This is an article I wrote for ROK around December. It was rejected.
As requested by @Leonard D Neubache, I provide it here:
The Yemen War was already covered on this website by my colleague Quintus Curtius twice (1, 2).
I assume that most ROK readers have very little interest in this poor country, much alone in a conflict which brought unimaginable suffering to the population there,
including a Cholera epidemic with a death toll of over 2000.
This war is actually another part of the great proxy war. Most of the attention goes to Syria and Iraq.
In the case of Yemen we see the same players (with a slightly different cast) and the same plot, happening all over again.
Iran's use of Proxies
Iran has been using plausible deniability for decades now. They use the Hamas in Gaza strip, Hezbollah in Lebanon and now the Houthis in Yemen.
Iran, based on their proxies experience have encouraged their Houthi allies to launch missiles on Saudi Arabia. Those missiles were Iranian.
If your country is hit by missiles, there is no way you are going to stop fighting. Recent history has shown again and again that those types of attack usually encourage war rather than peace (WW2, Vietnam, Iran-Iraq war, Second Lebanon war and others).
![[Image: Yemen.jpg]](https://southfront.org/wp-content/uploads/2015/12/Yemen.jpg)
Translation: God is the greatest, Death to America, Death to Israel, A curse upon Jews, Victory to Islam. As an Israeli Jew I'm not ofended
The Houthis use the tactic of escalating (by missiles) and then demanding to stop retribution afterwards. Don't think that the Saudis are the good guys here, they have their fare share of evil deeds.
The more interesting thing is the Iranian strategy - Using one country to influence others. It is able to arm, guide and manage proxies for a common goal, thus hurting its enemies.
The missiles escalation
Firing the missile on Riyadh was not the first time. Late July saw a missile being fired at the holy city of Mecca.
That is a very big deal, as that city is considered the holiest muslim city.
The Houthis reputation was damaged bad since it was only a couple of days before the Hajj (annual Islamic pilgrimage) began. This may be tied to the tension between Iran and Saudi Arabia over the Hajj.
![[Image: Yemeni-missiles-hit-their-targets-and-do...jpg?x52908]](http://www.yemenpress.org/wp-content/uploads/2017/07/Yemeni-missiles-hit-their-targets-and-do-not-targeted-Mecca-Saudi-allegations-are-mere-false-and-malicious.jpg?x52908)
Yep, it's a Photoshop job. Yemeni press as part of the propaganda campaign
The Houthis were not only targeting population, but also strategic assets. A few days before the missile launch on Mecca, a missile was fired on Yanbu.
That is where Aramco (Saudi oil company) has its main oil refinery facilities. Talk about literally lighting the fire. Apart from that, the Houthis have threatened to launch missiles at UAE and have used short range missiles and suicide boats to hit UAE ships.
Meanwhile Saudi Arabia does not sit by idle. They have launched their next attack on Sana (Yemen's capital).
The Russian angle
Ali Abduallah Saleh, the former president of North Yemen was (and still is) pro-Russian. Russia has shown a good understanding of politics in the Middle-East recently, and in the past.
Unlike in Syria, the Russian interest is less direct. Russia does not seem to want to put forces there, but it has a direct channel to Iran, Saleh and the Houthis. A recent article suggests (indirectly) that the Russian interest is to keep the Saudi bleeding. That seems reasonable with what is known of the Russian doctrine.
Saudi has sponsored the Chechen rebels, and the Russian have a very long memory. Remember that revenge is a dish best served cold.
The funny thing is that Iran and Russia are actually trying to negotiate some sort of truce between the Yemenite parties, but UAE is standing in the way. Dubai (part of the UAE) suggested Salah to have peace - with the Saudis.
Saudis on their part make sure not to bomb him. This is classic Divide and Conquer, because Saleh is a major player. If he and his forces step out, the Houthis may break down under the pressure.
However, this requires crafty diplomacy and a lot of hidden negotiations.
![[Image: 7278ceaef79143f9bb528fd4c1c89441_6.png]](https://www.aljazeera.com/mritems/Images/2017/10/4/7278ceaef79143f9bb528fd4c1c89441_6.png)
What's next
[This was written in December 2017. I wasn't that off]
The Middle East is still volatile, even at its edge.
Yemen has been a center of conflict in the past. It has a strategic location, yet it is one of the poorest countries in the world.
My guess? It will be years until parties will decide to stop, because they have bled themselves to death. This will make the country a wasteland.
As requested by @Leonard D Neubache, I provide it here:
The Yemen War was already covered on this website by my colleague Quintus Curtius twice (1, 2).
I assume that most ROK readers have very little interest in this poor country, much alone in a conflict which brought unimaginable suffering to the population there,
including a Cholera epidemic with a death toll of over 2000.
This war is actually another part of the great proxy war. Most of the attention goes to Syria and Iraq.
In the case of Yemen we see the same players (with a slightly different cast) and the same plot, happening all over again.
Iran's use of Proxies
Iran has been using plausible deniability for decades now. They use the Hamas in Gaza strip, Hezbollah in Lebanon and now the Houthis in Yemen.
Iran, based on their proxies experience have encouraged their Houthi allies to launch missiles on Saudi Arabia. Those missiles were Iranian.
If your country is hit by missiles, there is no way you are going to stop fighting. Recent history has shown again and again that those types of attack usually encourage war rather than peace (WW2, Vietnam, Iran-Iraq war, Second Lebanon war and others).
Translation: God is the greatest, Death to America, Death to Israel, A curse upon Jews, Victory to Islam. As an Israeli Jew I'm not ofended
The Houthis use the tactic of escalating (by missiles) and then demanding to stop retribution afterwards. Don't think that the Saudis are the good guys here, they have their fare share of evil deeds.
The more interesting thing is the Iranian strategy - Using one country to influence others. It is able to arm, guide and manage proxies for a common goal, thus hurting its enemies.
The missiles escalation
Firing the missile on Riyadh was not the first time. Late July saw a missile being fired at the holy city of Mecca.
That is a very big deal, as that city is considered the holiest muslim city.
The Houthis reputation was damaged bad since it was only a couple of days before the Hajj (annual Islamic pilgrimage) began. This may be tied to the tension between Iran and Saudi Arabia over the Hajj.
Yep, it's a Photoshop job. Yemeni press as part of the propaganda campaign
The Houthis were not only targeting population, but also strategic assets. A few days before the missile launch on Mecca, a missile was fired on Yanbu.
That is where Aramco (Saudi oil company) has its main oil refinery facilities. Talk about literally lighting the fire. Apart from that, the Houthis have threatened to launch missiles at UAE and have used short range missiles and suicide boats to hit UAE ships.
Meanwhile Saudi Arabia does not sit by idle. They have launched their next attack on Sana (Yemen's capital).
The Russian angle
Ali Abduallah Saleh, the former president of North Yemen was (and still is) pro-Russian. Russia has shown a good understanding of politics in the Middle-East recently, and in the past.
Unlike in Syria, the Russian interest is less direct. Russia does not seem to want to put forces there, but it has a direct channel to Iran, Saleh and the Houthis. A recent article suggests (indirectly) that the Russian interest is to keep the Saudi bleeding. That seems reasonable with what is known of the Russian doctrine.
Saudi has sponsored the Chechen rebels, and the Russian have a very long memory. Remember that revenge is a dish best served cold.
The funny thing is that Iran and Russia are actually trying to negotiate some sort of truce between the Yemenite parties, but UAE is standing in the way. Dubai (part of the UAE) suggested Salah to have peace - with the Saudis.
Saudis on their part make sure not to bomb him. This is classic Divide and Conquer, because Saleh is a major player. If he and his forces step out, the Houthis may break down under the pressure.
However, this requires crafty diplomacy and a lot of hidden negotiations.
What's next
[This was written in December 2017. I wasn't that off]
The Middle East is still volatile, even at its edge.
Yemen has been a center of conflict in the past. It has a strategic location, yet it is one of the poorest countries in the world.
My guess? It will be years until parties will decide to stop, because they have bled themselves to death. This will make the country a wasteland.
"I love a fulfilling and sexual relationship. That is why I make the effort to have many of those" - TheMaleBrain
"Now you see that evil will always triumph because good is dumb." - Spaceballs
"If you strike me down, I shall become more powerful than you could possibly imagine" - Obi-Wan Kenobi
![[Image: lol.gif]](https://rooshvforum.network/images/smilies/new/lol.gif)
![[Image: zero-fucks-given-smoking-baby.jpg]](http://www.zerofucks.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/09/zero-fucks-given-smoking-baby.jpg)
![[Image: BWttXea.jpg]](https://i.imgur.com/BWttXea.jpg)
