02-26-2018, 11:21 PM
*** 27-Feb-18 World View -- Saudi Arabia sacks its top tier of military commanders as Yemen war drags on
This morning's key headlines from GenerationalDynamics.com
****
**** From missile strikes and bombings to cholera, war-torn Yemen deteriorates
****
![[Image: g180226b.jpg]](http://Media.GenerationalDynamics.com/ww2010/g180226b.jpg)
Saudi Arabia's 32-year-old Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman (AFP)
Saudi Arabia officials say that the war in Yemen is proceeding
successfully. But few people believe that. When the war began in
March 2015, the Saudis thought that they'd win quickly. The
Iran-backed Houthis, which represent about 15% of Yemen's population,
with a stronghold in northwest Yemen, had invaded and taken control of
Yemen's capital city Sanaa in late 2014, and drove out the
Saudi-supported ethnic Sunni government.
So the Saudis formed a coalition with United Arab Emirates (UAE) and
Egypt, and began airstrikes in March 2015, believing that this would
force the Houthis to the negotiating table, where they'd sue for
peace.
It hasn't worked out that way, as the Houthis proved extremely
resilient and even gained additional territory.
What the airstrikes HAVE accomplished is to turn Yemen into a
humanitarian disaster. Yemen relies heavily on food imports and is on
the brink of famine. In order to prevent import of Iranian weapons to
the Houthis, the Saudis have blockaded the ports, but this has also
made it impossible to import food, medicines and other humanitarian
aid. Yemen was already one of the poorest countries in the world, but
the blockade made things much worse. The result is that, of Yemen's
25 million population, more than 22 million are desperately need of
food and humanitarian assistance, including 11.3 million in acute
need.
The country is also facing a cholera epidemic, which has already
killed thousands of people. According to the World Health
Organization (WHO), the number of cholera infections had been in
decline in Yemen over the past 20 weeks after it hit the 1 million
mark of suspected cases. But now that's going to change again,
because Yemen is entering a new phase of rainy seasons. The country
had also had an outbreak of diphtheria, a disease that usually affects
children, and can be prevented with vaccines.
In addition to famine and disease, Yemen is also targeted by a
resilient so-called Islamic State (IS or ISIS or ISIL or Daesh). On
Saturday, two car bomb explosions killed at least six people and
wounded 43 others in the southern port city of Aden, which is the
stronghold of what's left of the Sunni government. ISIS claimed
credit for the bombings.
On the other hand, a high-level Saudi researcher says:
<QUOTE>"I find the English proverb “slow and steady” the best
way to describe the decisive course the war in Yemen is taking,
with the crisis coming to an end along with the restoration of
hope.
A continuous collapse of the Iran-backed Houthi militia is obvious
from the outcome of battles, with the advance of the national
armies supported by the coalition forces that uphold
legitimacy."<END QUOTE>
That would have to be considered the optimistic Saudi view of the war,
but this is not widely believed. Reuters and Bloomberg and Al Arabiya (Riyadh)
****
**** Saudi Arabia sacks its top tier of military commanders
****
In a series of late-night royal decrees, Saudi Arabia's King Salman
sacked the country's top military commanders and the headers of the
ground forces and air defenses.
It's believed that the firings are the work of the 32-year-old Crown
Prince Mohammed bin Salman, known as "MBS", who is also the defense
minister, and who has forced rapid change in the kingdom, including
the arrests of dozens of high level government officials on charges of
corruption.
MBS is also believed to have been the instigator of the Yemen
war. The fact that the war did not end in a quick victory,
but instead appears to be an unending disaster, is being
blamed on MBS himself.
Saudi Arabia announced the military firings without providing
any reasons. However, it's believed that the firings are
related to the lack of success in the Yemen war.
Reportedly, these firing represent a generational change in the
leadership of the military, and that the older leaders were fired and
are being replaced by other military figures who are younger and who
are thought to be loyal to MBS. Saudi Press Agency and BBC and
Reuters and Bloomberg
Related Articles:
KEYS: Generational Dynamics, Saudi Arabia, Yemen, Houthis, Iran,
United Arab Emirates, UAE, Egypt,
World Health Organization, WHO, cholera, diphtheria,
King Salman, Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, MBS
Permanent web link to this article
Receive daily World View columns by e-mail
Contribute to Generational Dynamics via PayPal
John J. Xenakis
100 Memorial Drive Apt 8-13A
Cambridge, MA 02142
Phone: 617-864-0010
E-mail: john@GenerationalDynamics.com
Web site: http://www.GenerationalDynamics.com
Forum: http://www.gdxforum.com/forum
Subscribe to World View: http://generationaldynamics.com/subscribe
This morning's key headlines from GenerationalDynamics.com
- From missile strikes and bombings to cholera, war-torn Yemen deteriorates
- Saudi Arabia sacks its top tier of military commanders
****
**** From missile strikes and bombings to cholera, war-torn Yemen deteriorates
****
Saudi Arabia's 32-year-old Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman (AFP)
Saudi Arabia officials say that the war in Yemen is proceeding
successfully. But few people believe that. When the war began in
March 2015, the Saudis thought that they'd win quickly. The
Iran-backed Houthis, which represent about 15% of Yemen's population,
with a stronghold in northwest Yemen, had invaded and taken control of
Yemen's capital city Sanaa in late 2014, and drove out the
Saudi-supported ethnic Sunni government.
So the Saudis formed a coalition with United Arab Emirates (UAE) and
Egypt, and began airstrikes in March 2015, believing that this would
force the Houthis to the negotiating table, where they'd sue for
peace.
It hasn't worked out that way, as the Houthis proved extremely
resilient and even gained additional territory.
What the airstrikes HAVE accomplished is to turn Yemen into a
humanitarian disaster. Yemen relies heavily on food imports and is on
the brink of famine. In order to prevent import of Iranian weapons to
the Houthis, the Saudis have blockaded the ports, but this has also
made it impossible to import food, medicines and other humanitarian
aid. Yemen was already one of the poorest countries in the world, but
the blockade made things much worse. The result is that, of Yemen's
25 million population, more than 22 million are desperately need of
food and humanitarian assistance, including 11.3 million in acute
need.
The country is also facing a cholera epidemic, which has already
killed thousands of people. According to the World Health
Organization (WHO), the number of cholera infections had been in
decline in Yemen over the past 20 weeks after it hit the 1 million
mark of suspected cases. But now that's going to change again,
because Yemen is entering a new phase of rainy seasons. The country
had also had an outbreak of diphtheria, a disease that usually affects
children, and can be prevented with vaccines.
In addition to famine and disease, Yemen is also targeted by a
resilient so-called Islamic State (IS or ISIS or ISIL or Daesh). On
Saturday, two car bomb explosions killed at least six people and
wounded 43 others in the southern port city of Aden, which is the
stronghold of what's left of the Sunni government. ISIS claimed
credit for the bombings.
On the other hand, a high-level Saudi researcher says:
<QUOTE>"I find the English proverb “slow and steady” the best
way to describe the decisive course the war in Yemen is taking,
with the crisis coming to an end along with the restoration of
hope.
A continuous collapse of the Iran-backed Houthi militia is obvious
from the outcome of battles, with the advance of the national
armies supported by the coalition forces that uphold
legitimacy."<END QUOTE>
That would have to be considered the optimistic Saudi view of the war,
but this is not widely believed. Reuters and Bloomberg and Al Arabiya (Riyadh)
****
**** Saudi Arabia sacks its top tier of military commanders
****
In a series of late-night royal decrees, Saudi Arabia's King Salman
sacked the country's top military commanders and the headers of the
ground forces and air defenses.
It's believed that the firings are the work of the 32-year-old Crown
Prince Mohammed bin Salman, known as "MBS", who is also the defense
minister, and who has forced rapid change in the kingdom, including
the arrests of dozens of high level government officials on charges of
corruption.
MBS is also believed to have been the instigator of the Yemen
war. The fact that the war did not end in a quick victory,
but instead appears to be an unending disaster, is being
blamed on MBS himself.
Saudi Arabia announced the military firings without providing
any reasons. However, it's believed that the firings are
related to the lack of success in the Yemen war.
Reportedly, these firing represent a generational change in the
leadership of the military, and that the older leaders were fired and
are being replaced by other military figures who are younger and who
are thought to be loyal to MBS. Saudi Press Agency and BBC and
Reuters and Bloomberg
Related Articles:
- Clashes erupt between Saudi and UAE backed forces in South Yemen's port of Aden (29-Jan-2018)
- Saudi's young Crown Prince Salman forces rapid change among multiple crises (06-Nov-2017)
- Yemen war changes direction with collapse of Iran-backed Houthi coalition (03-Dec-2017)
- Generational history of Shia Houthis in Yemen (21-Aug-2016)
- Saudi Arabia says it will 'end major combat operations' in Yemen (18-Mar-2016)
- Iran brags that Sanaa Yemen is the fourth Arab capital they control (24-Sep-2014)
KEYS: Generational Dynamics, Saudi Arabia, Yemen, Houthis, Iran,
United Arab Emirates, UAE, Egypt,
World Health Organization, WHO, cholera, diphtheria,
King Salman, Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, MBS
Permanent web link to this article
Receive daily World View columns by e-mail
Contribute to Generational Dynamics via PayPal
John J. Xenakis
100 Memorial Drive Apt 8-13A
Cambridge, MA 02142
Phone: 617-864-0010
E-mail: john@GenerationalDynamics.com
Web site: http://www.GenerationalDynamics.com
Forum: http://www.gdxforum.com/forum
Subscribe to World View: http://generationaldynamics.com/subscribe
