03-26-2018, 10:12 PM
*** 27-Mar-18 World View -- Al-Houthi missile attack on Saudi cities sharply escalates the Yemen war
This morning's key headlines from GenerationalDynamics.com
****
**** Yemen's Iran-backed al-Houthi rebels launch barrage of missile attacks on Saudi cities
****
![[Image: g180326b.jpg]](http://Media.GenerationalDynamics.com/ww2010/g180326b.jpg)
Light show over Saudi capital city Riyadh, as American-supplied Patriot missiles intercept ballistic missiles launched by al-Houthis in Yemen (CNN)
The Yemen war sharply escalated on Monday when the rebel al-Houthis
launched a barrage of seven ballistic missiles from Yemen across the
Saudi Arabia border. Three of them targeted the capital city Riyadh,
while the other four targeted other nearby cities. In all cases,
civilian neighborhoods were targeted.
The Saudis targeted the incoming missiles with defensive
American-supplied Patriot missiles. At least one and possibly two of
the Patriot missiles failed to achieve its objective of destroying the
incoming missile. One incoming missile hit a residential area, and
another exploded in mid-air shortly after launch. An Egyptian woman
was killed, though it's not clear whether she was killed by an
incoming missile or by falling debris from a missile destroyed in
flight.
Saudi officials are claiming that the missiles must have been supplied
by Iran, since they were too sophisticated to have been developed by
the al-Houthis themselves. The missile attack is infuriating the
Saudis, who are becoming increasingly belligerent and nationalistic,
and the attack raises the possibility that the Saudis might retaliate
militarily directly against Iran.
Yemen is considered to be the worst humanitarian disaster in the world
today. Out of a population of 27.6 million, about 50,000 people have
died of starvation, and 8.4 million more are on the verge of
starvation. Disease is rampant, where over one million people have
contracted cholera. The Saudis have largely blocked the ports,
preventing humanitarian food and water from being delivered, leaving
the people on their own.
Saudi Arabia has been under increasing international pressure to end
the Yemen war and end the humanitarian disaster. Both Britain and the
US have been supplying weapons to the Saudis, and politicians in both
countries have been demanding that the supply of weapons be stopped.
The Saudis point out that they're acting on behalf of the
UN-recognized government of Yemen, and that they're fighting rebels
who have overthrown the legitimate government. They also point out
that an Iran-backed Houthi government on the Saudi southern border
would present an existential threat. Gulf News (Dubai) and Saudi Gazette and CNN and The National (Abu Dhabi)
****
**** Al-Houthi missile attack on Saudi cities sharply escalates the Yemen war
****
It's not clear why the al-Houthis launched this attack. Perhaps they
believe that by targeting civilian neighborhoods in Saudi Arabia, they
can build both international and Saudi domestic opposition to the war,
and force the Saudis to withdraw and hand a victory to the al-Houthis.
That might have been true in the 1990s during a generational
Unraveling era, when the Silent Generation, the last survivors of
World War II, were in charge, and there was a great aversion to war.
But today, we're in a generational Crisis era, with younger
generations in charge, and nationalism and xenophobia are surging
around the world.
So if the al-Houthis were hoping that this attack would convince the
Saudis to back down, there's no chance of that. Instead, increased
nationalism will cause the Saudis to take even more drastic steps to
win the war, while critics who want Britain and the US to stop
supplying weapons will be muted. I would expect the Saudis to sharply
escalate their actions in the next few weeks, possibly even taking
some action directly targeting Iran. Gulf News (Dubai) and The National (Abu Dhabi) and Business Insider and Foreign Policy
Related Articles:
KEYS: Generational Dynamics, Yemen, Saudi Arabia, Iran, al-Houthis,
Patriot missiles
Permanent web link to this article
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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
- Yemen's Iran-backed al-Houthi rebels launch barrage of missile attacks on Saudi cities
- Al-Houthi missile attack on Saudi cities sharply escalates the Yemen war
****
**** Yemen's Iran-backed al-Houthi rebels launch barrage of missile attacks on Saudi cities
****
Light show over Saudi capital city Riyadh, as American-supplied Patriot missiles intercept ballistic missiles launched by al-Houthis in Yemen (CNN)
The Yemen war sharply escalated on Monday when the rebel al-Houthis
launched a barrage of seven ballistic missiles from Yemen across the
Saudi Arabia border. Three of them targeted the capital city Riyadh,
while the other four targeted other nearby cities. In all cases,
civilian neighborhoods were targeted.
The Saudis targeted the incoming missiles with defensive
American-supplied Patriot missiles. At least one and possibly two of
the Patriot missiles failed to achieve its objective of destroying the
incoming missile. One incoming missile hit a residential area, and
another exploded in mid-air shortly after launch. An Egyptian woman
was killed, though it's not clear whether she was killed by an
incoming missile or by falling debris from a missile destroyed in
flight.
Saudi officials are claiming that the missiles must have been supplied
by Iran, since they were too sophisticated to have been developed by
the al-Houthis themselves. The missile attack is infuriating the
Saudis, who are becoming increasingly belligerent and nationalistic,
and the attack raises the possibility that the Saudis might retaliate
militarily directly against Iran.
Yemen is considered to be the worst humanitarian disaster in the world
today. Out of a population of 27.6 million, about 50,000 people have
died of starvation, and 8.4 million more are on the verge of
starvation. Disease is rampant, where over one million people have
contracted cholera. The Saudis have largely blocked the ports,
preventing humanitarian food and water from being delivered, leaving
the people on their own.
Saudi Arabia has been under increasing international pressure to end
the Yemen war and end the humanitarian disaster. Both Britain and the
US have been supplying weapons to the Saudis, and politicians in both
countries have been demanding that the supply of weapons be stopped.
The Saudis point out that they're acting on behalf of the
UN-recognized government of Yemen, and that they're fighting rebels
who have overthrown the legitimate government. They also point out
that an Iran-backed Houthi government on the Saudi southern border
would present an existential threat. Gulf News (Dubai) and Saudi Gazette and CNN and The National (Abu Dhabi)
****
**** Al-Houthi missile attack on Saudi cities sharply escalates the Yemen war
****
It's not clear why the al-Houthis launched this attack. Perhaps they
believe that by targeting civilian neighborhoods in Saudi Arabia, they
can build both international and Saudi domestic opposition to the war,
and force the Saudis to withdraw and hand a victory to the al-Houthis.
That might have been true in the 1990s during a generational
Unraveling era, when the Silent Generation, the last survivors of
World War II, were in charge, and there was a great aversion to war.
But today, we're in a generational Crisis era, with younger
generations in charge, and nationalism and xenophobia are surging
around the world.
So if the al-Houthis were hoping that this attack would convince the
Saudis to back down, there's no chance of that. Instead, increased
nationalism will cause the Saudis to take even more drastic steps to
win the war, while critics who want Britain and the US to stop
supplying weapons will be muted. I would expect the Saudis to sharply
escalate their actions in the next few weeks, possibly even taking
some action directly targeting Iran. Gulf News (Dubai) and The National (Abu Dhabi) and Business Insider and Foreign Policy
Related Articles:
- Saudi Arabia sacks its top tier of military commanders as Yemen war drags on (27-Feb-2018)
- Clashes erupt between Saudi and UAE backed forces in South Yemen's port of Aden (29-Jan-2018)
- 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, Yemen, Saudi Arabia, Iran, al-Houthis,
Patriot missiles
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
