Complicity and Beyond:

US Must Pull the Plug on Arms to Saudi Arabia

Rasa - The rules of Global Arms Trade Treaty (ATT) which became International Law in 2014 are simple: If a country knows that the arms about to be sold will be used for genocide, crimes against humanity, or war crimes, then they must stop the transfer.

News ID: 422778

Date: 18 August 2016 - 22:03

RNA‌ - The work doesn’t not stop here. The ATT also means that every state that has signed up must now obey strict rules on international arms transfers. This will at least help to stem the flow of weapons that fuel bloody conflicts, atrocities and state repression around the world, particularly in the Middle East.

Unfortunately, it is still impossible to get a direct win as regards the treaty in Places like Yemen. Here, the United States “knowingly” and “deliberately” refuses to ratify the Arms Trade Treaty, create or amend national laws to reflect the rules of the treaty, and/or implement those laws effectively.

The policy has had terrible results. Thousands of people have been killed, injured or forced to flee their homes because of the US-backed, Saudi-led violence and atrocities. The majority of casualties are civilians, mainly women and children. What's more, US-made weapons such as missiles and cluster bombs continue to destroy vital infrastructure such as hospitals, schools, homes, markets and transport systems, pushing survivors into poverty.

On that basis, the US government is in breach of the Arms Trade Treaty for allowing the export of American-made missiles and military equipment to Saudi Arabia that have been used to kill civilians. The accusation comes from international lawyers, human rights groups and the United Nations as well. They are all expressing concerns about Saudi-led coalition attacks, accusing the US government of failing in its legal duty to take steps to prevent and suppress violations of International Law and International Humanitarian Law.

By now it should readily be evident that it is American weapons that have been central to a bombing campaign that has turned Yemen into a failed state and inflamed tensions in the region. Arms Dealer-In-Chief Barack Obama and his administration have been complicit in the destruction too, by continuing to support airstrikes and provide arms, logistics and intelligence, despite international condemnation as well as strong and increasing evidence that war crimes are being committed. Unless this is a US bombing campaign, the United States is complicit in this carnage.

In a similar tone, International Law prohibits states from intervening in the affairs of other states. Commenting upon and discussing situations in other states is not caught by this prohibition, but actions of a coercive nature are. The use of force in Yemen to reinstate a puppet regime is arguably the most obvious form of such coercion, manifested by direct intervention through the use of military forces and the provision of arms and training. Needless to say, these actions are not being taken in self-defence or under the authorisation of the UN Security Council either.

Under these circumstances, the US government and its rogue partners in NATO will have to look elsewhere in legally justifying their arming of Saudi Arabia and its criminal coalition in Yemen. Until that happens  as per the global Arms Trade Treaty, Washington must pull the plug on arms to the Saudis or further share responsibility for civilian lives lost.

In this sense, what the international civil society wants to see is not words, courtesies, or promises which always go undelivered, always. What the world community needs to see is proof of intent and a commitment on the part of Official Washington that there will be no more US-backed airstrikes by the US-armed, Saudi-led coalition on civilian targets in Yemen.

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