"As the Obama administration continues to push for a nuclear deal with Iran, Iran is deploying war ships off the coast of Yemen in what's shaping up to be a proxy war between Iran and Saudi Arabia, the US. Here's why we care about what's happening in Yemen.
The situation in Yemen is spiraling thanks to Houthi rebels who have continued to gain control in what's shaping up to be a civil war within the country. The Houthi rebels are backed by Iran, though Iran won't admit this fact. They forced Yemeni President Hadi out of the capital of Sanaa last month, along with our own United States diplomats and military.
Yemen devolving into chaos is important geopolitically for a number of reasons.
1. Rise of AQAP: Yemen is home to al Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula (AQAP). In the vacuum of chaos, Secretary of Defense Ash Carter has already warned that AQAP has been able to make gains. AQAP is particularly dangerous because its terrorism targets include the West and the United States.
Chaos in Yemen gives AQAP more room to pursue its terrorist operations, which include targeting the United States.
2. Control of oil: Geographically, Yemen is important because it sits on a key narrow strait that is
used for oil tankers. Control of this waterway that links the Red Sea and the Gulf of Aden means that one essentially controls the flow of oil from the Middle East: “According to the US Energy Information Administration's (EIA) fact-sheet on global oil chokepoints, 3.8 million barrels of oil and 'refined petroleum products' passed through the Bab el-Mandeb each day on its way to Europe, Asia, and the US, making it the world's fourth-busiest chokepoint.” (Business Insider) According to the New York Times, the Iranian-backed Houthi rebels “are basically in control of Aden, the country’s southern port and No. 2 city.”
Disrupting the flow of oil can dramatically effect the price of oil throughout the world and lead to a regional battle for control.
3. Proxy war with Iran: Saudi Arabia is leading a coalition to stop the rise of these Iranian-backed Houthi rebels. The United States is aiding Saudi Arabia and its partners, such as Egypt, in its efforts; this includes intelligence, surveillance, equipment, munitions and military assistance for its airstrike campaign. Iran has recently moved two navy vessels off the coast of Yemen. In other words, we are basically engaged in a proxy war with Iran (who is backing the Houthi rebels) by supporting the Saudi-led coalition at a time when we are also negotiating a key nuclear deal.
Iran continues to deny backing the Houthi rebels, but even John Kerry recently stated that their support was obvious. Kerry also said, "Iran needs to recognize that the US is not going to stand by while the region is destabilized or while people engage in overt warfare across lines, international boundaries and other countries.” Meanwhile, Iranian President Rouhani is warning the Saudi coalition that airstrikes in Yemen are a “mistake.”
Not only are we highly engaged in another coalition effort in the Middle East, but we are essentially battling the very country (Iran) that we are supposed to trust in crucial nuclear negotiations.
4. Obama's failed counterterrorism strategy: Less than a year ago (September 2014), President Obama praised our efforts in Yemen as a successful example of his counterterrorism strategy. It was the basis for his new-found strategy to defeat the JV-team of terrorism, otherwise known as ISIS. But as we now know, his strategy in Yemen has utterly failed. This doesn't exactly instill confidence that his strategy will thusly work to defeat ISIS or other radical Islamic groups. The failure of our counterterrorism policy in Yemen proves that our leading-from-behind, pinprick strategy doesn't work. Unfortunately I don't see the strategy changing, so long as Obama is in the White House.
The failure of Obama's counterterrorism strategy in Yemen shows that America needs to make some serious adjustments if it is serious about winning the war against radical Islam."
SeanHanity
The situation in Yemen is spiraling thanks to Houthi rebels who have continued to gain control in what's shaping up to be a civil war within the country. The Houthi rebels are backed by Iran, though Iran won't admit this fact. They forced Yemeni President Hadi out of the capital of Sanaa last month, along with our own United States diplomats and military.
Yemen devolving into chaos is important geopolitically for a number of reasons.
1. Rise of AQAP: Yemen is home to al Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula (AQAP). In the vacuum of chaos, Secretary of Defense Ash Carter has already warned that AQAP has been able to make gains. AQAP is particularly dangerous because its terrorism targets include the West and the United States.
Chaos in Yemen gives AQAP more room to pursue its terrorist operations, which include targeting the United States.
2. Control of oil: Geographically, Yemen is important because it sits on a key narrow strait that is
Disrupting the flow of oil can dramatically effect the price of oil throughout the world and lead to a regional battle for control.
3. Proxy war with Iran: Saudi Arabia is leading a coalition to stop the rise of these Iranian-backed Houthi rebels. The United States is aiding Saudi Arabia and its partners, such as Egypt, in its efforts; this includes intelligence, surveillance, equipment, munitions and military assistance for its airstrike campaign. Iran has recently moved two navy vessels off the coast of Yemen. In other words, we are basically engaged in a proxy war with Iran (who is backing the Houthi rebels) by supporting the Saudi-led coalition at a time when we are also negotiating a key nuclear deal.
Iran continues to deny backing the Houthi rebels, but even John Kerry recently stated that their support was obvious. Kerry also said, "Iran needs to recognize that the US is not going to stand by while the region is destabilized or while people engage in overt warfare across lines, international boundaries and other countries.” Meanwhile, Iranian President Rouhani is warning the Saudi coalition that airstrikes in Yemen are a “mistake.”
Not only are we highly engaged in another coalition effort in the Middle East, but we are essentially battling the very country (Iran) that we are supposed to trust in crucial nuclear negotiations.
4. Obama's failed counterterrorism strategy: Less than a year ago (September 2014), President Obama praised our efforts in Yemen as a successful example of his counterterrorism strategy. It was the basis for his new-found strategy to defeat the JV-team of terrorism, otherwise known as ISIS. But as we now know, his strategy in Yemen has utterly failed. This doesn't exactly instill confidence that his strategy will thusly work to defeat ISIS or other radical Islamic groups. The failure of our counterterrorism policy in Yemen proves that our leading-from-behind, pinprick strategy doesn't work. Unfortunately I don't see the strategy changing, so long as Obama is in the White House.
The failure of Obama's counterterrorism strategy in Yemen shows that America needs to make some serious adjustments if it is serious about winning the war against radical Islam."
SeanHanity
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