by Peter Koenig
Dear President Putin,
Yemen, a peaceful and extremely poor country is being slaughtered, literally slaughtered by the Saudis, with the full weapons, funding and political support of the United States of America and the UK. The rest of Europe is fully complicit, due to their inaction, due to their lack of courage to bring a halt to this openly organized genocide. Europe, in the form of individual countries or collectively through Brussels, could stand up and stop this murder, not by war, but unilaterally and strongly requesting the Saudis, the UK, the US and Israel, to stop the bombing, to open the seaports for immediate emergency shipments of medicine and food to reach the dying from cholera and famine.
The Anglo-Zion-Saudi aggressors would be shocked in surprise, but would listen. Surprise, because it would be the first time Europe would stand for justice and against their traditional criminal and genocidal allies.
What’s Europe’s leverage, if not weapons? Trade, for example. Shifting alliances to the East, to Russia and China – to Eurasia? – It would work, but I am afraid, not Brussels, nor Germany, or France, or Italy, or the Netherlands – none of the EU countries with any weight in the corrupt EU system would have the courage to detach themselves from their own slavehood, from vassalage of Washington’s – and stand up for peace and justice for stopping the human misery of a helpless people.
What’s Wrong with The World? – Is humanity totally gone and we haven’t even noticed?
Dear Mr. Putin, you have had the Grandeur to intervene in Syria, for the people of Syria. Your army in coordination with Iran and Hezbollah has helped save the Syrian people, the legitimate Syrian regime from the Daesh / Isis led proxy war they are fighting on behalf of Washington. Your intervention is bringing back hope to the millions who are homeless and refugees in their own country, in neighboring countries – and in the countries of their hangmen, Europe. They will migrate back to their beloved Syria – the cradle of western civilization – an era that today can hardly be called anymore ‘civilization’.
What is the reason for this Saudi-led proxy-war for the (wannabe) emerging Anglo-Zionist empire? It is not oil or gaz. It is not fear from the Houthi ‘rebels’, who are really just defending the legitimate interest of the majority of Yemenis, to bring democracy to a people that has been oppressed for decades by dictators, puppets of the United States. In the first place, it is a fight for the dominance of one of the geographically most strategic locations in the Middle East, right where the Red Sea connects to the Arabian Sea, overlooking the Tehran controlled Gulf of Hormuz, where daily 25% to 30% of the world’s hydrocarbon consumption passes.
It might also be an affront and provocation for direct war with Iran. If Iran were to step onto this barely veiled trap, the entire Middle east might go up in flames – worse, in a nuclear mushroom.
Who would benefit from a nuclear war? – Nobody, as you, Mr. Putin, widely and repeatedly said. It would bring misery destruction and tens of millions of deaths – an area under a toxic cloud, maybe for decades, centuries. Nobody really knows. The Middle East might have to be cordoned off from the rest of the world, if there still is something called ‘the rest of the world’ surviving, after one or several nuclear blasts that could easily spread north, east and west.
But foremost, Mr. Putin, my plea is for Russia’s humanitarian intervention on behalf of the Yemeni population; “humanitarian”, in the true sense of the world, not in the western sense, where ‘humanitarian aid’ has been highjacked as a meaning for going to war.
The International Red Cross reports that there are one million people, most of them children, at risk for being caught in the ongoing cholera epidemic that claimed already the lives of tens of thousands of people. This is mostly due to the maliciously and willfully destroyed drinking water supply and sanitation systems. The impact is being exacerbated by the lack of medication and food. Two thirds of Yemen’s 28 million people risk severe famine – the largest famine in recent history, if seaports and borders currently blocked by Saudi Arabia are not being opened immediately to let emergency medication and food into the country – for quick distribution to the victims.
Close to 50% of Yemen’s population is under 15 years of age. This outrageous, criminal and totally illegal war is literally and figuratively killing off an entire generation of Yemenis; it is destroying the future of this country, as more that 60 % of the victims are children and women. Those that are not killed have no future – no schools, no health system, no infrastructure, no housing. The Saudi-piloted American planes, dropped their UK-made bombs on purpose also on hospitals, health centers and schools – and of course roads and bridges. Yemen is perhaps the country with the least available drinking water resources in the world – and that even before the bombing.
Having worked in Yemen, particularly in the Hodeida area for years, helping building water supply and sanitation system, the people, their friendliness and hospitality, the endless smiles of the kids watching water fountains being built – have grown into my heart. It is devastating to see the human misery caused for greed and power – for world hegemony.
Mr. Putin, saving Yemen’s population alone is worth fighting for.
Then, there are other reasons for this infinitely growing western violence in the Middle East, and of course, along Russia’s borders, encircling China with over 60% of the US Navy fleet in the South China Sea, as Obama promised by 2018; and Trump’s threatening North Korea with “fire and fury the world has never seen before”. A destroyed DPRK (Democratic People’s republic of Korea) would be another strategic entry point for aggressions and war with Russia and China. In fact, that’s Washington’s and its dark behind then scene handlers only interest in Pyongyang – building a strategic platform for aggressing the key players of the new and emerging SCO – Shanghai Cooperation Organization, that – let me repeat it – already comprises half the world’s population and one third of the world’s economic output.
It’s the Petro-Dollar. It’s the looming end of the Petro-Dollar. There is from Washington’s point of view no peaceful handing over to the inevitable Petro-Yuan. The entire US hegemony depends on the US dollar’s world hegemony – “Who controls the money, controls the world” (Henry Kissinger, 1974, the world’s number one war criminal, and close buddy of the Rockefeller / Rothschild clan). He is right. A number of countries, starting with Russia and China, followed recently by Venezuela and Iran and others may soon follow, are no longer trading their hydrocarbons in US dollars. Imagine the gaping hole this is causing in the demand of the petro-dollar – the (still) main reserve currency – status of which will also soon be displaced by the Yuan and other economy-backed currencies. The fiat dollar is only backed by thin air.
Washington will not peacefully back down. It is an iron rule, written into the PNAC – Plan for New American Century, no concessions, just make believe and deceptions – but never give up on ‘Full Spectrum Dominance’. But the world economy can do it. Washington knows it. Therefore, there is no-holds-barred in Washington’s path of destruction of every country, every regime that could pose a vital threat to the (wannabe) hegemon. – And Yemen is just an unfortunate pawn in this bloody chess game.
Dear Mr. Putin, for the sake of the Yemeni people, for the sake of humanity and for the sake of taking another crucial step towards world peace, may I appeal to you to help stop this murderous bloodbath in Yemen, help safe the population from dying from disease and famine. You may do this in ways of diplomacy in alliance with China, in a first instance through the UN Security Council – which obviously is a long shot – secondly, the Saudis want to sell their future hydrocarbons to Russia and China, a leverage for stopping the killing is not to be discarded; and finally, if nothing works, the Russian army may repeat in Yemen their miracle precedent in Syria. – Thank you.
Peter Koenig is an economist and geopolitical analyst. He is also a former World Bank staff and worked extensively around the world in the fields of environment and water resources. He lectures at universities in the US, Europe and South America. He writes regularly for Global Research, ICH, RT, Sputnik, PressTV, The 21st Century (China), TeleSUR, The Vineyard of The Saker Blog, and other internet sites. He is the author of Implosion – An Economic Thriller about War, Environmental Destruction and Corporate Greed – fiction based on facts and on 30 years of World Bank experience around the globe. He is also a co-author of The World Order and Revolution! – Essays from the Resistance.
Thank you for articulating this heartfelt plea Mr. Koenig. The destruction of Yemen is a criminal obscenity, and the reporting in the mainstream press is profoundly and immorally derelict.
Links to the info on the latest Russia’s efforts to put an end of humanitarian disaster in Yemen.
Syrian president and its government officially asked Russia for help.
Yemeni President Abdrabbuh Mansour Hadi fled from Yemen and asked his Western partners and the Saudi Arabia to “restore the order.” Russia wasn’t officially asked for help.
However, Russia is extending humanitarian and diplomatic aid to Yemen.
November 8, 2017 Deputy Foreign Minister Mikhail Bogdanov met with Yemeni Socialist Party Deputy General Secretary Mohammed al-Mekhlafi
http://www.mid.ru/web/guest/maps/ye/-/asset_publisher/d2sb7D5vI2YJ/content/id/2942783?p_p_id=101_INSTANCE_d2sb7D5vI2YJ&_101_INSTANCE_d2sb7D5vI2YJ_languageId=en_GB
7.11.17 Comment by the Information and Press Department on developments around Yemen
http://www.mid.ru/web/guest/foreign_policy/international_safety/conflicts/-/asset_publisher/xIEMTQ3OvzcA/content/id/2940321?p_p_id=101_INSTANCE_xIEMTQ3OvzcA&_101_INSTANCE_xIEMTQ3OvzcA_languageId=en_GB
Sergey Lavrov: “During our recent contacts – I realise that I will have to talk about Ukraine anyway – we frankly told our German and French colleagues (we could have told this also to our Polish colleagues, but unfortunately, our contacts with them have been suspended) that by signing the agreement between Viktor Yanukovych and the opposition on February 20, 2014 these three European countries assumed responsibility for its implementation. When the opposition trampled on its own commitments the following morning, this was a sign of disrespect for Germany, France and Poland. This is a fact. Germany, France and Poland only said, when we asked why they had not called the opposition to order, that Yanukovych had fled from Kiev.
First, Yanukovych was in Ukraine at the time. And second, approximately at the same time Yemeni President Abdrabbuh Mansour Hadi fled from Yemen, and the progressive Western community has been demanding for the past three years that he return to Yemen from Saudi Arabia, where he is living now. Why does your attitude to the situation in Yemen differ from your position on Ukraine? Both countries had elected and universally recognised presidents who presided over UN member states. But your European colleagues believe that since Viktor Yanukovych left Kiev for Kharkov, it was perfectly all right to stage a coup. As for Yemen, three years after its president fled the country they demand that his legitimate powers be restored. In other words, we want international relations to be based on full respect for international law without double standards..
http://www.mid.ru/web/guest/meropriyatiya_s_uchastiem_ministra/-/asset_publisher/xK1BhB2bUjd3/content/id/2927175?p_p_id=101_INSTANCE_xK1BhB2bUjd3&_101_INSTANCE_xK1BhB2bUjd3_languageId=en_GB
good article Peter – ~~ did you actually send it to Putin ?
Thanks for your article, you gave me the impetus and facts needed to write as follows,
Dear Mr. President Vladimir Putin,
I am very happy for your successes in Syria but saddened that your opponents there, Saudis, US and UK governments are funding and supporting a slaughter in Yemen, a fight to dominate one of the most strategic locations in the Middle East. Other European governments are mute lacking any courage to try to bring the genocide to a halt.
The bombing of Yemen needs to be stopped to open the seaports to allow emergency shipments of food and medicine to those most vulnerable to famine and cholera.
For Iran to enter Yemen at this time might appear to be a trap, a provocation to direct war with Iran. Water supplies were maliciously and willfully destroyed. Yemen may be facing the largest famine in world history…
Russia with its bumper wheat crop, the best harvest in a century, is in a unique situation to help. Shipping grain to Yemen would take a large oversupply off the market at minimal cost, reduce storage needs and with the inelastic demand curve raise prices for remaining stored grains.
Saving Yemen’s population is worth fighting for, by diplomacy, by economics and if necessary other means. Surely China can be rallied to the cause to raise the issue in the UN Security Council as a first step?
The king of Saudi Arabia traveled to Moscow, wanting to improve marketing and sales of petroleum products. The privitisation of Aramco shows they need cash. ISIS is surely being eliminated in Syria. You have unprecedented economic as well as military leverage to stop the killing.
Time is of the essence. The International Red Cross reports that there are one million people, most of them children, at risk for being caught in the ongoing cholera epidemic.
Thank you for your time and attention,
For those wanting to write go to http://en.letters.kremlin.ru/letters/
Hope this helps you send your message.
Why should Russia do something significant about it? They’re not the police of the world and never claimed to be.
The situation with Syria is not simple at all. First, it’s not Russia alone but an aliance (Lebanon’s Hezbollah, Iran and Russia) and second, many Russians oppose this intervention and think Russia should mind its own business as there’s enough economic problems at home. They also didn’t forget Afghanistan.
Thankfully Putin knows better and if one looks at a map, one can notice that Syria, if it becomes a hot bed for terrorists, is pretty close to Russia (they can pass through the unreliable Turkey and Georgia) then land in the Caucassus which was hard enough to deal with.
Yemen? It’s much further to the south, requires to make a new enemy (Saudi Barbaria) and is also hard to reach.
And let’s not forget the mass media which is mostly silent about all this. Russia just has RT and Sputnik. Hardly enough to trigger any international response.
Russia is neither a world police nor is it powerful enough to use it military power to secure Yemen. This should be international thing. Perhaps China with its military basement in Djibouti would use its soft power to solve this serious issue. I don’t know because after all this mess up was run by Saudis.
I dont agree with you Matsi, Russia can project her power way further than Yemen, be sure of that…there is no chance for KSA, if Russia decides to open ports with political-military means. Caspian Sea-Iran-Yemen route is very possible way for VVS, If I were Russian president I would send few brigades there, why not its stategic place -Djibouti and Yemen can close Red sea with Bastion systems ina secound…Vladimir would not deserve only N.peace award(for Syria), but new title Citizen of the World!
Thank you, Peter Koenig, for this heartfelt letter to Putin.
It’s true mainstream media’s not giving attention to the bombing of civilians and starving of Yemen with the Saudi’s blockade.
I have seen a few reports from the BBC about the plight of the Yemenis at the hands of the Saudis.
I’ve also read something about China sending some help.
I’m are Putin’s trying his best; but I also agree his hands are full and he also needs to look after his own massive country.
The best way forward is to get everyone on the table – since China, Russia, and the West are all having bilateral trade pacts with the Saudis, they should have Yemen on the table before trade as lives are more important than money. Let’s see them all taking collective responsibility to end the bombing and starvation in Yemen.
The Faces Of Yemen – Where Is American “Outrage?”
https://www.activistpost.com/2017/11/the-faces-of-yemen-where-is-american-outrage.html
“There is no American “outrage” over the dying children in Yemen because Americans are not being told by their televisions, politicians, and entertainers to be outraged about the children in Yemen. There are no calls to enact revenge on the perpetrators of the violence in Yemen (mainly because the perpetrators are Americans and American “allies). Yemenis are not even worthy of America’s “thoughts and prayers” or “I Stand With Yemen” hashtags and profiles. Instead, it’s business as usual, at least until Sarah Silverman can make a comedy TV show out of the crisis, Bono can start a charity for Yemen, or Bruce Springsteen can write a song about it. When musicians become political experts as they are wont to do when America needs another foreign adventure (wasn’t there a time when musicians opposed war?), Americans will care. When actors, clearly sincere (it’s not like they are trained to be someone else), begin making 2 minute videos pleading for intervention or support for Yemen, Americans might think about starving children if starving children is what the war machine wants them to think about.”
The dregs flying the bombs over Yemen are not Saudis. They couldn’t hit a bull in the (X) with a bucket full of wheat. The pilots are all ANGLO-ZIONISTS – selling souls that they never had.