Yemen is also a graveyard of empires. Now they tell us.

From Bel Trew's The war to start all wars: Inside Yemen's troubled south; The Independent (U.K.), August 24, 2019: 

[...]

The scenes of quiet panic in Mahra underline the devastating complexity of Yemen, which has foiled so many past attempts by outsiders to control it.

The deeply divided society has been nicknamed the “new graveyard of empires”, winning it comparisons with those who have tried and failed to leash Afghanistan.

For southern Yemenis, it’s morphed into a joke that every four years there is a war in the south. Right now that is overdue.

“I expect the STC to try to take over provinces [east of Aden] like Abyan, Shabwah and they will keep marching east into the desert,” Huraizi continues grimly.

“They think they represent south Yemen – but they don’t. If they come here we will fight them. We are prepared.”

His prediction was eerily correct.

[...]

Where is Mahra? Uh, somewhere in south Yemen. Now who is Huraizi? Ali Salem al-Huraizi is a former deputy governor (of Yemen, I guess) and "border chief" in Mahra. More on him from Bel's report:

The controversial but powerful leader, with piercing, chatoyant eyes, is known as “the general” by loyalists who pen pop songs about him. He commands a legion of heavily armed Mahri men who see him as the last bulwark against the encroachment of Saudi Arabia into their province.

His critics, however, call him an anti-Gulf agitator and say he is backed by neighbouring Oman.

Chatoyant, a word I'd never come across before, means "of a gem, (especially when cut en cabochon) showing a band of bright reflected light caused by aligned inclusions in the stone." As to what chatoyant eyes look like -- here is Bel's photo of al-Huraizi for her report:

Yes, she didn't phone into Mahra; she put her eyes and camera on the scene.  A brave young journalist. 

Now how did Oman get involved in this? [squinting at a map of the Middle East] Oh I see. It's right next to Yemen -- and Saudi Arabia and UAE.

It's absolutely no use saying this, but it would be a help if there was some way to stop the U.S. government from allowing American weapons manufacturers to sell to other governments.  Because these people are really good at cranking out the merchandise, but the U.S. government is really bad at predicting the fallout. 

Well, read the rest of Bel's report if you want more of an idea of just what the U.S. government got involved with in Yemen when it supplied Saudi Arabia, and I suppose the UAE as well,  with a mountain of weapons.

Have a nice day. 

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