Post by Roberta on Sept 1, 2016 8:42:38 GMT -8
I just signed Montrose Peace Vigil on as a local peace organization in support of rejecting the sale of these weapons to Saudi Arabia, a position on which I trust we all agree. When I make my frequent personal calls I always say that we must cease all weapons sales/transfers into the Middle East entirely, Enough already!!!!
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August X, 2016
Dear Representative/Senator:
The undersigned organizations are writing on behalf of the millions of Americans we collectively represent, to urge you to reject the planned $1.15 billion foreign military sale to the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. Moving forward with this sale at this time is not in the security interest of the United States and is in contrast to our nation's commitment to promoting human rights and accountability for alleged war crimes.
On August 8th, the Defense Security Cooperation Agency delivered a certification notifying Congress of the planned foreign military sale to Saudi Arabia composed of up to 153 tanks, hundreds of machine guns and other military gear. While the Department of State has approved this possible sale, Congress still has the authority to reject this dangerous sale.
A bipartisan group in Congress has already initiated efforts to halt this planned sale, and we strongly encourage you to join their efforts when Congress reconvenes in September.
This planned sale is not happening in a vacuum, but in the midst of an ongoing Saudi intervention in Yemen that has resulted in numerous allegations of apparent war crimes and gross violations of human rights. Examples of such violations include, but are not limited to the following:
Armed with American-made F-15s and munitions, the Saudi-led military coalition killed 19 people, mostly children, in a residential area and a school on August 13, then 19 more in a strike on a Doctors Without Borders (MSF) hospital two days later.
In a 59-page report released by Human Rights Watch in July 2016, 17 unlawful airstrikes on 13 civilian economic sites are outlined, including strikes on factories, commercial warehouses, a farm, and two power facilities. These strikes killed 130 civilians and injured 171 more. These strikes on factories are contributing to the shortages of food, medicine, and other critical needs of Yemen’s civilians.
In total, more than 3,000 civilians, including 700 children, have been killed and at least 2.5 million people have been displaced from their homes over the past year, according to Amnesty International.
Congress has an important role to play in overseeing foreign military sales and defending the United States’ commitment to the safety and dignity of civilian life and human rights. We strongly urge you to use that authority to block the planned sale to Saudi Arabia. Moving forward with an arms sale to Saudi Arabia at this time, given its current actions in Yemen, would not only be irresponsible, it would be dangerous, further undermining America’s credibility on the global stage and our commitment to defending human rights.
Sincerely,
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August X, 2016
Dear Representative/Senator:
The undersigned organizations are writing on behalf of the millions of Americans we collectively represent, to urge you to reject the planned $1.15 billion foreign military sale to the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. Moving forward with this sale at this time is not in the security interest of the United States and is in contrast to our nation's commitment to promoting human rights and accountability for alleged war crimes.
On August 8th, the Defense Security Cooperation Agency delivered a certification notifying Congress of the planned foreign military sale to Saudi Arabia composed of up to 153 tanks, hundreds of machine guns and other military gear. While the Department of State has approved this possible sale, Congress still has the authority to reject this dangerous sale.
A bipartisan group in Congress has already initiated efforts to halt this planned sale, and we strongly encourage you to join their efforts when Congress reconvenes in September.
This planned sale is not happening in a vacuum, but in the midst of an ongoing Saudi intervention in Yemen that has resulted in numerous allegations of apparent war crimes and gross violations of human rights. Examples of such violations include, but are not limited to the following:
Armed with American-made F-15s and munitions, the Saudi-led military coalition killed 19 people, mostly children, in a residential area and a school on August 13, then 19 more in a strike on a Doctors Without Borders (MSF) hospital two days later.
In a 59-page report released by Human Rights Watch in July 2016, 17 unlawful airstrikes on 13 civilian economic sites are outlined, including strikes on factories, commercial warehouses, a farm, and two power facilities. These strikes killed 130 civilians and injured 171 more. These strikes on factories are contributing to the shortages of food, medicine, and other critical needs of Yemen’s civilians.
In total, more than 3,000 civilians, including 700 children, have been killed and at least 2.5 million people have been displaced from their homes over the past year, according to Amnesty International.
Congress has an important role to play in overseeing foreign military sales and defending the United States’ commitment to the safety and dignity of civilian life and human rights. We strongly urge you to use that authority to block the planned sale to Saudi Arabia. Moving forward with an arms sale to Saudi Arabia at this time, given its current actions in Yemen, would not only be irresponsible, it would be dangerous, further undermining America’s credibility on the global stage and our commitment to defending human rights.
Sincerely,
cc: Members, House of Representatives and Senate
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