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| The Saudis fly American Apache and Black Hawk helicopters into Yemen from military bases in Saudi Arabia … Though the U.S. has denied engaging directly in hostilities against the Houthis, American MQ-9 Reaper drones – a reconnaissance drone with hunt-and-kill capabilities—have flown over Houthi occupied territory. After the Houthis shot down one of the drones in October 2017, it led to speculation that the U.S. could be using them to collect intelligence for the Saudis. Targeting being effectuated by American drones could mean that U.S. drones play a more active role in coalition targeting, like laser-sighting precision-guided munitions drops, for example. U.S. Central Command strongly denied that U.S. drones have any operational role in coalition targeting. ‘The U.S. military does not provide that type of support to the Saudi-led coalition,’ a CENTCOM spokesperson told The Intercept by email. ‘Our role with the Saudi-led coalition is advisory only. We provide intelligence and advise the coalition on best practices, air-to-ground space awareness, and the law of armed conflict.’ —The Intercept, April 15, 2019. Photo: A Saudi Apache at war in Yemen in 2017. —The Baghdad Post. |
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Government helicopters
hovering over a burning village
Moths around the porch light
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Bees in among the marigolds
hijacking precious pollen
Mercenaries who never got paid
3
It was you who left the door open
let this fly into the house
The buzz of military drones
Howie Good is the author most recently of Spooky Action at a Distance from Analog Submission Press.