Oxfam Reports from Yemen - World’s Largest Humanitarian Crisis

By Steve Bynum
In this Sept. 22, 2016 photo, Massoud Abdullah Azzan, 75, who is a doorkeeper, stands amid the rubble of Alsonidar Group’s water pumps and pipes factory after it was hit by Saudi-led airstrikes, in Sanaa, Yemen. In the air campaign by Saudi Arabia and its allies against Yemen’s Shiite rebels, rights experts say there has been a pattern by the Saudi-led coalition in depending on faulty intelligence, failing to distinguish between civilian and military targets and disregarding the likelihood of civilian casualties. Experts say some of the strikes likely amount to war crimes.
In this Sept. 22, 2016 photo, Massoud Abdullah Azzan, 75, who is a doorkeeper, stands amid the rubble of Alsonidar Group's water pumps and pipes factory after it was hit by Saudi-led airstrikes, in Sanaa, Yemen. In the air campaign by Saudi Arabia and its allies against Yemen’s Shiite rebels, rights experts say there has been a pattern by the Saudi-led coalition in depending on faulty intelligence, failing to distinguish between civilian and military targets and disregarding the likelihood of civilian casualties. Experts say some of the strikes likely amount to war crimes. Hani Mohammed / AP Photo
In this Sept. 22, 2016 photo, Massoud Abdullah Azzan, 75, who is a doorkeeper, stands amid the rubble of Alsonidar Group’s water pumps and pipes factory after it was hit by Saudi-led airstrikes, in Sanaa, Yemen. In the air campaign by Saudi Arabia and its allies against Yemen’s Shiite rebels, rights experts say there has been a pattern by the Saudi-led coalition in depending on faulty intelligence, failing to distinguish between civilian and military targets and disregarding the likelihood of civilian casualties. Experts say some of the strikes likely amount to war crimes.
In this Sept. 22, 2016 photo, Massoud Abdullah Azzan, 75, who is a doorkeeper, stands amid the rubble of Alsonidar Group's water pumps and pipes factory after it was hit by Saudi-led airstrikes, in Sanaa, Yemen. In the air campaign by Saudi Arabia and its allies against Yemen’s Shiite rebels, rights experts say there has been a pattern by the Saudi-led coalition in depending on faulty intelligence, failing to distinguish between civilian and military targets and disregarding the likelihood of civilian casualties. Experts say some of the strikes likely amount to war crimes. Hani Mohammed / AP Photo

Oxfam Reports from Yemen - World’s Largest Humanitarian Crisis

By Steve Bynum
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After four years of civil war in Yemen, the aid organization Oxfam America reports “some 12 million people are at risk of famine … and 17.8 million are food insecure.” Millions have been internally displaced. The main fight is between forces loyal to besieged President Abdrabbuh Mansur Hadi and those allied with Shia Houthi rebels. The conflict is also part of a regional proxy war between Saudi Arabia and Iran. Oxfam asserts that, “[a]ll parties to the conflict have committed terrible violence and have laid siege to Yemen’s economy, resulting in the world’s largest humanitarian crisis.” Scott Paul is humanitarian policy lead for emergencies and humanitarian issues at Oxfam. He just returned from Yemen. Scott will share with us what he found and Oxfam’s analysis on how U.S. support for Saudi coalition bombing raids in Yemen is deepening the crisis.