US-Sponsored Slow-Motion Genocide in Yemen

by Stephen Lendman

Bush and Obama administrations murdered Yemenis for years - through drone terror-bombings and internal subversion killing mostly civilians.

Yemen is the region's poorest country. Its people suffer horrifically. US imperial policy exacerbates conditions greatly.

Before leaving to participate in Iranian nuclear talks in Lausanne on Sunday, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov highlighted Washington's typical double standard hypocrisy.

On the one hand, it ousted Ukraine's democratically President Viktor Yanukovych - replacing him with putschist Nazi thugs.

On the other, it supports illegitimate Yemeni president Abd Rabbuh Mansur Hadi - coronated in a 2012 election with no opposing candidates.

"I have to use the hoary old cliche," Lavrov said. "The double standards are evident."

Responsible policy isn't America's long suit. It's all take and no give.

On Sunday, Yemeni Foreign Minister Riyad Yassin said a Saudi-led ground invasion of Yemen is expected in days.

Both countries share a long border. Thousands of Saudi forces mobilized to cross over with heavy weapons.

Airstrikes continue. Scores of civilians have been killed.

A Saudi military spokesman said its forces together with regional allies are ready to launch ground attacks if needed.

Regional war could follow - another potential US-sponsored  bloodbath.

Clashes along border areas began - prelude to much heavier fighting if Saudi-led forces invade.

On Sunday, Houthi Ansarullah Political Council senior member Mohammad al-bakhiti said "(a)ny ground attack on Yemen will receive a rigidly harsh response."

"We have not responded to the Saudi aggressions in the past five days because we wanted to allow the Arab countries to reconsider their action and stop their attacks."

"(F)rom now on, everything will be different. Whatever the (weekend Arab League summit) decided about Yemen will end in serious crisis."

Sunday night airstrikes attacked Yemen's capital, Sanaa - targeting areas around the presidential palace and diplomatic quarter.

A Yemeni official described things as "a night from hell."

In Aden, explosions and gunfire continued throughout the night. Other targets throughout the country were struck.

Arab aggressors vowed to continue terror-bombing until Houthis surrendered.

Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Mikhail Bogdanov urged "all sides of the conflict to cease military action in the name of preserving the unity, sovereignty and territorial integrity of Yemen."

Scores of deaths so far are known. Precise numbers remain to be determined. Civilian residential areas were struck. Homes were destroyed.

On Sunday, a senior Yemeni air force official said 11 of 16 fighter aircraft were destroyed. Houthis control remaining ones.

Arab League leaders meeting in Sharm El Sheikh, Egypt over the weekend agreed to create a joint military force to counter what they called extremism, political instability and threats to regional peace.

Creating it will take months at least. Previous efforts for joint military cooperation went nowhere. Perhaps this time will be no different.

The last thing the war-torn Middle East needs is more militarism. A regional army means more conflict, not less.

Plans call for 40,000 combat troops, armor, fighter aircraft and warships - to be deployed NATO-style at the request of any member state claiming (true or false) its national security is threatened.

If formed, it'll be a US proxy force to be used aggressively against independent regional states Washington wants targeted - perhaps Syria, Iraq, Libya, Hezbollah-controlled Southern Lebanon and/or Yemen.

Ongoing conflicts threaten to set the entire region ablaze. Washington bears full responsibility.

Wherever it shows up, mass slaughter and destruction follow. The price of imperial arrogance is devastating wars without end.

Yemen is Washington's latest imperial high crime against peace. The entire country may be turned to rubble before things end.

Stephen Lendman lives in Chicago. He can be reached at lendmanstephen@sbcglobal.net.

His new book as editor and contributor is titled "Flashpoint in Ukraine: US Drive for Hegemony Risks WW III."

http://www.claritypress.com/LendmanIII.html

Visit his blog site at sjlendman.blogspot.com.

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