President Trump recently vetoed a bipartisan Congressional resolution to end American assistance to the Saudi-led coalition fighting in Yemen, although the resolution’s supporters may yet try to override the veto. To Fatima Abo Alasrar, Michael Doran, and Bernard Haykel, such a move would do nothing to end the humanitarian and political crisis in that country, but would instead abandon its people to the brutal (and anti-Semitic) Iran-backed Houthi forces, and allow the Islamic Republic to establish a Hizballah-like entity on Saudi Arabia’s borders where it could threaten American interests and American allies. The three scholars give an in-depth analysis of the historical and ideological background to the conflict, of its strategic implications, and of what Washington can do about it. (Moderated by Lee Smith. Video, 100 minutes. A complete transcript is available at the link below.)
More about: Iran, Middle East, U.S. Foreign policy, Yemen