Like everything in Yemen, choices are unlikely to be that simple
An excellent article from The Daily Telegraph explained the continuing role of ex-President Saleh. Here are a few snippets and yes he remains in the Yemen, unlike the President:
Quote:
...last week, the man with a record of doing deals with anyone who will keep him in power was once again proving that his cunning should never be underestimated.While Tehran has denied any involvement, one person who is undoubtedly helping the Houthis is Mr Saleh. Having fought tooth and nail against the Houthis himself during his time in power, he has now joined their side, instructing cronies and relatives in the army to join forces with the rebels. Thus has a small local rebellion become a nationwide civil war - and thus has the wily Mr Saleh maneouvred himself back into the centrestage of power. A Machiavellian leader even by the standards of Middle East, Mr Saleh once observed that ruling turbulent Yemen was like “dancing on the heads of snakes”. But his own spectacular comeback - by a man steeped in deals with tribal leaders, regional powers, and even al-Qaeda - has made many wonder whether he may the biggest serpent of all.
Link:http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worl...try-apart.html
Two different ways of bombing Yemeni forces
Oryx blog has two short comments on the bombing of Yemeni military assets. First the few remaining Scud SSM:http://spioenkop.blogspot.co.uk/2015...sh-yemeni.html
Secondly the Yemeni Air Force, especially its few Mig-29s:http://spioenkop.blogspot.co.uk/2015...ng-yemeni.html
Operation Decisive Storm: when Riyadh calls on Islamabad
Zoha Waseem @ Kings War Studies has this commentary 'Operation Decisive Storm: when Riyadh calls on Islamabad':http://strifeblog.org/2015/03/31/ope...-on-islamabad/
She ends with:
Quote:
For the time being, Pakistan does not appear to be in a position to send boots on the ground, both because of militancy at home – for which it needs troops and resources to continue counter-terrorism operations – and also because there can be no easy exit strategies following such a deployment. It further needs to keep its focus on the instability at its western border with Afghanistan, and hostility on the Line of Control. But events are still unfolding and Nawaz Sharif is likely to be under tremendous pressure to cooperate with the royal family. How this cooperation will be justified in the face of Pakistan’s internal security concerns remains to be seen.
My recollection from a news report in 2014 is that the KSA hosted a military exercise then, on the northern border, with Egypt, Pakistan and the USA.
Given the historical relationship between KSA and Pakistan I wonder if Pakistan has a full-time, in country liaison staff. Even seconded officers and men.
Nasser’s Ghost Hovers Over Yemen and maybe KSA too
Amidst all the commentaries I spotted one in the WaPo, which IMHO deserves posting. Why?
A week on the Syria thread, in response to a question by Flagg, I posted using the title Egypt's Vietnam a link to a book 'Nasser's Gamble: How Intervention in Yemen Caused the Six-Day War and the Decline of Egyptian Power' by Jesse Ferris, pub. 2012:http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00...A=0&pldnSite=1
In Post 45 Crowbat added a lengthy review:http://council.smallwarsjournal.com/...t=21961&page=3
Anyway scene set, the WaPo opinion:http://www.nytimes.com/2015/04/02/op...ia-egypt.html?