Despite accusations that Netanyahu is a blind warmonger…according to research on the people in Israel’s war room, after October 7th, Netanyahu shot down full invasions of Gaza and ideas for attacks on Hezbollah out of concerns of IDF losses and mass civilian death in Gaza. He later was convinced to do these things, and became one of the biggest hawks.
Netanyahu thought Iran was the real threat, so dropped the ball on the possibility of an October 7th. The political leaders blamed the military for not being prepared, and the military leaders blamed the political leaders for not properly emphasizing the Gaza threat. Netanyahu still thinks Iran is the bigger threat.
In 1900, 25% of the Middle East was Christian. Then, partially due to genocides, ethnic cleansings, and other violence…now the Christian population is 4%.
After the Ottoman Empire fell, the Western powers split up the land into different countries, then, partially in attempts to consolidate these nationalistic states, the peoples of these new states committed atrocities against minorities.
In the Middle East, the peoples who didn’t have their own state, were often slaughtered, including the Jews, yet people think the Jews will be okay living in an Arab majority Palestine.
US advisors and special forces have been involved in Yemen since Obama-times, fighting Al Qaeda terrorists, then also the Houthis. These missions killed some terrorists, but Yemen remains a major problem with no long-term solution in sight.
Before 9/11, the Bush administration was warned about Al Qaeda, but they dismissed it. 9/11 could have been prevented if defense against terrorism was more of a focus. The previous administration was relatively more focused on it and did stop an attack.
The Houthis look at the Iran war, and they perceive Iran as winning, and this emboldened them.
Iran has been supplying the Houthis with arms high in quantity and quality. The Houthis are well organized while their opposition is divided and not as well armed.
The Houthis are hitting Saudi Arabia hard and gas prices are going up as a result.
WHERE IS TURKEY AND PAKISTAN!? SAUDI ARABIA’S NEW ALLIES!!!
Iran is hurting from the US blockade, but the Iranian government cares more about staying in power than the welfare of its own people. There is limited internal resistance to the regime, but it’s not clear how or if this will escalate to overthrow it.
Normally, if a group was taking territory to help them limit traffic in the Bab al-Mandeb Strait while also successfully striking an important Saudi pipeline, the US would intervene militarily to keep the oil flowing. That the US so far has chosen not to directly intervene, shows what hectic times we are in with the, so far, failed war in Iran.
Trump is hoping that an agreement with the Houthis where only Saudi tankers are affected will hold.
Saudi Arabia is under attack, where are its treaty allies Turkey and Pakistan?