Arab World War in Yemen, no news coverage

**Tajir** · August 25, 2009, 12:05 PM

Besides DEBKA & snippets from Reuters, I cannot seem to find anything on this issue.

From what I know there are 2,000 dead in just 2 weeks of fighting and 150,000 displaced. The Iranians are funding Houthi Shia rebels. The Egyptian navy and Saudi air force are also involved.

Crap is hitting the fan! Any more info on this would be nice.

**Yorkshireman** · August 25, 2009, 12:10 PM

Originally Posted by Tajir

Besides DEBKA & snippets from Reuters, I cannot seem to find anything on this issue.

From what I know there are 2,000 dead in just 2 weeks of fighting and 150,000 displaced. The Iranians are funding Houthi Shia rebels. The Egyptian navy and Saudi air force are also involved.

Crap is hitting the fan! Any more info on this would be nice.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/mid...st/8217131.stm

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/mid...es/8165614.stm

**Sphere** · August 25, 2009, 01:23 PM

This mistrust of shia minorities in the Sunni Arab states has been intensifying, especially since emergance of the Shia government in Bahgdad, and Iran's persuit of a nuclear program.

NPR recently did a report on a round-up in Moracco of suspected Shiites. Irans recent backing of the sunni Hamas movement has also alarmed sunni governments in the region and tensions in Yemen between the government and the tribes have been simmering for several years now.

This growing Persian-Arab conflict is one of the main reasons the US is opposed to the Iranian nuclear program. If Iran did develop a weapon and a delivery system, it is a real possibility that states like the UAE, Saudi Arabia, Kuwait etc. would stop spending their billions on skysrappers and start spending it on nuclear weapons program, while expanding their conventional forces. Its a very dangerous scenario, especially considering the abudance of "non-state" entities that could be employed by both sides.

**Amry** · August 25, 2009, 05:03 PM

Originally Posted by Sphere

it is a real possibility that states like the UAE, Saudi Arabia, Kuwait etc. would stop spending their billions on skysrappers and start spending it on nuclear weapons program

How is it any of our business how a sovereign state chooses to draw up their military budget? If UAE or Saudi Arabia or whatever wants to blow their entire budget on fluffy bunnies and pointy sticks, it's their business, wouldn't it?

**~~removeduser_487563287433~~** · August 25, 2009, 01:25 PM

Originally Posted by Tajir

Besides DEBKA & snippets from Reuters, I cannot seem to find anything on this issue.

From what I know there are 2,000 dead in just 2 weeks of fighting and 150,000 displaced. The Iranians are funding Houthi Shia rebels. The Egyptian navy and Saudi air force are also involved.

Crap is hitting the fan! Any more info on this would be nice.

World War.. in Yemen.

World War... ... in Yemen.

That's more of a Yemeni war in Yemen.

**Ishoss** · August 25, 2009, 02:22 PM

Arab World war in Yemen

Misleading, but still correct.

**Каие** · August 25, 2009, 03:09 PM

How is it in any way ''correct''? The terms Arab and Word followed by War renders it an oxymoron and logical fallacy. It's no more an ''Arab world war'' then Sudan or Somalia is an ''African world war''

**Ishoss** · August 25, 2009, 03:22 PM

Originally Posted by Яome kb8

How is it in any way ''correct''? The terms Arab and Word followed by War renders it an oxymoron and logical fallacy. It's no more an ''Arab world war'' then Sudan or Somalia is an ''African world war''

Well, I used my minuscule brain cells and put 2+2 together. Though you're probably right, it's not completely correct english but it was easy enough to understand that he meant the Arab world, not the world.

**~~Monarch~~** · August 25, 2009, 03:10 PM

There is a world war going on in Iraq and Afghanistan to!

**Каие** · August 25, 2009, 03:29 PM

I bet you can see how the capitals threw me off.

**Encino_Man** · August 25, 2009, 05:25 PM

We might lose a chance at the oil in Saudi Arabia and other Middle Eastern countries if they go at each other with nuclear weapons or just plain 'ole war. That's how I'd interpret our "business" down there. As for the nuclear weapons problem, well yes of course I would not like to see them used and could see that as a main reason for keeping those countries from obtaining them, but as for stopping them from getting "fluffy bunnies and pointy sticks." I could care less...

**Amry** · August 25, 2009, 06:14 PM

Originally Posted by Encino_Man

We might lose a chance at the oil in Saudi Arabia and other Middle Eastern countries if they go at each other with nuclear weapons or just plain 'ole war. That's how I'd interpret our "business" down there.

Your economic interests cannot justify interference in the affairs of another state. Should China and Russia be allowed to invade the US if they feel that they access to US-made manufacturing equipment is in danger? This is just as immoral as the US intervention in the Latin Americas for the sake of US Fruit and other multinationals.

Also, war will not erupt so easily; even if they spout all their rhetoric, the rulers of these states are all pragmatic, and knows that the losses from war will far outweight any gains. If the super-crazy North Korea hasn't declared war on their southern neighbours, I'd say that the more rational rulers of the ME countries will be even less inclined for an actual "hot" war to erupt.

As for the nuclear weapons problem, well yes of course I would not like to see them used

Mutually-assured destruction will prevent their use, just as it had done for the odd 60 years.

these states are dictatorships and breading grounds for violent islamic fundamentalists.

Again, just because you don't agree with their style of governance does not give you the right to meddle in their affairs. Will you accept UN intervention over the US election of 2000 debacle? And no state is suicidal enough to give nuclear weapons to terror groups.

**touchmaster** · August 25, 2009, 05:29 PM

Wait what?

There is fighting in the middle east?

**Sphere** · August 25, 2009, 05:40 PM

How is it any of our business how a sovereign state chooses to draw up their military budget? If UAE or Saudi Arabia or whatever wants to blow their entire budget on fluffy bunnies and pointy sticks, it's their business, wouldn't it?

Besides the inherent dangers of nuclear proliferation and militarization, these states are dictatorships and breading grounds for violent islamic fundamentalists.

**EpicJon** · August 25, 2009, 05:41 PM

Originally Posted by Tajir

Besides DEBKA & snippets from Reuters, I cannot seem to find anything on this issue.

From what I know there are 2,000 dead in just 2 weeks of fighting and 150,000 displaced. The Iranians are funding Houthi Shia rebels. The Egyptian navy and Saudi air force are also involved.

Crap is hitting the fan! Any more info on this would be nice.

And we are supposed to just believe you about this?

**EpicJon** · August 25, 2009, 05:49 PM

Originally Posted by Tajir

http://www.sodamnfunny.com/terrorist...ladenlover.jpg

**Sphere** · August 25, 2009, 06:36 PM

How did we go from this ...

This growing Persian-Arab conflict is one of the main reasons the US is opposed to the Iranian nuclear program. If Iran did develop a weapon and a delivery system, it is a real possibility that states like the UAE, Saudi Arabia, Kuwait etc. would stop spending their billions on skysrappers and start spending it on nuclear weapons program, while expanding their conventional forces. Its a very dangerous scenario, especially considering the abudance of "non-state" entities that could be employed by both sides.

To this....

Again, just because you don't agree with their style of governance does not give you the right to meddle in their affairs. Will you accept UN intervention over the US election of 2000 debacle?

I don't think averting a nuclear and conventional arms race in the middle-east is on the same level as hanging chads in Florida. The last time this conflict flared up we got the Iran-Iraq war which left perhaps a million dead.

**Amry** · August 25, 2009, 09:38 PM

Sphere, the point that I'm trying to present is this: every country has the right to decide its own internal affairs. Just as the US have the right to resolve the Election 2000 results by itself, Iran or UAE or whatnot have the right to decide their own defense policies.

If their decision is so incredibly dangerous that everyone thinks that there is a need to violate a country's sovereignty, there's already a forum for that - the UN Security Council. Without explicit approval from the SC, I believe no one should interfere in the domestic affairs of a country.

Originally Posted by Sphere

The last time this conflict flared up we got the Iran-Iraq war which left perhaps a million dead.

A conflict, I add, is intensified by US intervention by supplying Saddam with chemical weapons. Which makes it even more important for everyone to not poke their noses in.