Transcripts For KCSM Democracy Now 20180104

From the university of chicago, author of north korea another country. Been to yemen where u. S. Act Saudi Air Campaign has killed more than 10,000 civilians. This rig norway says it will stop supplying weapons and ammunition to the coalition. We will speak with reporter iona craig. , the primary weapon sales armed sales are coming from u. S. , saudi arabia. Britain, other European Countries are involved. Canada is involved. I think it is very lucrative business for the u. S. And the u. K. Amy we look at a case that highlights was some are calling the palestine exception to free speech on College Campuses across the United States. Your fordham to educate the community about palestinian human rights, knows denied that right. I am hoping that for the other classes to come, they will not have to endure the same heartache and issues that i went through. Amy we will speak with student ahmad awad, who assumed fordham diversity in new york, and dima khalidi, director of palestine legal. All that and more, coming up. Welcome to democracy now , democracynow. Org, the war and peace report. Im amy goodman. President trumps former strategist steve that predicting president Trumps Administration could unravel as Robert Mueller finds evidence of Money Laundering. While accusing donald trump, junior of treason over a 2016 meeting in trump tower with russian officials. That is according to explosive excerpts from the new book fire madeury by Michael Wolff public wednesday. In the book, bannon is quoted predicting Robert Muellers russia investigation will find strong evidence of Money Laundering saying theyre going to crack don jr like an egg on national tv. Meeting,about another donald trump, jr. , christian, and manafort, he is quoted as saying the three senior guys in the campaign thought it was a good idea to meet with a Foreign Government inside trump tower in the Conference Room on the 25th floor with no lawyers. They didnt have any lawyers. Even if you thought that this was not treasonous, or unpatriotic, or bad, and i happen to think its all of that, you should have called the fbi immediately. Bannons comments prompted President Trumps lawyers to issue a ceaseanddesist letter saying been violated a nondisclosure agreement. In a statement, President Trump wrote steve bannon has nothing to do with me or my presidency. When he was fired, he not only lost his job, he lost his mind. Steve doesnt represent my base hes only in it for himself. At the white house, press secretary Sarah Huckabee sanders called the book trashy tabloid fiction, as reporters grilled her over its revelations. Did the president son donald trump, jr. Commit treason . I think that is a ridiculous accusation and won a pretty sure we have addressed many times from here before. If that is in reference to comments made by visitor bannon, i refer you back to the once he may grievously on 60 minutes recall the collusion with russia about this a total farce. I think i would back at that if anybody has been inconsistent, it is in him. It hasnt been the president or this a administration. Amy President Trumps former campaign chair, paul manafort, asked a federal Court Wednesday to limit the power of special counsel Robert Mueller, accusing the investigation into alleged trumprussia ties of overstretching its authority. Last october, mueller indicted manafort and his former business associate rick gates on 12 counts, including Money Laundering, acting as unregistered agents of ukraines former prorussian government , and conspiracy against the United States. President trump abruptly shut down his Advisory Commission on Election Integrity on wednesday, after it failed to provide any evidence of voter fraud. Civil Rights Groups say the commissions true aim was laying the groundwork for a nationwide Voter Suppression effort. The commissions chair, kris kobach, blamed a barrage of meritless lawsuits for the investigations closure after most u. S. States and the District Of Columbia refused to share data with the commission. Kobach has a long record of employing Voter Suppression tactics as secretary of state of kansas and as a republican consultant. President trump has repeatedly, falsely asserted that he lost the popular vote to Hillary Clinton in 2016 mackris 3 million to 5 million unauthorized votes were cast in the election. A major winter storm is wrecking the atlantic seaboard, bringing high winds, coastal flooding, and heavy snow to cities as far south as savannah, georgia, and parts of northern florida. Meteorologists describe the storm as hyper bomb and genesis that rapidly dropped pressure and quickly intensified over the atlantic. Forecasters predict the storm will be followed by bone chilling temperatures as a polar vortex returns too much of the u. S. Later this week. Last month, President Trump cited cold Winter Weather in the u. S. To repeat his claim that Global Warming is a hoax, but, Scientists Say Greenhouse Gas emissions may be contribute into such weather events. In baltimore, maryland, parents, teachers, ands do does protesting frigid conditions at Public Schools with schoolchildren left shivering in classrooms and temperatures barely rising above freezing. Photos shared widely on social media show children bundled in winter parkas seated on a classroom floor, a High School Classroom and a gymnasium left badly damaged after they were flooded by burst pipes, and a thermometer measuring one classrooms temperature at 42 degrees. The Baltimore Teachers Union condemned the conditions as unfair and inhumane and called on officials to close schools for the rest of the week. State senator bill ferguson, a former Baltimore Public School teacher, said the citys schools requested funds for heating and air conditioning but were denied due to fiscal constraints. Ferguson blasted republican governor bill hogan in a tweet, writing Governor Hogan suggests enough money has gone to baltimore city, Additional Resources not needed. In the occupied west bank, Israeli Forces shot and killed Palestinian Musab tamimi during a protest near ramallah wednesday, making the 17yearold the first teenager to be killed by israel in 2018. Tamimi was also the 16th palestinian to be killed in demonstrations since President Trump declared last month that the u. S. Would recognize jerusalem as israels capital. Witnesses say tamimi was unarmed when he was shot in the neck. This is musab tamimis father, firas tamimi. The soldiers arrested a mentally ill boy. When i try to release him, the officer said to me, we want to kill someone. I moved backward to this verse away. Dispersed youths i was close to them went they shot my boy and killed him. Thank god he is a martyr. Amy musab tamimi was a relative of another palestinian teenager, 16yearold ahed tamimi, who is in israeli custody awaiting trial before a military court after she was filmed in a viral video slapping an israeli soldier. Israels government has ordered thousands of african migrants to leave israel within 90 days or face arrest. The plan was announced as israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu called african migrants infiltrators during a Cabinet Meeting wednesday. The infiltrators have a simple choice coop or it with us and leave voluntarily, respectfully, humanely, and legally or we will have to use the many other tools at our disposal, which are also according to law. I hope it will choose to cooperate with us. Amy most of the estimated 40,000 migrants in israel are refugees from eritrea and sudan fleeing war and persecution, although Israel Considers them economic migrants. Meanwhile, members of israels parliament, the knesset, erupted in a shouting match wednesday, as Prime Minister netanyahu and rightwing lawmakers advanced legislation that would make it easier to carry out death sentences against palestinians convicted on terrorism charges. Capital punishment is legal in israel, but has not been implemented since 1962 when nazi leader Adolf Eichmann was put to death for his role in the holocaust. In iran, tens of thousands of people took to the streets of cities across iran wednesday for progovernment rallies. The statesanctioned demonstrations were held one week after antigovernment protests erupted across iran, targeting high unemployment, inequality, and housing costs. On wednesday, the head of irans Islamic Revolutionary guards corps said there would be no more sedition and that protest leaders had been arrested. State media have reported the detention of over 500 people across iran. In ethiopia, the Prime Minister said on he would release all of wednesday ethiopias Political Prisoners and close a notorious prison that human Rights Groups have labeled a torture chamber. Amnesty international welcomed the surprise announcement, saying if authorities follow through, it will mark the end of an era of bloody repression in ethiopia. Ethiopia remains a major u. S. Ally in africa despite its long history of human rights abuses and its record of silencing journalists, protesters, and opposition political parties. In nigeria, a suicide bomber struck a mosque in the northeastern borno state wednesday, killing 11 worshipers during morning prayers. No group has claimed responsibility for the bombing, which occurred in an area where the military Group Boko Haram remains active. Back in the United States, the saysg director of ice politicians who resist the Trump Administrations immigration policies should be arrested and charged with crimes. Thomas homan made the comment during an appearance on fox news on tuesday, one day after california formally declared itself a sanctuary state for immigrants. California better hold on tight. They are about to see a lot more stateation orders in the of california. If the politicians in california dont want to check the communitys, then ice will. Amy homans comment came as the Trump Administration continues its campaign to force local Police Officers to cooperate with the federal governments mass deportation plans. Washington state filed suit against the Budget Hotel Chain motel 6 on wednesday, accusing it of violating antidiscrimination and privacy laws by handing over personal information of hotel guests to ice. Washington attorney general bob ferguson says Hotel Managers gave the names, dates of birth, drivers license numbers, and license plate numbers of some 9000 guests to immigration officers, who scrutinized the lists for latinosounding names, leading to the arrests of at least six people. The lawsuit comes four months after the Phoenix New Times reported motel 6 managers in arizona had a similar Cooperation Agreement with ice. In new york city, the daughter of haitian immigrant Jean Montrevil says her father was arrested wednesday by ice agents outside his home in the far rockaway in queens and was taken to the essex county jail. Jean montrevil came to the u. S. From haiti with a green card in 1986 at the age of 17. Last june, when he went to his first checkin under President Trump, montrevil was detained, handcuffed, processed to be deported until calls from his supporters apparently prompted his release. Speaking on democracy now last summer, Jean Montrevil described the dangers he could face if hes deported to haiti. Im ae you get deported, criminal alien. There is a process you have to go through in haiti. Yet to be interviewed by the haitian government. You have to have a Family Member to come you off. All of my family lives here now. If you can get out, yet to pay money to get out. They are making money off criminal deportees in haiti. People have died in the haitian jail. Amy montrevils arrest by ice on wednesday came after the Trump Administration said it is revoking a special Immigration Program for nearly 60,000 haitians, including many who came to the United States after the devastating earthquake in 2010. Their temporary protected status, or tps, will now end in july next year. On capitol hill, Vice President mike pence swore in two democrats to the senate on thursday, giving the Democratic Caucus 49 seats to the republicans 51. Democrats are now two seats shy of a Senate Majority after former federal prosecutor doug jones beat republican roy moore in a special election last month. Jones was seated wednesday along with tina smith of minnesota, who was appointed by governor mark dayton to replace former senator al franken. Franken formally resigned tuesday after at least seven women said he groped them or forcibly tried to kiss them without their consent. Connecticut senators Richard Blumenthal and chris murphy have wrapped up a twoday trip to puerto rico, warning the island remains in deplorable shape more than 100 days after Hurricane Maria made landfall. Senator murphy noted Congress Approved a 36. 5 billion Disaster Relief package for hurricanedevastated states and puerto rico, but said much of the needed funds, including Community Development block grants, have not yet reached the island. The white house is niggling and i mean the puerto rican government, making them go through all sorts of bureaucracy and red tape that is unnecessarily. The result is the economy is still hemorrhaging. Amy and those are some of the headlines. This is democracy now , democracynow. Org, the war and peace report. Im amy goodman. Nermeen and im Nermeen Shaikh. Welcome to all of our listeners and viewers from around the country and around the world. We begin todays show with north korea. President trump took to Twitter Thursday to take credit for renewed communications between north korea and south korea. Trump tweeted with all of the failed experts weighing in, does anybody really believe that talks and dialogue would be going on between north and south korea right now if i wasnt firm, strong and willing to commit our total might against the north. Fools, but talks are a good thing this comes after north Korean Leader kim jongun has ordered the reopening of a hotline with south koreas leaders, bringing the biggest thaw in relations between the two koreas in years. The overture came as south korean president moon jaein said hes open to talks next week with the north in the socalled truce village in the Demilitarized Zone. Earlier this week, President Trump Drew International attention when he tweeted a threat to north korea that was steeped in sexual bravado, writing north Korean Leader kim jongun just stated that the Nuclear Button is on his desk at all. mes will someone from his depleted and food starved regime please inform him that i too have a Nuclear Button, but it is a much bigger more powerful one than his, and my button works during a press conference on wednesday, White House Press secretary Sarah Sanders addressed questions about trumps taunting of north Korean Leader. I dont think it is taunting to stand up for the people of this country. I think what is dangerous is to ignore the continued threats. If the Previous Administration had done anything and dealt with north korea and dealt with the ramp instead of sitting by and doing nothing, we would not have to clean up their mess now. Larger nuclear a button . Amy trumps tweet came after north Korean Leader kim jongun declared his nation a fullyfledged Nuclear Power monday, saying in a televised new years day speech he was prepared to launch a Nuclear Attack against his enemies, including south korea, japan, or the United States. The entire United States is within range of our nuclear weapon. A Nuclear Button is always on my desk. This is reality. Not a threat. Amy kim said north korea would now focus on mass producing Nuclear Warheads and Ballistic Missiles for operational deployment. For more, we are joined in chicago by bruce cumings, professor of history at the university of chicago and author of several books on korea, including koreas place in the sun a modern history and north korea another country. Professor cumings, welcome to democracy now lets start off with the breaking news this week of communications being open between south and north korea. What does this mean and the possibility that as early as next week they will somehow meet at truce village in the Demilitarized Zone . It is very important, particularly the tone of kim jonguns statement, which was very conciliatory toward the south and followed up by a high official who is even more conciliatory talking about north koreas hopes for the south korean Winter Olympics going well. Of course, kim jongun offered to send a delegation to the olympics. This is in great contrast to, for example, the 1988 or olympics which the north koreans try to disrupt with terrorist attacks. It is a very good sign. I would add that kim jongun did big button with a lot of Nuclear Weapons, but he very clearly said that north Korean Nuclear weapons are for defensive purposes and would not be used unless north korea was attacked. Secondly, he said something that north korean officials have been saying for the last six months without a lot of attention. And that is words to the effect that their Nuclear Program is nearly completed, which would mean they dont have to test so much. They have tested a great deal in 2017, particularly missiles, and test lastge hbomb september. I think on all three counts, this was generally a welcome statement, a conciliatory statement. President trumps tweet this morning as trying to take credit for these talks going forward, thats fine. The fact is, the Trump Administration was very opposed to the president of south koreas proposal for talks. The Trump Administration position is there can be no talks until north korea commits to denuclearization. That is their only hold card. They are not going to do that before talks open. I would give a lot of president credit to president moon for opening up these talks next january 9 next week, in spite of tremendous opposition, not to mention almost daily provocations coming from President Trump. Nermeen this morning there was a call on that hotline, the south koreans reached out to the north. Do we know anything about the content of that call . No, it was all i could do to two the New York Times before coming down here so i dont know the content was. That one was closed two years ago in the context of an south korean president shutting down a very Large Industrial zone just across the dmz and north korea where about 60,000 north koreans were working for mostly south korean firms. It was the last and biggest fruit of really more than a decade of attempts at reconciliation between north and south. So i have hopes that not just this communication line, but that export zone will be reopened soon. I hope know that, but it. Amy u. N. Ambassador nikki haley said tuesday north korea might be preparing for another missile test and warned such a move would need tougher steps against pyongyang. Koreawe hear that north might be preparing for another missile test, i hope that does not happen. But if it does, we must ring even more measures to bear on the north korean regime. The civilized world must remain united and vigilant against the rogue States Development of a nuclear arsenal. We will never accept a Nuclear North Korea will stop we wont take any of the talks seriously if they dont do something to ban all Nuclear Weapons in north korea. We consider this to be a very reckless regime. We dont think we need a bandaid and we dont agree need to smile and take a picture. Them stop have Nuclear Weapons, and they need to stop it now. North korea can talk with anyone they want, but the u. S. Will not recognize it or acknowledge it until they agree to ban the Nuclear Weapons they have. Amy so if you can respond to this, bruce cumings, and respond to the u. S. Setting preconditions. But this is directing a shared between south and north korea. And then talk about between of trump talking about his button bigger than the north Korean Leaders and also his taking credit for this coming together. I think you are right that this Initiative Came from the two koreas. The u. S. Was not involved as far as we know in this initiative. The unfortunate fact is that not just the Trump Administration, but many, many administrations going back decades, have not one koreas to be together. They always want the u. S. To be in a supervisory role. Official fromn the Obama Administration was quoted as saying, south korea needs to be on a tight leash. That kind of condescending crap is just coming out of the mountains of a Bipartisan Coalition of american officials for a long, long time. President moon is a very experienced politician. He was chief of staff to the man who did the deepest reconciliation with north korea when he was in office. I think the u. S. Should trust moon to conduct these talks and make whatever deals might be possible with north korea. , liketrumps tweet everything else, even a 17 inches of snow that boston is when you get that trump essentially says it is his doing, no matter what it is, donald trump is snapping his fingers and making everything happen. But the hidden lining in that statement is that trump supports the talks. He said right at the end that he supports the talks. Talks are good. Im not a psychiatrist, so i dont know why donald trump throughout his campaign and his president has constantly showed his freudian insecurities about the size of his, whatever. In this case, he is basically bringing kim jongun up to his level or bringing himself down to kim jonguns level. In any case, focusing attention on north korea in a way that no previous president would ever do. It is childish. About a possible nuclear war that could literally destroy the planet. I wish i knew with the north koreans think of it, but i would guess that after all of these months, they are starting to not taken very seriously. Last summer, they were asking republicans in washington, what does truck mean when he says fire and fury or he is going to totally destroy us . Because in north korea, every statement coming out of the government is carefully vetted right of the line, where as truck is not trump is not vetted at all. It demeans the United States. It brings trump basically to kim jonguns level. Nermeen giving that trump has been tweeting as much as he has come activists in San Francisco are questioning twitters enforcement of its policy against violent threats after trump used the platform to taunt north Korean Leader kim jongil and. Members of a group called resistance projected an image on the outside of twitter headquarters in San Francisco on wednesday directed at the twitter ceo jack dorsey, which read jack is complicit. A spokesperson for twitter said. Hey did not violate policy twitters rules page reads on we consider violent threats to be exposes statement of ones intent to kill or inflict serious visible harm against another person. Please dont that wishing or hoping that someone asked me if ,is serious physical harm making vague threats or threatening less serious forms of physical harm would not fall under this specific policy. Bruce cumings, can you respond to that and what you think, if anything, should be done to prevent trump from escalating the situation between the u. S. And north korea . His latest statements, the one yesterday about how big his button was, my violate obscenity statutes. But certainly, is very bellicose statements last summer about totally destroy north korea would seem to be outside twitters guidelines. North korea was totally destroyed by the u. S. During the korean war and a threeyear air campaign that left him is nothing standing. And every north korean is taught about this, very bitter about it but what you can say to trump is, we totally destroy north korea already instilled and not win the war. And still did not win the war. It is very irresponsible talk. I would imagine just about everybody in the white house, including the custodians cleaning his bathrooms, would like to grab his twitter and throw it as far his iphone, and throw it as far away as they has unsettled relations with our friends and allies and our enemies time and time again. By lining up with the iranian demonstrators against the ayatollahs, he puts them in a position where the ayatollahs can easily claim therefor and agents. He blasted pakistan for coddling terrorists and protecting them inside the country. Pakistan has been doing that for decades. The uss dont all about it and has tolerated it for other reasons. So hes basically a kind of wrecking crew. In this case, the wrecking crew is twitter. I think we would all be happy if twitter would just cut him off, but that is obvious the not going to happen. What could come of these direct talks between north korea and south korea . I think it is very probable that a north korean delegation will come to pyeongchang for the olympics of begin february 9. And that may include athletes who would participate in some nonofficial form. Two north korean stators who qualify for the olympics in canada some weeks ago, but apparently, the north koreans did not put in an application or failed to meet a deadline or something, so they cannot participate as only big athletes. But i think it will be a time when the world can breathe a sigh of relief that at least there wont be missiles were vicious tweet going off during the olympics and that it could be a start to things like reopening the case zone and reducing the terrible tension that has been rocking the the koreanwracking peninsula. Amy bruce cumings, professor of history at the university of chicago. Among his books koreas place , in the sun a modern history and north korea another country. When we come back, norway says it is cutting off weapon sales to saudi arabia because of the u. S. Backed Saudi Bombing Campaign against yemen. Stay with us. [music break] amy this is democracy now , democracynow. Org, the war and peace report. Im amy goodman with Nermeen Shaikh. Nermeen we turn now to yemen. On wednesday, norways ministry of Foreign Affairs announced it will stop supplying weapons and ammunition to the united arab emirates, citing great concern over the humanitarian crisis in yemen. The uae is part of the Saudiled Coalition that has been carrying out airstrikes in yemen for nearly three years. In 2016, norway sold nearly 10 million worth of weapons to the uae. Meanwhile, the u. S. And britain continue to supply the saudis with billions of dollars worth of weapons. The u. S. Also provides logistical military support to saudi arabia. The Saudi Air Campaign has killed more than 10,000 civilians in yemen, which is the air world poorest country, and displaced more than million. Threeamy in december, Doctors Without Borders said it suspected an outbreak of diphtheria in the country for the First Time Since 1982, with 28 deaths reported since august. Meanwhile, the International Committee of the red cross said the number of suspected cholera cases in yemen has reached 1 million, making it the worst cholera epidemic on record, and the United Nations is warning over 8 Million People are a step away from famine. More than 80 of yemenis now lack food, fuel, water and access to healthcare. Well, recently Nermeen Shaikh and i spoke to journalist iona craig, who was based in sanaa from 2010 to 2015 as the yemen correspondent for the times of london. She was awarded the 2016 orwell prize for her reporting on yemen. I started by asking her what the world needs to know about the crisis in yemen. I think it is really how manmade the human a during crisis is. The Saudi Coalitions policy of not just blockading the country and restricting food imports in yemen imports 90 of its food in peace time, but also the Bombing Campaign that i mentioned in that report for the guardian that has been used to systematically targets yemenis ability to grow their own food or supply food for themselves. So there is a clear had pattern of a strategy to bomb farmland, to target the areas where farmers are trying to grow food host of, as well as targeting fishermen, where people have an coming fish andgly reliant on fishermens supplies to feed themselves. So in that report, i spoke to fishermen on the red sea coast, the head of the fishermens union, and to farmers. Also there has been Academic Research done on the date of the airstrike campaign since 2015 that does show a pattern of the Saudi Coalition apparently targeting yemens food supplies, its own farmers, and fishermen in order to prevent them from being able to provide food for themselves in addition to this blockade. So this is what is so largely responsible for the humanitarian crisis we are seeing now with more than 8 Million People facing famine, with hundreds of thousands of children now starving to death. And this has been a policy of the Saudi Coalition, which is backed by western nations including the u. S. They are complicit in that. It is mass starvation of 27 Million People. Nermeen lets go to a firstperson account by a young woman living in the name sanaa will stop she goes by for herdonym to safety. s to inside our houses. You dont know if the airstrikes going to come. It is safer for you and your family to stay closer to your house. Since 2011, we have this kind of ugly experience of letdown in our houses for days and days. But this one is different. This one is like most of the people are just like they are sad, really sad. Even myself. Since i was a student, i have issues with old regime and the troubles and everything, but when my friend got killed, i cried. Most of the people really cried. Men and women. They feel like this man has been our leader for almost 55 years. He was the president into i finished school and he was still the president. We always look up to him. He is our father for my generation. Noticed thing i it is like people, i dont know, they lost hope. Death breaks every single one in the country because there is still protection anymore. Nermeen that was a young woman who goes by the name selma, a 26yearold speaking from sanaa , the capital of yemen, speaking of the former president. Iona, could you respond to what she said, in particular, that , breaksh, salehs death every single one in the country because they think there is still protection anymore . Everybody in yemen, even those who hated saleh were shocked when he died that it happened at all, but also the way in which he died. Im not sure everybody would hold that same voice. The are people who were very pleased to see saleh go, but i think everybody now there is mass uncertainty of what happens next. That is everybodys question, what happens now that saleh is dead and his Political Party appears to be crumbling . , think particularly in sanaa people over the last 10 days are incredibly scared trying to comedic it with people is difficult after salehs death. Is cracked down on the internet. Peoples ability to communicate with the outside world has been silenced. Even when youre able to communicate with people, they are very scared. They dont want to talk about politics. They dont its a what is going on because they feel the will be areisals and the houthis going to crackdown on anyone who still shows loyalty to saleh. Theres been a lot of talk of detentions in sanaa. It is unclear how many people have effectively disappeared into the prisons of sanaa. Getting information out of sanaa is so difficult because of the internet restrictions. People are incredibly scared. Theyre sort of holding their breath of what is going to happen next in yemen after saleh s death. Houthis speaking of the , the fact that now the Trump Administration says theyre going to share proof that iran is arming the who the rebels, what are the implications of that and why is the Trump Administration making this claim now . I think the most important part of that is why. Why is the white house going to be sharing this evidence . Why is saudi arabia not sharing the evidence or even the Yemeni Government sharing the evidence . I think the concern is about the answer to that question. Is this going to be is this rhetoric and this narrative going to be used as some form of pretext for more u. S. Involvement in the war in yemen to support any ground operations by the Saudiled Coalition . There have been movements saleh. Nds death a grand operation had been talked about for more than a year. But previous visit administration, they advised the Saudi Led Coalition against that. So the concern is this kind of rhetoric coming out of the white house may be used as some form or way to support the coalition in the upcoming ground offensive and increase u. S. Involvement in the war in yemen. That then brings the prospect of escalation because it is highly likely that is that did happen, iran would retaliate. They may not retaliate in yemen. They could retaliate in syria or iran and that brings the process act of an almost proxy conflict then between the u. S. And iran. It is incredibly dangerous. Hink the timing of it now it is dangerous for yemen in the since that the aid agencies have warned for a long time now about the dangers of pushing militarily on they rely so heavily on that port. The consequences could be beyond the borders of yemen and for the rest of the region if this is going to be now used as some form of narrative for more u. S. Involvement in targeting the houthis in yemen sue saudi arabia see very much as a proxy for iran. It seems to be the houthis have increased the capabilities on the weapons side. The yemeni arsenal did not contain Ballistic Missile second riyadh. S far as iry perhaps parts that have been smuggled into yemen in order for them to build a modify the Ballistic Missiles that they did have in order to fire them into riyadh. Have been tois fire towards the uae as well. This talk could be incredible he dangerous for the region. Amy Jared Kushner recently went meeting with his dear friend in alman, the crown prince of saudi arabia. His role in what is happening here in what you feel the u. S. Should be doing right now . I think with the u. S. Cozying up more to saudi arabia, being on the Saudi Coalition side while be more hostile towards iran really means getting some kind of dialogue going on the war in yemen to bring an end to the conflict is less and less likely. U. S. Actions at the moment are pointing toward sort of another it in conflict, trying to find an end of the conflict becomes more difficult than the u. S. Is actually making it more difficult by this kind of relationship with saudi arabia. While being more aggressive in their rhetoric towards iran. It has a direct reflection on the population. The u. S. At the moment and their activities are making that worse for yemenis on the ground and will do if they cannot get to the point of some of my of political discussion or a ceasefire to at least bring a hold to hostilities in some way. The u. S. Is making the situation worse in yemen rather than better. Amy and the effect of cholera. How many people have cholera . How is that affected by the saudi, u. S. Backed saudi bombing of yemen . The issue with cholera, actually, the numbers are expected to reach one million by the end of this year with or than 2000 people now having died from the disease. The bombing of infrastructure, of water supplies, has had an impact on hospitals, the blockading of medical supplies bringing them into the country, the blockading of Water Purification into the country, the aid agencies have been bringing in supplies for that. That all has an impact on the the choleraelp situation in yemen. Now youre seeing outbreak of more disease. Were hearing the last few days about diphtheria in yemen, which has not been reported for decades in the country. This is all because less than 50 of the countrys medical facilities are now operating, and those that are operating or under massive strain. They cannot get the supplies they need. The aid agencies cannot bring in the help they need for those kinds of situations. It is not just hunger. It is disease. That is not going to be just restricted to cholera now whilst the hospitals and medical centers in yemen struggle to cope with basically the situation they are in because of the conflict, because the hospitals have been bombed, because of medical facilities that have been put out of action because of the war. The Health Care System is basically collapsing in yemen at the moment. Thats no way to rectify if the aid agencies cannot get help in to them at the moment. Nermeen could you also explain, as far as the Bombing Campaign goes, who are the principal countries . The u. S. And the u. K. For supplying arms to saudi arabia, and why there isnt more pressure on them given the situation in yemen to cease all sales or at least to limit them . Right. Obviously, the primary weapon arms sales ares coming from the u. S. To saudi arabia. Britain is also involved, other European Countries are involved. Canada is involved. It is a very lucrative business for the u. S. And the u. K. , particularly in the u. K. It is not just weapon sales, it is other investments from saudi arabia and other gulf countries who are part of the coalition, particularly in the brexit era when the British Government is going to be looking beyond investmentfor more in the country. So it is about maintaining relationships that have a financial interest ultimately. Clearas gone on despite evidence of violations of International Monetary law that ive seen on the ground in yemen. Evidence has been collected by human rights organizations. Ist doesnt look like it going to stop anytime soon. There have been ongoing calls both in the u. S. And the u. K. For suspensions of weapon sales. There was a partial suspension of decision guided weapons in the u. S. A year ago, but that has since been lifted and there now selling precision guided weapons back to the saudis again. There no indications that either the u. S. Or the u. K. Is going to timee that policy any soon. It is a point of leverage and they can use that to push for dialogue in this war, that it is not being used. Obviously, the consequences are devastating for yemenis. Amy what does the trump family gain by this close relationship with saudi arabia . Not to diminish the Obama Administration and the number of times he went to saudi arabia and what he had done, but clearly, the first foreign trip President Trump took was too saudi arabia. Jared kushner has been our number of times. His closeness with the crown prince salman. What do the trumps gain . This is a lot of based on financial interest in economic interest. This is the really disheartening thing about it because that is at the expense of millions of yemenis who are literally starving to death. The interest of those people and the lives of those people is being seen as inferior to the economic interests of u. S. In the financial interests of the Trump Administration. It brings a lot of questions compass ofthe moral societies and our governments with the u. S. And the u. K. , in this about the direction that this takes because we are all now well aware of the human terrain situation in yemen right now and how many millions of people are suffering the situation of famine on the ground and the likely numbers of people who are going to starve to death. A yet our governments are still willing to hold very Close Relationships with saudi arabia for financial interests, maintain that relationship at the cost of many hundreds of thousands of lives in yemen. Amy awardwinning journalist iona craig has reported from yemen for years with correspondent for the times of london. This is democracy now to see part one of our discussion, you can go to democracynow. Org. When we come back, Colombia University has one, hunters, rikers, new york university. They all have students for justice in Palestine Groups on campus. So why did fordham say no . Stay with us. [music break] amy this is democracy now , democracynow. Org, the war and peace report. Im amy goodman with Nermeen Shaikh. Nermeen we end todays show with a case that highlights what some are calling the the palestine exception to free speech on College Campuses. Here in new york, student at Fordham Universitys Lincoln Center campus are fighting in court for their right to start a student for justice in Palestine Group. The Student Government approved the group unanimously but the dean of students over rule the approval singled stir up controversy and be polarizing. Amy on wednesday, the students were in court here in new york asking a judge to reinstate the Student Governments approval. One of the students who is suing to allow the club to be on campus is joining us now. Ahmad awad has now graduated from Fordham University. He initiated the process to get approval for the group and is the lead petitioner in the case against fordham. He is now a law student at rutgers university. Also joining us dima khalidi, director of palestine legal. We asked Fordham University to join us but they said they are not providing any statements while the case is in litigation. We welcome you both to democracy now you did. D tell us what what you did does not sound very unusual here for a club to be on campus. Unusual at all. It was a simple part of the college experience. Entered into school. I had an interest from the beginning. I had friends who are older than me that were contributing to the cause at other universities, so i thought it would only be right to have a group on campus. So in fall 2015, we begin the process of getting approval to have the club status on campus. Amy were other universities in new york, for example, have this group . This post, many have of columbia, nyu, hunter, rutgers, montclair state and new on and on. List goes there are list of over 180 chapters around this country either under the name sjp or under other names that also work with sjp. Amy so you into the Student Government. Whether they say . We got the necessary documentation we needed to fill out and filled it up properly. We got the signatures we needed and filled in all the positions. Thetarted to meet with ministrys and to explain our goals and our mission. Were the constitution written up. We revised it according to school policy. Eventually we went out for a vote after a year of waiting. The Student Government unanimously approved our club and granted us club status. Unfortunately, a month later, we were told that dean Keith Eldredge would veto the club. He believed it was polarizing on College Campuses and it would be a necessary for fordham to have a club. Nermeen is that the only justification you have received from the University Administration about why they overturned the Student Governments decision . Yes. It is mainly to do with the fact they believe the group would be polarizing on campus. It may make other students upset or uncomfortable. Amy how do they determine this . Based office begin with other professors, reviewing other cases from around the country. Professors . Fordham they wrote in support of our cause and in support of allowing to sjp on campus. In addition, dozens of catholic clergy members from other churches and universities around this country wrote an open letter to fordham condemning the deans decision and telling fordham that they should revise. Could youima khalidi, talk about if there has been any precedents to this, a Student Government approving a group and the University Administration overturning that approval . That is why this case is so important. This is really the first instance were seeing of them banning a Student Group like this, especially after getting approval. We have seen sjp another Student Groups face a lot of pressure, censorship, even punishment for protesting for palestinian human rights, but this is the first time a university has censored to this point, to this level, without any debate even happening. Critical that we challenge this kind of blatant censorship. Amy what is article 78 . It is a procedure specific to new york law that allows challenging private institutions when they violate their own rules and regulations. Because private institutions are not bound by the First Amendment and in this case, we are challenging the universitys decision based on the fact it was an arbitrary and capricious decision. It was a bad faith decision. Fordhams oned guarantees to its students that it would respect their Free Expression and dissenting views, etc. New layout, what is the broader significance of this case . It stems far beyond Fordham University. Thats right. We are seeing around the country a very broadbased, consistent, and concerted effort to undermine the growing movement for palestinian rights. We saw in your earlier segment what is happening in palestine, the kinds of human rights abuses that are happening to children and otherwise. And people are upset about it with trumps jerusalem decision. With this growing movement, israel and its supporters in the trying toncreasingly shut down this conversation. This is what is happening at fordham. Toorder to support our right dissent in this country, to take these kinds of important positions, we have to ensure that universities dont get away with this kind of blatant censorship. Amy did other groups support you . A yes, we had support from number of other groups concluding the Muslim Students association who was externally supportive and helpful in our process moving forward. His students around campus, just begin with friends that i have, other classmates, everyone was interested to see with this has to offer because there was no other area where people could conflict on fordham s. Campus. Amy did you expect controversy . Not at all. Many people go to college is knowing that they are going to be able to speak their minds, say what they want and also be a little learn in the experience. Amy what happens now, dima khalidi . This was taken to court. He went before judge yesterday. What happens next . The hearing yesterday was on fordhams mission to dismiss and our motion for a pulmonary injunction. So the judge at the hearing did not make a ruling and were waiting for that ruling. We are hopeful that she really understood the issues at stake and we could expected in the next weeks or even months. Amy this is quite a lesson in law now that you are a law student at rutgers. I want to thank you both for being with us. Kim jongun for a graduate of Fordham University, started the process to get approval for a students for justice in Palestine Group at Fordham University, like some new universities and colleges have. And thank you to dima khalidi of palestine legal and cooperating counsel at the center for constitutional rights. That does it for our show. Democracy now is looking for feedback from people who appreciate the closed captioning. Email your comments to outreach democracynow. 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