Dutch Ruppersberger caved to Saudi interests

Shame on Rep. Dutch Ruppersberger for being one of only five Democrats who joined House Speaker Paul Ryan in approving an amendment to the farm bill that would prevent invoking the War Powers Act to stop U.S. aid to Saudi Arabia in its war on Yemen (“In passing farm bill, Maryland Rep. Ruppersberger one of 5 Democrats to OK rule barring floor vote on Yemen,” Dec. 13)

Saudi Arabia with American military aid has targeted civilians in bombing campaigns, blockaded the harbor crucial for food imports, bombed sources of clean water and now the people of Yemen suffer epidemics of cholera and diphtheria, 14 million people are on the verge of mass starvation, the worst humanitarian crisis in the world, and we Americans continue to have blood on our hands. Congressman Ruppersberger may claim that he voted in favor of the amendment so the farm bill would pass, but either he fell for the sly maneuver pulled by Republican leadership or he chose to allow more Yemeni children to die rather than fight for both a decent farm bill and a Congress that invokes its responsibility in stopping indefensible wars it has not sanctioned.

When we kiss the heads of our own children and grandchildren, we must make ourselves remember the terrible images of 5-year-old children weighing ten pounds taking their last breaths, or their helpless grieving parents. We must also remember that the bombs assembled in the United States were made by Raytheon, General Dynamics and Lockheed and we must remember the members of Congress who voted to permit this atrocity to continue.

Dr. Gwen DuBois, Baltimore

The writer is president of Chesapeake Physicians for Social Responsibility.