U.S. Fails to Assess Civilian Deaths in Yemen War, Internal Report Says
New York TimesNov 18, 2022
Report: US Failed To Assess Civilians Killed By US Weapons In Yemen War
Image copyright: Anadolu Agency [via Middle East Monitor]
The Facts
An internal report from the Government Accountability Office indicates that Washington has failed to evaluate the number of civilians killed by the Saudi coalition in Yemen and the role of US weapons in the casualties.
According to the report, the State Dept. and Pentagon authorized the delivery and maintenance of fighter jets and munitions used by the alliance in its deadly attacks.
The Spin
Establishment-critical narrative
The US likes to make big claims about defending worldwide freedom and human rights, but is quick to turn a blind eye when it serves its interests - as seen in Yemen. If the US is serious about a rules-based world order, it needs to start playing by the rules itself.
Pro-establishment narrative
There's no doubt that a humanitarian tragedy is taking place in Yemen. However, it was the right decision to side with the internationally recognized Yemeni government and stand up to the Iran-backed Houthi rebels. The US has been advocating for a peace deal for some time and the recent truce extension is impressive evidence of these efforts.
Cynical narrative
The war in Yemen, now in its eighth year, is every bit as brutal as what's taking place in Ukraine. The West's failure to address this humanitarian disaster or cover it in the media with any sort of urgency says a lot about its inherent bias and who it considers worthy and unworthy victims.