The devastating war in Yemen has gotten more attention recently as outrage over the lynching of the Saudi dissident in Istanbul.
The brutal killing of Jamal Khashoggi, and later dropping his corpse with bones but without meat have put the Saudi’s in the spotlight. The harshest carping over Saudi led war was focused on the air strikes that killed thousands of civilians at weddings, funerals and on school buses. According to experts and the United Nations officials, the war waged in Yemen is a more insidious form of war, a mix of economic devastation and power, that is exacting a far greater toll on civilians.
The prolonged instability in the Middle East is before the world. Iran-Saudi skirmishes are the painful truth of today’s Middle East imbroglio. At least five Muslim countries have been indirectly, if not directly, affected by the conundrum including Iraq, Syria, Bahrain, Lebanon and Yemen. In the case of Syria and Iraq, the power has been shifted on Iran’s side.
Tehran has been strengthening its strong roots in both the states by destroying the seed of ISIS. The looming influence of Iran has drawn a dark cloud of defeat over its enemy, Saudi Arabia. In 2015, Riyadh observed that Tehran lagged behind in imposing an influence over both the countries. Although, Saudi Arabia invaded Yemen in order to heal wounds of dishonour but, yet, its efforts were futile. In fact, Saudi Arabia is entangled in an impasse. Along the 1800 kilometre border with Yemen has been a life stumbling block for it. On the other hand, it has become a victim of criticism on the international level.
Conspiring to destabilise the future nuclear rival has been on its apex but toppling the Irani government is not an easy task for both Washington DC and Riyadh. In order to succeed in this mission, the US has put a sanction on Iran whereas Tehran has yet not been caught in the web of the two hunters
The Houthi rebellion and retaliation has become an unprecedented resistance for Riyadh, in a win-win game. Moreover, Iran’s assistance of the rebels has made the war more complicated. Saudi Arabia’s adaptation of an acrimonious strategy to make Iran internally weak has not worked yet. Similarly, the rival country is still determined to triumph in the cold war by eliminating Saudi influence from the region. However, fight at the long border has made Saudi Arabia insecure but Uncle Sam’s continuous support has become a reason to keep engaging in war.
Conspiring to destabilise the future nuclear rival has been on its apex but toppling the Irani government is not an easy task for both Washington D.C and Riyadh. In order to succeed in this mission, the US has put a sanction on Iran whereas Tehran has yet not been caught in the web of the two hunters. On the other hand, Saudi Arabia has been using Afghan Taliban to achieve its goal, but it has not proved to be effective.
Lastly, Saudi Arabia and Iran both, view all this engagement as a proxy war but civilians of Sana’a are the victims of this conflict. The signs are clear and are everywhere, they cut across the boundaries of class, tribe and the region. Unpaid university professors issue desperate appeals for help on social media. Doctors and teachers are forced to sell their gold and properties for feeding their families. On the streets of the capital, Sana’a, an elderly woman begs for alms with a loudspeaker.
“Help me,” the woman calls out. “I have a sick husband. I have a house for rent. Help. Please help.”
The writer has a Bachelors in Commerce and can be contacted on his Email: [email protected]
Published in Daily Times, November 2nd 2018.