As the Saudi invasion of Yemen drags on, the opposition is showing growing signs of strain, with the Shi’ite Houthi movement and the followers of former President Ali Abdullah Saleh having been at odds off and on in recent months.
Such skirmishes have often come and gone, but today’s looked even more serious, with fighting inside the main mosque compound in the capital city of Sanaa, and four members of the pro-Saleh forces killed.
There’s a political rally coming up, and Saleh’s officials are accusing the Houthis of trying to occupy part of the mosque compound for use in the rally. Pro-Houthi religious leaders have bee increasingly critical of Saleh.
This was an uncomfortable alliance in the best of times, with Saleh having engaged in a brutal war against the Houthis in the later years of his rule. That he ultimately backed the Houthis at all was more because the Saudis bombed his house when he refused to endorse the invasion.
Saleh army was not his anymore. I would not
be surprised to see him trying to urge negotiation with Saudis, whi baturally would want everyyhjng, and then some. But Saleh is looking for Number One — as he will not have an upper hand in the end. Saudis sre seeking way out, but US neocons do not approve. They would rather pretend that this is a humanitarian issue, get their “humanitarians” in and try to split leadership and followers, weakening from insude. The point is — why so mych hate for the Yemeni Shia branch? An ancient Zaidi culture of farmers and pastoralists, with yet to be brought to light monuments of great civilizations, monuments hudden by thorny bushes, and inpassable gulleys. Because Israel got bloody nose in 2006 attempt of invading Lebanon — being routed on ground by vastly weaker Hezbollah force? Ever since Israel started to hyperventilate about anything Shia. Like for as long as any Shia moslem is alive, it us a danger to Israel. Like for as long as Iran exists, Iseael is in danger. Like any Shia militia fighting ISIS in Iraq snd Syria – is an existential threat. How about this — Israel lost war snd had to withdraw as Hezbollah routed their tanks. How about accepting that in spite of bombing Beirut (not the first time), the attempt at taking territory was lost. Each loss is an opportunity for examining the operation, and drawing conclusion. Instead, the saga was created about Shia threat to the whole world! Now that Shia had actually routed Sunni extremism, the one our dear Saudi allies have fanned accross all Moslem hot spots — niw it is ALL Iran’s fault. Poor Trump. He can give and give — but he is not trusted. And never will.