hinterland get destroyed due to fighting.
For three years the Saudi and UAE forces have tried to dislodge the Houthi movement from the Yemeni heartland and the capital Sanaa. The Saudis managed to take the flat desert areas in the east and the UAE took the southern coast but all their attempts to move into the mountainous western core of Yemen have failed. The Saudi and UAE forces on the ground are by now mostly local mercenaries from the south reinforced by a few tank and artillery troops from the UAE.
Map via IWN - bigger
The cities and towns in the north where the Houthi originally lived were all destroyed by Saudi air attacks. They have no where to go and nothing left to loose. They will not give up.
The attack on Hodeidah comes after months of fighting from south Yemen along the southeastern coast and the Emirate supported troops (blue arrow) are now only 20 kilometers away from Hodeidah.
bigger
Over the weekend the UN envoy Martin Griffiths tried to convince the Houthi to hand over Hodeidah port to the United Nations. But how would the UN run the port? Who would rule the city? How would supplies from Hodeidah port cross the front lines to reach the capital Sanaa?
The Saudi and Emirates aim is simply to starve Yemen into submission. They do not care how many people will die. They do not care what the UN says:
Gulf government officials familiar with UAE and Saudi thinking have said capturing the coast would block Houthi supply lines and push the group to the negotiating table.Riyadh says the Houthis use Hodeidah to smuggle Iranian-made arms into Yemen, accusations denied by the group and Tehran.
The United Nations has beefed up its inspections of ships bringing humanitarian aid to ensure that no military items are being smuggled and to speed delivery of desperately-needed relief supplies.
All talk about Iran in Yemen or of Iranian supplies is nonsense. The Saudis and Emirates control the borders. The ports are under Saudi blockade and tightly controlled. Only a trickle of supplies is smuggled from Oman through their lines. Most of the weapons and ammunition the Houthi use are captured through raids on Saudi troops.
The UAE asked the U.S. to support its operation against Hodeidah with boots on the ground. The U.S. is already coordinating the intelligence for the Saudi/UAE Yemen operation and is providing the ammunition as well as the aerial refueling for the daily bombing runs.
Officially the U.S. will not take part in the operations. Officially the UAE will not attack the city. But that is just obfuscation. The Yemen mercenaries the UAE has hired will take the lead but the UAE and U.S. will be right behind them:
Emirati ground forces are about nine miles from Hodeida, and the UAE government told U.S. officials that they will not move forward. At the same time, however, the UAE says it has no control over the Yemeni government forces that it has trained and assisted.
Today Saudi planes dropped leaflets on the city inciting against the Houthi and asking the population to leave. Hodeidah normally has 600,000 inhabitants. But due to the three years of war many people fled from the rural areas which were bombed and lacked food supplies and moved into the cities. Hodeidah is believed to host more than a million people now who have nowhere else to go.
Today the Houthi managed to delay the operation against Hodeidah. They attacked the thin supply line of the attackers and managed to breach it.
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It is doubtful that the Houthi can hold that point or even destroy those enemy troops they cut off from their supplies. Saudi air attacks will soon dislodge them again and the attack on Hodeidah will proceed.
The consequences will be terrible for the people of Yemen. None of the usually 'concerned' entities seems to be willing or able to prevent that.
Posted by b on June 6, 2018 at 18:28 UTC | Permalink
Thanks b, problem is, most of MSM, at least here in the U$A, could give a rats ass about anything humanitarian going on elsewhere in the world. If millions of deaths further the goals of empire, well, that's someone else's problem. Besides, in some of these elites minds, the population globally needs to be reduced, as long as the massive profits keep coming in.
Posted by: ben | Jun 6 2018 18:57 utc | 2
P.S.-- If it's not on the TV, or on people's phones, it never happened..
Posted by: ben | Jun 6 2018 18:59 utc | 3
Yeah, but will the Saudi and Emirati forces really be able to take Hudaida? The Houthis are pretty good fighters. The Saudis and Emiratis are useless. The South Yemenis, seen here as mercenaries for them, may not be all that enthusiastic to fight their way into North Yemen - they haven't made much progress in the past. (local antipathy plays a big role here)
The issue will be coastal bombardment by Saudi-allied ships. Saudis, Americans, others? which will weigh heavily on the coastal plain.
In any case, how much traffic and supplies are currently moving through Hudaida? With the blockade, it can't be much.
Posted by: Laguerre | Jun 6 2018 19:13 utc | 4
Thanks for reporting on this ongoing war crime b
@ ben who wrote:"P.S.-- If it's not on the TV, or on people's phones, it never happened.."
This is a major part of the current strategy, information overload. If you are already overwhelmed with what you are fire hosed with by the media you are addicted to, then you are not very likely to take in ANY information from other sources, let alone believe it if it challenges the reality you are being fed.
It is called controlling the narrative and it has and is used by religions big time to control the faith breathers. In the old days it was the Crusades that were rationalized and now it is genocide in Yemen. Religion and politics are intertwined in ways that are not part of the public conscious. And they are played off each other by the elite to keep the faith breathers (religious/political) locked into their control of finance narrative.
And the one ring that rules them all is the God of Mammon......genocide for profit has a certain sick ring to it, right?
Posted by: psychohistorian | Jun 6 2018 19:25 utc | 5
Here's one of b's Twitter posts announcing this thread, which usually includes a political cartoon. like the one linked.
Houthi forces have an excellent opportunity to deal a significant defeat on the Saudi forces if they can swiftly reduce the cauldrons. When one observes the activities of the coercive forces within the Outlaw US Empire, their behavior overseas is as predictable as it is illegal/immoral, but usual for Empire.
Posted by: karlof1 | Jun 6 2018 19:49 utc | 6
In the past, much of Yemeni cultivation in the mountains on the terraces was devoted to qat, in order to bung the cheeks of Yemenis every afternoon - I did it once myself. As happened in Iraq, after the sanctions and invasion, a change of activity is required, and they do it - cultivate food. After all, they're only going back to medieval times.
Posted by: Laguerre | Jun 6 2018 19:52 utc | 7
Genocide is past tense.
Genocidal is present tense.
Ethnic Cleansing is present tense.
Starvation is present tense.
The UN is overseeing and certifying the crimes of nations in the present tense.
It's not over, it's not history, yet.
But it is the International System completely broken by the Hegemon and the Arab financiers of the radical Islamic terror and the genocidal starvation of the Yemeni people.
We almost saw Russia act, but there was no reliable partner on the ground in Yemen.
China has no stomach for actual power geopolitics wherever the shooting is. They have a base nearby in Djibouti, ships patrolling for anti-piracy nearby, but are timid to stand with Russia and stop this great 21st Century crime. It would take both of them to end this.
The vacuum is filled with the psychopaths of US, UK, Saudi Arabia and UAE.
Posted by: Red Ryder | Jun 6 2018 19:52 utc | 8
Thank you b
This is the real world, as hard as it is we must face it, not least to save our 'own' personal humanity.
I'm proud to say that i wept when I read your post here.
At last some one has got a set of balls!!
My love go's out to you.
Posted by: Mark2 | Jun 6 2018 19:53 utc | 9
The people who were so concerned about East Ghouta are completely silent on this carnage.
Posted by: worldblee | Jun 6 2018 20:19 utc | 10
Red Ryder @8--
Yes, I believe it's fair to say the International System's broken to a large degree, replaced by the anarchy of chaos devised and implemented by the Outlaw US Empire and its sole ally the Zionist Abomination. Against that anarchy, we have Russia in the vanguard trying to breath life back into the International System followed by China and many other nations, all the while trying to avoid the ultimate catastrophe of Nuclear War, while in the background, the non-nuclear war against Nature and its systems continues unabated. There's little either Russia or China can do since they lack the ability at Force Projection to either jointly or unilaterally cause an immediate cessation of hostilities--although they could try with what resources they have provided they have the will.
Posted by: karlof1 | Jun 6 2018 20:20 utc | 11
Yesterday AI found out, that Raqqa probably was a war crime. Maybe someday soon they will find out they missed the Yemen genocide.
Posted by: Pnyx | Jun 6 2018 20:21 utc | 12
yemenis are kept hostages. no refugee camps set on either the saudi or oman borders. one plane per month for the whole country which you cannot board without ksa/uae green light.
the UN is a bloody farce whose civil servants are greedy fat cats.
Posted by: mina | Jun 6 2018 20:25 utc | 13
The sickest aspect of this situation is the traction that the nonsense that Iran is supporting the Yemeni gets elsewhere in the media. It is a lie which, by suggesting that both sides are acting as proxies for other powers, offers some sort of justification for the imperialists.
The truth is that both the Saudis and the UAE are using mercenaries supplied and trained by the imperialists, just as their air power is directed and commanded by British, US and, probably, Israeli specialists in the dirty business of bombing unprotected populations.
It will be of little consolation to the victims but history will record that this was a genocide carried out by thieves-count them, the kleptocrats living off the people of Arabia, the munitions makers (yea, even unto the corrupt Unions 'protecting jobs' while killing thousands) the scoundrel governments on the UK, Canada and the US feasting off arms deals, including kickbacks for election funds and the epicentres of evil the twin cities of inhumanity, Ten Aviv and Washington- for a few more bucks. And the fun of showing the world that they act with impunity.
Posted by: bevin | Jun 6 2018 20:25 utc | 14
Of course, on the other front facing Saudi Arabia, the Houthis have made quite a bit of progress. Their troops overlook Najran, tenth Saudi city. Which led the US to send special forces to stiffen the resistance. And they occupy much of the mountain above Jizan, on the Red Sea coast. The Saudi troops don't fight to defend their country.
Posted by: Laguerre | Jun 6 2018 20:36 utc | 15
Pnyx at 11
The reason why it is important that atrocities are given a "warcrime" tag is so that it can be filed under 'w' at the UN. No other reason and no other action.
Posted by: Mikalina | Jun 6 2018 20:42 utc | 16
For the absolute degeneracy of American elites scroll through Samantha Power's twitter account for the last month. Nothing on Yemen. Plenty of high dungeon over Maduro's Venezuela and Assad's Syria. It's absurd. With elites like Power certainly the U.S. is headed off a cliff.
Posted by: Mike Maloney | Jun 6 2018 20:45 utc | 17
US support for the slaughter in Yemen is no surprise.
The US has nothing left to offer but suffering, death, and destruction.
Posted by: AriusArmenian | Jun 6 2018 21:06 utc | 18
karlof1 @ 10 said of Russia & China: "although they could try with what resources they have provided they have the will."
"provided they have the will", are definitely the key words here.
Even though they might not want to engage militarily, they sure as hell could make some kind of joint announcement. Not to do, or say something, begs the question, why not?
If you want to share the world stage with the evil empire, show the globe ya' got a pair..
Posted by: ben | Jun 6 2018 21:24 utc | 19
P. S. Many here don't like the tone of "Paul's" postings, but, given the silence from Russia & China on this threads subject, can you blame people from thinking the worst?
Some day, some one, needs to step it up.. Christ almighty, at least SAY something...
Posted by: ben | Jun 6 2018 21:30 utc | 20
Where is China? Where are the concerns from the SCO now in session? China Russia and now perhaps even India need to step up and start challenging this slaughter. It is rather sudden for them but they must act as their interests are harmed as well, a multi-polar world is inevitable as long as the US doesn't blow it up.
Posted by: Babyl-on | Jun 6 2018 21:45 utc | 21
The long winded UNSC resolution of 2015
http://www.un.org/ga/search/view_doc.asp?symbol=S/RES/2216%20(2015)
Hadi was and still is considered the legitimate government of Yemen by the UN, not withstanding that only a very small minority in Yemen seem to consider him government.
That realy is a farce, like UN appointing a government for Libya.
Posted by: Peter AU 1 | Jun 6 2018 21:57 utc | 22
Hadi has been reported under house arrest in Riyadh since the end of last year.
Posted by: Mike Maloney | Jun 6 2018 22:13 utc | 23
ben @18 & 19--
I'm with ya on echoing my sentiment! I'd like to have an answer. I did a search at Russia's Ministry of Foreign Affairs and discovered that June is the month for Russia's Presidency of the UNSC during which "the situation in Yemen [will be discussed] in terms of a political settlement and ways of resolving humanitarian problems that assumed disastrous proportions." But as you'll discover when you read that PR, there're a great many issues besides Yemen to the great sorrow of Yemenies. In many ways, Yemen reminds me of the situation in China between the initial Japanese invasion in 1931 and its great escalation in 1937 when millions of Chinese died while the Great Powers did nothing. This link provides all the hits to my Yemen search which as you can see isn't an ignored issue at all.
When it comes to the Outlaw US Empire's Senate Foreign Relations Committee, they've held hearings, but as this one shows, there's a great bias and total belief in the Big Lie that the Houthi are Iran's proxy, which stifles any concrete actions.
The Chinese Foreign Ministry has nothing current in English about Yemen, although it might have a lot in Mandarin, so there's not much to judge by. However, I would expect China to follow Russia's lead regarding any proposals it makes during its UNSC Presidency on Yemen and other topics.
Much was written about the Rape of Belgium during WW1, mostly propaganda to get the USA to enter the war. Yemen certainly ought to be seen as a failure of the UN System, not just a Russian and Chinese failure. If any nations are to blame, it ought to fall on UK/USA as they arm and advise the Saudis in how to kill Yemenis.
Posted by: karlof1 | Jun 6 2018 22:42 utc | 24
The port of Hodeidah will not fall and the latest "advances" by Coalition forces are propagands. Otherwise why would UAE beg for US assistance to take the city? The Coalition suffered himiliating defeats losing scores of dead snd wanted and scores of military vehicles and are nowhere near 9 kilometers of the city. The situation is actually better for the Yemeni national forces fighting the USA/Saudi/UAE et al aggression. Thr Saudis and UAE bedouins never give humanitsrian considerations any significance. The cutthroat Wahhabi ideology stresses the ends justify the means. So, they don't care about genocide of all Yemenis.
Posted by: Hassan Al-Haifi | Jun 6 2018 22:45 utc | 25
When Yemen is the subject of the night there are always fewer comments, I assume because none of us can see a solution… yet. Some commenters here have argued that Russia should take action. Well, I can guarantee that if it does then war breaks out again in Donbas, Ukraine, more Skripals, disruption of the World Cup and so wearingly on. And what are China, Russia or Iran supposed to do? Break the Saudi blockade by force? Paul and company are like the other side of the coin of the Guardian – something must be done! But what do you realistically suggest? Please argue it through.
Yemen is in a geopolitical black hole. It is in the very worst place as things are set up at the moment.
Posted by: Lochearn | Jun 6 2018 23:33 utc | 26
Gotta agree, Lochearn. As I said above and ben echoed, it's a matter of will to do what's right, and a willingness to sacrifice--take casualties--in that righteous cause.
Posted by: karlof1 | Jun 6 2018 23:47 utc | 27
Lot of genocides over the last 100 + years
Phillipines under US occupation
Armenia,
*Germany after fighting WWI stopped
Ukraine
*Germany after fighting in WWII stopped
Palestine
Cambodia
Rwanda
Sudan
Haiti
Dominican Republic
Croatia
Iraq
Indonesia
Bangladesh
Iraq-Kurds
Libya
*North Korea
*Japan (hiroshima/Nagasaki)
Holocaust
* some will call these war causalities but the wars were all but over, this was just killing for punishment and/or depopulation or to demonstrate new weapons
I'm sure I missed a few. The thing is after a while you get desensitized. Its awful, but there has been so much of it its become the new normal
Posted by: Pft | Jun 7 2018 0:05 utc | 28
I dunno what the number is, but it isn't very high and I'm certain that the arseholes who push out the skripal, gouta and Masih Alinejad bulldust are intimately aware of the exact number of emotive, frequently conflicting in the most basic cognitively dissonant way stories the average human being can engage with at a single moment in time.
Of course they know this otherwise why is it that every time one of these propaganda issues has been resolved, exposed as a fraud or run its natural course that western media, scumbag politicians and the bottom feeding sociopathic enablers of this nonsense always manage to fill the void with a new one just as their targets, Mr/Ms average Jo/Joe Blow barely get time to pause for a breath before they are hit with the next big lie.
Not for nothing did the Skripal tosh simmer away for 10 days or so before exploding across the globe just as east gouta was liberated ensuring that few would hear Syrians heave a sigh of relief or deny that any gas attack ever occured.
This is the reality that the horror of Yemen exists within.
Any time the horror of Yemen even seems slightly capable of capturing attention something 'new' unique' and seemingly far more horrifying is 'coincidently' turned up be aforesaid bottom feeding sociopathic enablers.
The result of all that is that anything about Yemen is now seen by the masses as 'old news' when the truth is it has never been news in the sense that the other topics I listed have been.
Well in western media anyway, where stories have been scheduled with more devotion to impact and ratings than any network television season. At no time, apart from a coupla nonsense beat-ups about Iran's non existent involvement has the horror of Yemen been regarded as 'new news' by the major media outlets on this pox encrusted planet.
I confess that if I allow myself to think about the people of Yemen nowadays it does my head in in the worst possible way and I suspect I'm not the only human who pushes it to one side because that reality is just too much for the heart or head to bear and still function.
Those who want to pick out a particular nation or culture who are not part of the slaughter and somehow blame them would be better served to look at themselves how much time each day do they work for the people of Yemen? What do they do? I am willing to bet that it is much much less than the SFA they lay on others - fucking hypocrites.
Posted by: Debsisdead | Jun 7 2018 0:57 utc | 29
reading the language, the houthis are referred to as the 'rebels' while the saudi arabia agenda supporting hadi (lol- who is locked up in prison) are the gov't forces... up is down and down is up in the wonderful make believe bullshite world of usa-uk insanity..
from jeff bezo rag - "The UAE has not asked for additional American military support to bolster a Hodeida offensive".. how nice...
or "The official said the Emiratis are “the key players there,” despite claims that they have no control. If the rebels unilaterally attack approaching Yemeni forces, “we might very well ask Hadi and the Emiratis to intervene.” - ask the official super duper yemen president hadi - the saudi jailbird for help.. yeah - sounds about right..
followed by "Abed Rabbo Mansour Hadi is the internationally recognized president of Yemen." glad i am getting edumacated via the wapo... just like crimea is a part of ukraine, or al tanf and the usa's presence in syria is under a un mandate to get rid of isis.. and on and on the bullshit goes..
at this point, i hope mbs is caught by al qaeda aqap- at a wrestling match in saudi arabia and they finish the chimp prince off..
uae - saudi dangerous rivalry over yemen article or what happens when everyone has way more oil money then brains..
Posted by: james | Jun 7 2018 1:59 utc | 30
hey b. i follow your work. i am here to cheer you up. a lot of this is posturing. the saudis would never go door to door in hodeidah. they would get massacred. they cant pay contractors to go door to door either. no sense dying for a check you cant cash. they cant carpet bomb a million civilians either. maybe they think they can siege the city but they cant starve a million people. the only thing they can to is make it stressful for the guys running the show to perhaps influence some negotiations? basically they can suck a fat cock. the houthis literally believe they are fighting with allah against daemons. all this shit is a joke to them. basically the saudi/israeli/emerati axis can suck a fat cock.
Posted by: poshpotddlr | Jun 7 2018 2:20 utc | 31
@ Laguerre | 4
Yeah, but will the Saudi and Emirati forces really be able to take Hudaida?
Its more not about taking over Hudaida, but about carpet bombing it to rubble, aka "liberation" type of Raqqa. What Saudis and UAE want is to complete Houthis cut-off from any supplies so genocide could really kick in, to force them into surrender (which wont happen).
@ Lochearn | 25
And what are China, Russia or Iran supposed to do? Break the Saudi blockade by force?
Russia and China wont do anything other than lip service, Yemen is of little importance to them. Iran wont do anything overt, although with nuclear deal falling apart they dont have much to lose anymore and might step up covert support, about time. Houthis dont need IRGC to expel invaders, but MANPADs and anti-ship missiles would be highly welcome.
Posted by: Harry | Jun 7 2018 2:47 utc | 32
Colonel Cassad has a good article on the battle for the port area.
https://colonelcassad.livejournal.com/4235758.html
Use a translator engine or get Yandex Browser and it automatically translates nearly all language websites.
Very detailed maps and many videos at the link.
Posted by: Red Ryder | Jun 7 2018 4:23 utc | 33
You want a solultion for Yemen, here's an idea. Remember the flotilla sailing toward palestinians that was raided? It's aim was to deliver humanitarian aid. Now, Houthis can handle themselves militarily, what they lack is humanitarian items, things to eat. So, there is no need to go to war, just deliver food. But, how? That's how:
1. China and Russia and Iran and their allies inform the UN and the world that they cannot allow people dying in the Yemen the way they are dying. That's why they will establish a temporary Yemen-coalition to send a lot, A LOT, of humanitarian assistance there. And I mean A LOT of food stuff. They inform Yemen to prepare warehouses to house these items so that famine is averted for, say, 10-20 years. They ask them to make a list with items and corresponding quantities (for example, corn-100 ton), and then multiply it themselves by 10.
2. Those fighting Houthis are invited to check (only inspect, only see, not allowed to give permission or not) every ship, every container, every toothpaste box for military elements.
3. The flotilla will be escorted by a HUGE armada of all said nations that will blow to smithereens every human, animal, insect or extraterrestrial that tries to mess with this operation. Every weapon on the disposal of the coalition members will be used to protect the operation, including nuclear weapons.
That's it.
Now, you might think it's overblown. It's not. Saudis are killing while the West has their back. The West is also fighting all the above-mentioned nations, and you might say also is fighting humanity in all its aspects. So you have to give a bloody noise (non-militarily) to both of them.
While it's true that no country is under obligation to help Yemen, there's no way in hell that Russia, China and Russia have the right to lecture us about "war on terror", "axis of resistance", "hegemon" and so on. We know what the West, the US, the Israel, stand for. We have seen and see it every day. Death, chaos, destruction. But the opposite camp??? Allowing this? It's not that they are under obligation to stop the genocide, it's that they are THE ONLY one that can stop it. It is a moral, human, issue, based on a humanitarian condition. There are people dying in front of their eyes, by those terrorists they are fighting in other fronts. The more this situation continues the more hypocritical "the axis of resistance" (including Russia and China) appears. Maybe this is the intention of those in the other side, "see, we're killing a lot of people and you can't do a damn thing about it".
In this vein of discussion, the ball is on the "axis" court and it has to be kicked to the other side. This is done by feeding those brave fighters and their families, and then see how it will go for the other side.
I don't want this post to be seen as taking sides or criticising. But you can't escape this:
...they are THE ONLY one that can stop it...
Posted by: albagen | Jun 7 2018 7:13 utc | 34
I heard a story on the radio this morning about a refugee boat overturning in the Red Sea with 100 people on board. Believe it or not, it was full of Ethiopians heading from Ethiopia to Yemen "looking for work"!
Posted by: Laguerre | Jun 7 2018 7:20 utc | 35
No offense, but people expecting China to be that shining knight in armor will be sorely disappointed. China is more concerned with North Korea, SCS and ultimately Taiwan. If sacrificing Yemen and or Syrian is the price for getting back Taiwan, or at least getting North Korea to allow a rail link from South Korea be established (i.e. OBOR) then it will be done.
Besides, it isn't wise to commit homicide when your opponent is busy committing suicide. With the recent news story of the "angelic" IDF shooting a Palestinian female medic, the World's gaze is getting stronger on the AAZ.
Posted by: Ian | Jun 7 2018 8:52 utc | 36
Echoing Madeleine Albright, in a couple of years out we'll get Fräulein Merkel speaking for those 'compassionate' power-ovaries@the-top of the post-civilized gun-running EU: "We think the price was worth it!" (link )
Posted by: imo | Jun 7 2018 10:36 utc | 37
Babyl-on says:
Where is China
the Chinese are tredding sublimely with their non-interventionist creed, cultivating trade hubs to promote their new polyester, er, i mean silk road initiative. after all, they built the first road connecting Hodeidah and Sana’a back in the 1950s. they're invested...'make money, not war.'
…
and the Chinese have more virtuoso violin players than we have violin players. i wonder what regress to the errors of their ways and/or anthems to the power of love they might produce in some dystopian future...
...crying out from the myriad post-modern hutongs.
Posted by: john | Jun 7 2018 11:14 utc | 38
Almasdar News via Antiwar.com: Manbij Arab Forces Won’t Accept Turkish Military Presence
https://news.antiwar.com/2018/06/06/manbij-arab-forces-wont-accept-turkish-military-presence/
A comedy of terrors. Maybe the reason they weren't consulted is because they are not considered relevant?
Here's a question, if Manbij is occupied by Turkey, what will happen if the locals resist? Will their former ally, the USA stand back while they get slaughtered and if so, might this not strengthen Damascus's hand? It could all go Pete Tong.
In other news, believable or not:
Netanyahu Had Serious Talks on Returning Golan to Syria
https://news.antiwar.com/2018/06/06/netanyahu-had-serious-talks-on-returning-golan-to-syria/
A former high-rankling aide to Israeli PM Benjamin Netanyahu, Uzi Arad confirmed today that the Netanyahu government twice held serious negotiations with the Assad government about the possibility of returning the Golan Heights to Syria....
####
From the article in question:
...In both rounds of negotiations, Assad demanded a full Israeli withdrawal from the Golan, Arad said.
The first round was said to have come to a halt after Assad flatly rejected an Israeli proposal for a land swap, which involved Israel pulling back only two miles (3.2 kilometers), giving up many Druze villages but keeping most of the territory. According to the reported proposal, Syria would also receive some Jordanian territory in the area of Aqaba in the south, near Eilat...
...Conceding that the talks didn’t yield any concrete results, Arad said the main focus was defining what the “1967 lines” — meaning, the border on the eve of the Six Day War — were...
Posted by: et Al | Jun 7 2018 11:34 utc | 39
FYI, I think I've found a solution to posters using blind 'link shorteners'. Universal Bypass is an extension for Firefox & Chrome that skips the link page & its trackers/loggers/whatever:
It's also free and open source. I spotted in the latest post at Martin Brinkmann's truly excellent Ghacks.net which should become a regular visit if you are seriously interested in tackling tracking & maintaining privacy. It really is a must visit site. Don't be put off by the name. I also know this sounds like an advertorial, but it isn't.
Regs,
et Al
Posted by: et Al | Jun 7 2018 12:23 utc | 40
Notice that Putin isn't speaking out about the horrors in Yemen, nor is he bringing it to the UNSC. In fact, he is doing the exact opposite, actively encuoraging the Saudies by providing to them some of the most powerful weaponry on the planet. But what a mensch.
Posted by: paul | Jun 7 2018 13:00 utc | 41
Sarah Huckabee Sanders the Saudi sock puppet
she is one of many but the talking point that kills me is the one where 'it's okay to block food shipments into Yemen otherwise the Houthis will take all of it' [paraphrasing]. Talk about perverse reasoning.
The Houthis do charge a tax since they are the governing authority over their areas but that is besides the point. Even IF this was true, food and civilian supplies must be allowed into Yemen. If the Houthis diver it then it's on them. MbS makes makes it sound like he is doing the Yemenis a favor by starving them.
The KSA even shoots up fishing boats. There is no way to spin it. The KSA is committing blatant war crimes.
Posted by: Christian Chuba | Jun 7 2018 13:04 utc | 42
"We Cannot Defy The US": European Refiners Fold To Trump, Will Stop Buying Iran Crude
I think some people severely underestimated US control over Europe. Total, Maersk, Allianz, Peugeot, Citroen are leaving too.
Posted by: T | Jun 7 2018 13:14 utc | 43
@ Pft | Jun 6, 2018 8:05:29 PM
Croatia does not belong on the list, most atrocities happened in Bosnia, and they were committed by Serbia & Croatia.
Posted by: ex-SA | Jun 7 2018 13:37 utc | 44
I found a yemen charity based in yemen http://yementhabat.org/ar/
its called yemen thatbat = means yemen persistance/ resilience.unfortunately all the site is in arabic.
you can donate throught these bank account to give food to children
بنك اليمن الدولي: 0002318163022
بنك التسليف التعاوني الزراعي (كاك بنك): 1005780141
Posted by: zaky | Jun 7 2018 14:28 utc | 46
I hear you. Certainly what Saudi Arabia and the United States etc. is doing in Yemen is vile and stupid etc.etc. Agreed.
BUT IT IS ALSO IRRELEVANT. It is, to paraphrase Winston Churchill, serving only to make the rubble bounce.
Check out the section on Yemen's demographics in wikipedia. Forget 'global warming' - Yemen has always been arid, and at best probably has enough water to feed ten million people or so. But the Yemenis are having like 6 or seven kids a pop not worrying if they can support them - and half of what little water they do have is used to grow the addictive drug "Khat."
In 1985 the population of Yemen was about 10 million. With a doubling time of 20 years, the projected population growth would be:
2005: 20 million
2025: 40 million
2045: 80 million
2065: 160 million
2085: 320 million
2105: 640 million
This is absurd. It's not going to happen. Sure, someday there might be networks of nuclear reactors and water desalinization plants in Yemen, and they could support a massive population, but that's not the issue. The issue is whether they can come up with something like that in just a few years using only the spare tools and resources that they have right now: and that is PHYSICALLY IMPOSSIBLE.
Sure, foreign governments can feed Yemen's growing population for them: but check the numbers above. How long could we really keep that up?
Of course, Yemen's population won't grow this fast. The issue is that when populations are limited by natural forces, the average person does not enjoy it. Not starvation, but widespread chronic malnutrition, will cause the rate of population growth to slow down from the projected exponential curve. As it always has...
But the real villains are not the Yemenis. The real villains are those western economist-whores who DEMAND that people should all have six kids a pop starting at age 14 even if they can't support them. Because cheap labor.
Posted by: TG | Jun 7 2018 15:20 utc | 47
albagen @34--
Interesting idea. As I noted, Russia will certainly introduce something during its UNSC Presidency in concert with China and others. What it will be and how far it'll get is unknown. I was hoping that Yemen might have been mentioned in Putin's annual Direct Line Q & A, but a search of the partial transcript didn't give a result.
Posted by: karlof1 | Jun 7 2018 15:29 utc | 50
A significant number of commentators complain that Russia and China should "do something".
But why? How does it benefit these countries to complain about a humanitarian crisis in Yemen?
China is now Saudi Arabia's largest customer. Does going against Saudi interests directly help?
Russia is Saudi Arabia's largest OPEC partner. Does going against Saudi interests directly help?
Note that neither nation has any form of social capital or identity linked to "human rights".
Yes, the US does and is silent/actively assisting, but that's on that nation.
The only other entity that talks big about humanitarian stuff is the EU - which is also silent. The EU also is a major customer of Saudi Arabia.
This is the big playing field - at least learn the rules and relationships before spouting off.
Posted by: c1ue | Jun 7 2018 15:36 utc | 51
@51 c1ue.. if i could be so presumptuous... it implies money talks and any morality or ethics always plays 2nd fiddle to the money... at some point this will change, but it seems like a long ways off...
Posted by: james | Jun 7 2018 16:28 utc | 52
It seems that Trump continues the Obama's policy of limited mayhem, steering away from unsustainable excesses like actual massive genocide. According to Al Masdar News, the Administration warned KSA+UAE not to take over Howeida, and the offensive is currently checked by Houthis, the vanguard got separated from the bulk of their forces. Their forces proceeded on a narrow coastal plane and were vulnerable to flank attacks from forces entrenched in the hills. Such attacks can in turn be checked by bombing artillery that supports them, but such intricate targeting may be beyond the abilities of the Gulfies without Anglo-American assistance.
This is consistent with the role of USA (and sidekicks like UK) as mercenaries in this conflict. When the end is in sight, they may turn touchy-feely, they do not want to starve Yemenis too much. "Food insecurity", cholera etc. are OK, but unrestricted mayhem has no benefits -- domestic opposition may actually object, and income stream will become thinner.
Posted by: Piotr Berman | Jun 7 2018 16:37 utc | 53
Re @51, 52: a putative Russo-Chinese intervention is technically possible, but it would not be cheap. In particular, aid goods that are needed would cost, say, a billion or two, but one would need to rebuild the main port in that area and the road to Saana, say, another billion. Then one would need quite a lot of cargo ships and insurance for those ships, quite tricky for non-maritime powers. And finally, the kicker: provide anti-aircraft protection, and here we talk about real money -- one 1st class system costs more than billion -- more than 2 billions if purchased in USA. This is actually one reason that Russian did not provide adequate protection to wider territories in Syria -- give them, say, 10 billion dollars and they could do it, otherwise Putin has to husband resources with his own population and domestic projects having priority.
While 10-20 billion dollar bill is affordable for China, spending it on Russian weapons is not "warming their cockles", and Chinese are not in a hurry. Their constant (fairly successful) haggling with USA may make them yet more reluctant. And the money/resources that are needed are not a small change.
Posted by: Piotr Berman | Jun 7 2018 17:03 utc | 54
Latest UN peace proposal soon to be officially announced in Yemen has all sides expressing guarded optimism. As usual, the devil's in the details which have yet to be made public. At least some progress is occurring.
Posted by: karlof1 | Jun 7 2018 17:36 utc | 55
TG @ 47 An old adage that might fit..
" The comfort of the rich, depends on an abundance of the poor"..
Posted by: ben | Jun 7 2018 18:17 utc | 56
Nobody cares. The human race is dying from lack of love.
Posted by: mike k | Jun 7 2018 19:04 utc | 57
Regarding the mute morons in MSM:
"The corporate state, assured they can keep us entranced with their electronic hallucinations and spectacles, along with the inane trivia and gossip masquerading as news."
A Chris Hedges quote that just fits the state of "information" we're expected to ingest...
Posted by: ben | Jun 7 2018 21:36 utc | 58
https://sputniknews.com/middleeast/201805061064183809-yemen-uae-socotra-troops/
thx to sputnik
Posted by: mina | Jun 8 2018 7:12 utc | 59
mina @59, this just goes to highlight that there is no 'legitimate President of Yemen' just one or more factions being supported by the Saudi coalition.
The UAE has seized Socotra and is supporting a different faction in the areas 'liberated' by the Saudi coalition.
Hadi, the President that Haley and the U.S. crows is the 'legitimate President' of Yemen is in a hotel room in Riyadh and will never govern Yemen. He doesn't even govern the areas 'liberated' by the coalition despite the boast by the KSA that they have 'liberated' 85% of the country.
So what does the U.S. pretend is going to happen in Yemen?
While they denounce Assad at every turn, he has remained in Damascus and governed his country the entire time. The U.S. wants to replace a functioning govt with something else in Syria and they want to impose a govt that has no chance of governing in Yemen. Are we stupid or evil.
Posted by: Christian Chuba | Jun 8 2018 11:16 utc | 60
Re: Christian Chuba @60
Sometimes you watch what is missing in an apparent supportive phrase. E.g. a candidate for a job is "hard working" but the word "talented" (or anything to that effect) is missing. Hadi is "legitimate" but no mention of "democratically elected". In fact he was elected as a single candidate with "impressive" 97% of the vote, and nominated in a highly suspicious way: after a "revolution" a widely representative council was formed to select the nomination. A Houthi member was assassinated so Houthis boycotted the preceedings for a while, and the same happened to a movement meant to represent southerners, and this is precisely when the rest of the council selected Hadi. An "appearance of impropriety" in my view. Personal history of Hadi suggests that he represents absolutely nothing, he was an apparatchik in the Marxist government of South Yemen and picked to be a vice president to deposed Saleh as a token southerner, presumably with no power.
The stories about his nominees to Yemen government are not encouraging. Suffices to say that problems with food and cholera were on both sides of the line of control. Of course, the West and supervisors from KSA and UAE had a hand in those problems too.
Posted by: Piotr Berman | Jun 8 2018 11:54 utc | 61
Update 6-8-18 on the battle for al-Hodeidah:
https://colonelcassad.livejournal.com/4240132.html
with photos from the area.
You will need a translator if you can't read Russian. Use Yandex Browser for automatic translation.
Posted by: Red Ryder | Jun 8 2018 13:23 utc | 62
.....and fascist US ,UK , France etc. sell their arms to the Saudi's , another 20 million civilians in Yemen will die....so much for our o so high civilised western world we are all so proud of.......
Posted by: Ron Halkes | Jun 10 2018 17:36 utc | 64
Yandex translation of Raed al-Hamed @65:
Not as easy as a car to hodeidah by vehicle to strengthen still attributed far-fetched
Posted by: karlof1 | Jun 12 2018 15:41 utc | 65
@60 christian / @61 piotr... thanks... i especially like how you have broken it down piotr...
Posted by: james | Jun 12 2018 15:51 utc | 66
The comments to this entry are closed.
thanks for staying on this b.. it is quite disturbing for what it says about those countries, including the one i live in - supporting the saudi /uae military machine.. obviously the usa/uk could give a fuck... at what point does this madness stop? when will ksa/uae get held accountable for this war they have paid mercenaries and etc to execute for them? the yemenese people need a break from all this madness.. it doesn't look like the un cares one bit either...
Posted by: james | Jun 6 2018 18:53 utc | 1