Wednesday, August 22, 2018

Call Sen. Jeff Flake: Support Sen. Murphy's amendment to stop Saudi-led war in Yemen

For nearly three years, the United States quietly assisted Saudi Arabia in its war in Yemen. Connecticut Sen. Chris Murphy just introduced an amendment in the Senate that would end U.S. funding for this brutal war. The vote could come as soon as today. Will you call Sen. Flake now?

On Aug. 9, the Saudi-led coalition responsible for the brutal war in Yemen dropped a U.S-made bomb on a school bus and killed 44 children.1
This tragedy shattered the media silence about the United States' role in funding this devastating war. Connecticut Senator Chris Murphy just introduced an amendment that would end that financial support and help force the war to an end.
The Senate could vote any time this week, and Sen. Flake, your senator, could be the deciding vote.
Will you call Sen. Flake now to demand his support for Sen. Murphy's amendment? 

(202) 224-04521

(520) 575-8633

SAMPLE SCRIPT

Hi, my name is ____ and I live in Tucson, AZ. I’m calling to tell Sen. Flake to support Senator Chris Murphy’s amendment to the 2019 Defense Appropriations Act that would cut off U.S. funding for Saudi Arabia's war in Yemen. Saudis rely on American support and use American-made weapons for their devastating war. On Aug. 9, the Saudi-led coalition dropped a U.S. made bomb on a school bus and killed 40 children. Can I count on Sen. Flake to end our participation in this brutal war? Thank you for your time.
For years, the United States has been quietly supporting Saudi Arabia’s war in Yemen. The U.S. government gives Saudi Arabia bombs and planes. U.S. troops even deliver fuel to Saudi jets in midair while they conduct bombings.2 The U.S. helped cause what the U.N. calls the world's gravest humanitarian crisis and helped drive more than 8 million Yemenis to the brink of famine, and cause the worst cholera epidemic in history.3,4
Murphy's amendment to the massive, must-pass 2019 defense appropriations bill would shut down U.S. funding for this brutal war unless the secretary of defense certifies the Saudi-led coalition is not violating international law.
A coalition that is blowing up school buses, weddings and hospitals is definitely violating international law. Sen. Murphy’s amendment would effectively stop our tax dollars from flowing into the war in Yemen.
Mitch McConnell is trying every trick in the book to block Sen. Murphy’s amendment from even getting to a vote. If key senators, including Sen. Flake, hear from their constituents demanding their support for Sen. Murphy’s amendment, we can make it clear that the time for ignoring our role in Yemen's war is over.
Will you call Sen. Flake now to demand his support for Sen. Murphy's amendment?

(520) 575-8633
-Kaili Lambe, CREDO Action

References:
  1. Shuaib Almosawa, Ben Hubbard and Eric Schmitt, "44 Small Graves Stir Questions About U.S. Policy in Yemen,” The New York Times, Aug. 15, 2018.
  2. Paul Kawika Martin, "End America’s unauthorized war in Yemen," The Hill, March 4, 2018.
  3. Shuaib Almosawa, Ben Hubbard and Troy Griggs, "‘It’s a Slow Death’: The World’s Worst Humanitarian Crisis," The New York Times, Aug. 23, 2017.
  4. Kate Lyons, "Yemen's cholera outbreak now the worst in history as millionth case looms," The Guardian, Oct. 12, 2017.

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