Press TV has interviewed Ali al-Ahmed, the director of the Institute for [Persian] Gulf Affairs, to discuss the latest reports that the Saudi regime’s use of banned weapons during its brutal attacks against neighboring Yemen.
The following is a rough transcript of the interview.
Press TV: It has obviously been reported multiple times over the past months as Saudi aggression against Yemen continues that Saudi Arabia is using internationally banned weapons. What do you make of that?
Al-Ahmed: Again, unfortunately, this is an example of how the Western governments have continued to support crimes against humanity committed by the Saudi government and its access of dictatorship in the Middle East. The Human Rights Watch organization came out and had a report, Amnesty also did a report on the use of American-made cluster bombs. The State Department officials actually said that ‘yes cluster bombs can be used when applied correctly.’ I do not know what that is, but they are killing civilians as you note, and the use of cluster bombs in Yemen is a crime and should be referred to International Criminal Court.
What we need here is some honesty from the Western governments, by the United States government, to bring it to this court because the lives of civilians have been lost over the use of these weapons.
Press TV: Women and children have been killed in the Saudi bombardment. However, we are not seeing so much of an urgency or action when it comes to the international community. Why do you think that is so? Why is the war on Yemen a forgotten war?
Al-Ahmad: The international community, especially in the West, has a problem culturally. So they do not see the Arab people who are dying in Yemen, Syria or Iraq to be of value..., and I think part of the problem is [that] the victims have not been able to bring their stories and cases to the international [arena], to the American people, and to the European people. And I think the most important area is where the Vietnamese, for example, brought the war to America by making the Americans themselves [feel] pressure to end...this war. Yemenis can do the same with their allies that they can have, for example, huge rallies in Washington, activism in Washington, London, Paris and other countries that are supporting this war against the Yemeni people.
Press TV: There are questions about whether the Saudis have developed an exit strategy. What is the exit strategy here when this war becomes too costly for Saudi Arabia? How does it plan to move out?
Al-Ahmad: So far I do not see any signs the Saudis want to stop this war. They might try to send out some test statements here or there, but on the ground we see that they are determined to continue their aggression against the Yemeni people.
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