"Today, the Trump administration once again put its Gulf allies ahead of Yemeni families who are struggling to survive.
"The Trump administration is openly defying and lying to Congress. Members of Congress must act to end the United States’ complicity in this war.
"With Secretary Pompeo’s certification, the State Department demonstrated that it is blindly supporting military operations in Yemen without any allegiance to facts, moral code or humanitarian law. As Oxfam earlier reported, August was the bloodiest month so far in 2018 for civilians in Yemen. There were brutal attacks from both sides, but the majority of civilian casualties were caused by Saudi Arabia-led coalition attacks. The coalition even dropped a US bomb on a school bus killing 40, including dozens of children. Rather than take “demonstrable steps” to curtail these atrocities as Secretary Pompeo certified, the coalition defended them, the bus a “legitimate military target.” Now, this administration is doubling down on its failed policy of literally fueling the world’s largest humanitarian crisis."
Notes to Editors:
In order to continue US refueling coalition planes, Secretary Pompeo had to certify that the Saudis and the UAE are
1) making a good faith effort to support diplomatic efforts to end the war
2) taking “appropriate measures” to alleviate the humanitarian crisis
3) taking “demonstrable actions” to reduce the risk to civilians and civilian infrastructure
