Burnley123 · 41-45, M
CedricH · 22-25, M
@Burnley123 The Houthis have been a threat to the region and the global commons since their seizure of Sana‘a in 2014, far predating the current US-Iran war.
And to borrow your rhetoric. One thing that would help would be to win the war with Iran.
And I‘m confident the administration will resume the long overdue air campaign that has imprudently been put on hold, with sporadic exceptions, since mid-April. Presumably after the midterm elections.
And to borrow your rhetoric. One thing that would help would be to win the war with Iran.
And I‘m confident the administration will resume the long overdue air campaign that has imprudently been put on hold, with sporadic exceptions, since mid-April. Presumably after the midterm elections.
Burnley123 · 41-45, M
@CedricH The biggest threats to the region are Israel and America, if I can borrow from your rhetoric.
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CedricH · 22-25, M
@Picklebobble2 I‘m not sure what you mean by
It is plainly inaccurate to assert that the Houthis were kept in line by much at all. While aligned with Iran, they’re an independent actor with their own mission to challenge the US-led regional order in the Middle East for the purpose of reducing any obstacles to their movements revolutionary and zealous expansion.
If the regime in Iran did fall, it would clearly weaken the Houthis as it would Iran’s other terrorist proxies in Iraq, Lebanon and Gaza, but it wouldn’t automatically usher in their demise. The Houthis have been working on an indigenous, albeit primitive, military industrial base, fueled by imported or smuggled Chinese commercial dual-use inputs used for drone construction among other things.
Houthi aggression will persist even after the fall of the Islamic Republic in Tehran and demands separate and calibrated attention.
As for your last paragraph. The Houthis are already a Foreign Terrorist Organization (FTO) and they do have links to the remnants of AQAP and Al-Shabab in Somalia.
Having said that, they‘re a former insurgent group turned non-state militia. They‘re ill-equipped to stage transnational terror plots and fear of such attacks should not militate against taking decisive action against the group. Quite the opposite, in fact.
Otherwise, it would be akin to letting Russia dominate Eastern Europe for fear of continued arson attacks, or acts of sabotage. That’s the very essence of defeatism and it‘ll inevitably produce more war on far less favorable terms to the American-led world order.
The Houthis present an acute geopolitical threat that can and should be dealt with. It is time to address the issue with an appropriate level of seriousness.
these groups
The Houthis are one group and they’re the subject of this essay. It is plainly inaccurate to assert that the Houthis were kept in line by much at all. While aligned with Iran, they’re an independent actor with their own mission to challenge the US-led regional order in the Middle East for the purpose of reducing any obstacles to their movements revolutionary and zealous expansion.
If the regime in Iran did fall, it would clearly weaken the Houthis as it would Iran’s other terrorist proxies in Iraq, Lebanon and Gaza, but it wouldn’t automatically usher in their demise. The Houthis have been working on an indigenous, albeit primitive, military industrial base, fueled by imported or smuggled Chinese commercial dual-use inputs used for drone construction among other things.
Houthi aggression will persist even after the fall of the Islamic Republic in Tehran and demands separate and calibrated attention.
As for your last paragraph. The Houthis are already a Foreign Terrorist Organization (FTO) and they do have links to the remnants of AQAP and Al-Shabab in Somalia.
Having said that, they‘re a former insurgent group turned non-state militia. They‘re ill-equipped to stage transnational terror plots and fear of such attacks should not militate against taking decisive action against the group. Quite the opposite, in fact.
Otherwise, it would be akin to letting Russia dominate Eastern Europe for fear of continued arson attacks, or acts of sabotage. That’s the very essence of defeatism and it‘ll inevitably produce more war on far less favorable terms to the American-led world order.
The Houthis present an acute geopolitical threat that can and should be dealt with. It is time to address the issue with an appropriate level of seriousness.
MoveAlong · 70-79, M
I would like for one time see the Saudis spend their wealth and blood defending themselves. The US would not have to come running every time there is a problem in the region if they would take a little of the burden upon themselves.
SunshineGirl · 41-45, F
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SunshineGirl · 41-45, F
@GerOttman I can see no direct connection between the policies of previous administrations and the decision of Donald Trump to start an unprovoked war which has strengthened the hand of the Iranian regime. Iran has been chanting "Death to America" (and Britain) for over 50 years now. I believe Trump completely miscalculated and lacks the diplomatic skills required to extricate himself. I would say this is what happens when you let a businessman into politics, but the complete lack of self-awareness and apparent inability to negotiate a deal would be fairly extraordinary in the business world too.
ElwoodBlues · M
@GerOttman says
The Obama admin secured an agreement, formally known as the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action, or JCPOA, that was signed in 2015 by the United States and Iran as well as China, Russia, France, Germany and the United Kingdom.
Under the deal, Iran agreed not to pursue nuclear weapons and to allow continuous monitoring of its compliance in exchange for relief from economic sanctions. Iran also gave up 98% of its enriched uranium.
Lemme repeat that: Iran agreed ... to allow continuous monitoring of its compliance
Lemme repeat that: Iran also gave up 98% of its enriched uranium.
The monitoring plan under Obama was a rigorous technical inspection regime of Iran's facilities. Key parts of the inspection instrumentation were implemented and verified by Obama's Energy Secretary, an MIT nuclear physicist named Dr Ernest Moniz. Moniz's system could identify traces (secondary radioactivity) left by radioactive materials even after they had been moved.
It was Obama's inspection deal that halted Iran's uranium enrichment program in exchange for relaxed sanctions.
Moniz's technical inspection regime was a major part of what tRump blew up in 2018. Without the Obama deal, Iran immediately restarted their UF6 centrifuge uranium enrichment program.
It was the failure of tRump to "make a better deal" after blowing up JCPOA that forced tRump to drop bunker buster bombs on Iran's uranium enrichment program in 2025. And it was the failure of that tactic that caused "no new wars" tRump to start the current 2026 ongoing war with Iran.
And finally, it was the failure of tRump's 2026 war strategy that caused Iran to close the Strait of Hormuz, thus driving up oil prices.
I would point out however that Mr. Obama actually solved nothing and simply provided financial support to a terrorist regime.
NOPE!! DEAD WRONG!!!The Obama admin secured an agreement, formally known as the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action, or JCPOA, that was signed in 2015 by the United States and Iran as well as China, Russia, France, Germany and the United Kingdom.
Under the deal, Iran agreed not to pursue nuclear weapons and to allow continuous monitoring of its compliance in exchange for relief from economic sanctions. Iran also gave up 98% of its enriched uranium.
Lemme repeat that: Iran agreed ... to allow continuous monitoring of its compliance
Lemme repeat that: Iran also gave up 98% of its enriched uranium.
The monitoring plan under Obama was a rigorous technical inspection regime of Iran's facilities. Key parts of the inspection instrumentation were implemented and verified by Obama's Energy Secretary, an MIT nuclear physicist named Dr Ernest Moniz. Moniz's system could identify traces (secondary radioactivity) left by radioactive materials even after they had been moved.
It was Obama's inspection deal that halted Iran's uranium enrichment program in exchange for relaxed sanctions.
Moniz's technical inspection regime was a major part of what tRump blew up in 2018. Without the Obama deal, Iran immediately restarted their UF6 centrifuge uranium enrichment program.
It was the failure of tRump to "make a better deal" after blowing up JCPOA that forced tRump to drop bunker buster bombs on Iran's uranium enrichment program in 2025. And it was the failure of that tactic that caused "no new wars" tRump to start the current 2026 ongoing war with Iran.
And finally, it was the failure of tRump's 2026 war strategy that caused Iran to close the Strait of Hormuz, thus driving up oil prices.