To: The United States House of Representatives and The United States Senate

Congress: End U.S. support of bombings in Yemen

End U.S. military support of inhumane attacks in Yemen led by the Saudi coalition. The time to act is now––millions of lives are at risk from famine and preventable diseases. Support the bipartisan war powers resolution from Senators Sanders, Lee, and Murphy to end this now.

Why is this important?

A few years ago, I left California to visit my ancestral home, Yemen, and to start a coffee business––an equitable and sustainable business to support farmers and to bridge the divide between cultures through something that everyone loves.

But I ended up in the middle of a war.

On March 26, 2015, while in Sana'a, the Yemeni capital, I woke up to loud explosions all around me. I went out to see what was going on and saw what looked like laser beams being shot in the sky against Saudi jets.

The Saudi government had begun a military campaign against Yemen––supported by our government and our tax dollars.

As an American, I felt ashamed, and I felt angry because I knew that those bombs weren't made in Saudi Arabia. They were made in the U.S., and those were our tax dollars. When I found out that the logistical supports for these attacks were provided by our government, it made me even more angry.

The airstrikes were violent and sporadic. I heard the sounds of men, women, and children crying, the earth shaking. I didn't know what would happen the next day.

I came home to California—but I still run my business. I go back every year to work with my farmers. And, three years later, these airstrikes are still occurring. The war has only escalated, and the humanitarian situation is one of the worst in the world. Over 16 million people require some type of humanitarian aid, and over 42,000 people have been injured. [1]

But there is hope.

Right now, Senators Bernie Sanders, Mike Lee, and Chris Murphy are calling on Congress to exert their constitutional authority and end this inhumane destruction of millions of lives for geopolitical games. Because the resolution uses the War Powers Act, it must be brought to a floor vote in 10 days.

And the clock has already started. Congress must see the American people's fierce opposition to an immoral and illegal war being fought in their name and see strong support for resolution that would bring this U.S. war in Yemen to an end.

Source:
1. "Yemen conflict: How bad is the humanitarian crisis?" BBC, March 28, 2017
http://www.bbc.com/news/world-middle-east-34011187