Yemen

Saudi Terror-Bombing Massacres Dozens of Yemeni Schoolchildren

Stephen Lendman

Global Research

15 April, 2015

Saudi warplanes target US intelligence-designated sites. Civilian men, women and children are considered fair game. They suffer most in all wars.

Deliberately targeting them is longstanding US policy – a shocking war crime by any standard.

Tuesday was the latest example. Reports indicate Saudi warplanes struck a populated Ma’rib area. A local source said dozens of defenseless schoolchildren were massacred in cold blood.

The exact number of dead and wounded isn’t known. The source indicated massive Saudi terror-bombing killed dozens.

Yemeni army spokesman Col. Sharif Luqman said:

“Saudi attacks have left over 2,265 housing units totally demolished.”

“The US is with the Saudis, but God is with the Yemenis.” He promised a crushing response, adding:

“The Yemeni people will fight to the last drop of their blood to safeguard the sovereign independence of their country.”

Saudis are the main backers of regional terrorism, he said. They killed 214 women, including five pregnant ones, he added.

He estimates over 2,500 people killed so far, including hundreds of civilian men, women and children.

High crimes against peace are being committed daily – naked aggression without mercy by any standard.

Hezbollah Deputy Secretary Sheikh Naim Qassem warned of dire consequences, saying:

“Saudi Arabia has embroiled itself and will incur very serious losses that have started to show, and will increasingly reflect on its status, its internal situation and its role in the region,”

“What(‘s) happen(ing) in Yemen is a crime that cannot be ignored…Saudi Arabia is committing genocide in Yemen. We cannot be silent…”

He blamed Washington for involvement in what’s ongoing. Other Western countries support terror-bombing despite international calls to halt the conflict.

On Tuesday, US-pressured Security Council members ignored Russia’s call for embargoing weapons to all Yemeni combatants.

Moscow abstained (in lieu of vetoing) a resolution imposing an arms embargo on Houthis alone, as well as blacklisting Houthi leader Abdel-Malek al-Houthi and former Yemeni leader Ali Abdullah Saleh’s son.

Russian UN envoy Vitaly Churkin said

“(t)he (resolution) co-sponsors refused to include the requirements insisted upon by Russia addressed to all sides to the conflict to swiftly halt fire and to begin peace talks.”

“We insisted that the arms embargo needs to be comprehensive. It’s well known that Yemen is awash in weapons.”

“The adopted resolution should not be used for further escalation of the armed conflict.”

Washington intends it precisely for this purpose. On the one hand, blockading Houthi fighters.

On the other, supplying US weapons and munitions to Saudis and other anti-Houthi forces – facilitating their mass murder and destruction with impunity.

Obama’s new war is systematically raping Yemen – another genocidal high crime on his rap sheet.

On Tuesday, the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Zeid Raad al-Hussein called conditions in Yemen “appallingly bad.”

Numbers of civilians killed and wounded are rapidly rising, he said.

“Most of the country is now suffering from the effects of armed conflict, with the situation particularly devastating in Sanaa, Aden, Dhale, (and) Sada…”

“The humanitarian situation is appallingly bad, compounded by wanton violence, lawlessness and serious human rights violations.”

Civilian neighborhoods, hospitals, schools, food storage facilities, public buildings, and other nonmilitary targets are being destroyed or badly damaged.

Zeid estimates at least 364 civilian deaths – including scores of children, another nearly 700 injured.

Official estimates way undercount. True figures are likely double Ziad’s estimates or higher.

Scores more deaths and injuries occur daily. Many bodies lie unrecovered under rubble. Others pile up in streets.

Obama-led neocons infesting Washington bear full responsibility for what’s ongoing.

Saudi-led forces are convenient US proxies. It bears repeating what other articles stressed.

Washington wants control over its former client state regained – strategically located along waterways transporting around four million barrels of oil daily.

Russia and Iran urge all sides to halt Yemen’s conflict – to resolve things diplomatically.

Washington demands escalated war. On Tuesday, Fars News said:

“Informed (Egyptian) military sources disclosed that at least 35,000 forces will make up the Saudi-led Arab ground force against Yemen.”

Air, ground and naval forces will be involved. No indication was given when escalated operations will begin.

Expect greater mass slaughter and destruction to follow. Expect appalling humanitarian conditions to worsen exponentially. Expect millions of Yemenis to suffer more horrifically than already.

Obama’s rape of Yemen continues in real time – slow-motion genocide revving up to flank speed.

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. Listen to cutting-edge discussions with distinguished guests on the Progressive Radio News Hour on the Progressive Radio Network. It airs three times weekly: live on Sundays at 1PM Central time plus two prerecorded archived programs.