Arab forces led by Saudi Arabia have gone to war against Iran’s proxies in Yemen. The air forces bombed the Houthi fighters who have taken control of Yemen’s capital and advanced on the southern city of Aden where the country’s president has taken refuge’
Saudi Ambassador Adel al-Jubeir told reporters that the coalition of Arabian peninsula forces are defending the legitimate government” of Yemen President Abd-Rabbu Mansour Hadi.
This event happens during the pressure on Iran to resolve its nuclear affairs in the talks with the UN allies led by the US. France among others have called in Iran to not only disarm its atomic weapons program, but to stop projecting power in the middle easy. Iran currently leads much of the the effort against ISIS in Iraq as well as being a major force in Lebanon and Syria via tis proxies in Hezbollah.
This could offer Israel a unique opportunity to seek peace with Palestine. Unfortunately, Israel’s s election of Netanyahu, an irredentist Prime Minister who seems to have eschewed the phenomenal opportunity to show support for the Sunni Palestinians. Obviously Hamas is greatly weakened while the Sunni states need to turn their attention to the threat from Iran.
The Sunni war against Iran started.
Israel has the unique opportunity to not interfere. Nothing to do with the management of the Palestinian conflict; even if now were talks with Abbas, any Israeli leader will wait what will happen now when a Sunni coalition is firing the first salvo against Houthi Iran’s proxies.
What will do Obama’s administration that is trying to deal with Iran against the interests of the USA’s allies, Saudi, Jordan, Egypt and Israel? Will provide only information and advice? will take an active role? will make the same mistakes as in Libya, Afghanistan, Iraq?
As a personal and foolish prediction, I believe that this is the start of the first major religious war of the XXI century.
Mirel,
I think Obama IS doing the correct thing. For the first time since the Brits, we see an Arab force doing its own dirty work. AND that force is allied with the US/
I also do not see the Iran v. SA confect as a war of religion. Iran has a democracy. Probably not very different from where Israel is headed under Netanyahu. this is democracy dominated by a religious authority. Khomeini designed that system as a democratic version of the idealized Constitution of Medina that Mohamud used to run Medina before he his war with Mecca. There is nothing Shia or Sunni abut that system of government. I suspect that Iran wants Iraq, Syria, Lebanon.and Kuwait to adopt something similar with a religious council comprised of the local flavor of Islam having authority over a locally elected govt.
This si not all that different from what GW Bush envisaged when he invaded Iraq.
The contrast with the mmonarchs who rule the Oil states is obvious and should distress any Israli or American. These countries have REAL monoarchies that exploit their people. Worse, these countries (unlike Iran) also ignore the Prophet’s admonition against both Kings and against nationaolism. He preched for rule more or less loike that in Iran and felt that national borders were less important that the entire community of Islam, the Umayya.
If I were a n Arab living almost anywhere the Iranina idea of government would be very attractive!
Back at Bibiland (aka Israel). If he had not made such a mess, now would be the time to show that Israel can be a force for stability. Hamas, as part of the Sunni world, is fighting for tis life vs. Iran. More importantly Abdullah and Sisi need to show they can govern. Sadly, Bibi has done so much to PROVE he does not want peace that Israleiu si being isolated. Worse, he is encouraging the growth of the cheredim .. Israel’s own version of Khomeini. THAT woud creat areal religous war!
This is what happens when an idiot president (Bush) who doesn’t know what he’s doing creates a power vacuum in a volatile region like the Middle East. Sometimes the dictator you know is better (relatively speaking) than the ones lurking in the shadows.
Not to defend Bush, BUT .. if you take an Israel centric POV, Bush did Israel a favor. W/O Hussein, the Palestinians have NO rational backup if a war threatened. The problem is Bebe is too damn stupid to take advantage of the opportunity.