The Trump administration is threatening to veto legislation, passed by the House on February 13, 2019, to stop aiding the Saudi-led military campaign in Yemen. The US government was previously under fire for its support to the campaign after reports of child soldiers as young as 14 years old began to surface in late 2018.
Tensions are still running high in the dispute on Saudi Arabia between lawmakers and Trump, who is threatening to veto the resolution if it makes it to his desk. The Yemen war resolution, which passed the House in a 248-177 vote, has been blocked by Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell who won’t allow the floor vote if Trump won’t sign the legislation.
As the United States continues to aid Saudi Arabia in military weaponry and other equipment, the humanitarian crisis continues. Taking advantage of impoverished families, Saudi military leaders pay child soldiers and their families to fight in Yemen.
Corporate media fails to report on how the correlation of the decision the Trump administration to roadblock the legislation contributes to the growing humanitarian crisis. As Saudi Arabia’s massive oil wealth continues to be exploited by our government through its ally agreement and military support in the Yemen war, children will continue to be paid to kill other children. The story has received limited coverage in the corporate press, including a recent opinion piece in the Washington Post, and coverage focused on the showdown between the president and congress, as in stories from the New York Times and USA Today.
Sources:
Jake Johnson, “Following Report on Saudi Use of Child Soldiers in Yemen, Anti-War Voices Offer This Reminder: American Tax Dollars ‘Help Pay for It’“, Common Dreams, December 29, 2018, https://www.commondreams.org/news/2018/12/29/following-report-saudi-use-child-soldiers-yemen-anti-war-voices-offer-reminder
Steven Nelson, “Trump’s first veto averted as Senate parliamentarian derails Yemen war vote”, Washington Examiner, February 25, 2019, https://www.washingtonexaminer.com/news/trumps-first-veto-averted-as-senate-parliamentarian-derails-yemen-war-vote
Jake Johnson. “Saudis using child soldiers in Yemen: Our tax dollars help pay for them,” Salon, December 30, 2018, www.salon.com/2018/12/30/saudis-using-child-soldiers-in-yemen-our-tax-dollars-help-pay-for-them/.
Student Researchers: Annie Nagel, and Alberto Sanchez, Nicole Sturm (Sonoma State University)
Faculty Researcher: Susan Rahman (Sonoma State University)
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