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التالى السابق

It\'s Time to Cooperate with South Yemen and Somaliland to Solve the Houthi Dilemma

REPORTS - 17 day ago

South Eye Translation | South 24

An analysis published in the American Enterprise Institute by writer Michael Rubin stated that "the Houthi dilemma cannot be resolved unless the United States cooperates separately with both Somaliland and South Yemen."

The analysis added that "Somaliland and South Yemen are two distinct entities, each with a longer history of self-governance than the periods of union with the states that the international community and Washington are trying to forcibly reintegrate them into. South Yemen and Somaliland can be described as the ‘Axis of Unrecognized States’."

It noted that "while the international community continues to treat Yemen as a single state, the reality is that Sana’a has only ruled the South for 14 out of the last 140+ years. Today, regardless of diplomatic illusions, the Southern Transitional Council functions as the de facto government of South Yemen, while the internationally recognized government operates symbolically from Cairo and Riyadh."

The analysis emphasized that "this flawed premise is costly, amounting to billions of dollars. The United States and the international community have pumped tens of billions into Somalia and Yemen in failed attempts to purchase legitimacy and build state capacity. Yet both northern Yemen and Somalia remain mired in corruption and collapse, and have turned into safe havens for terrorism."

It argued that "as Houthi attacks on ships in the Red Sea escalate, the international community can no longer prioritize diplomatic posturing over effective strategies. Stopping the smuggling of weapons to the Houthis and securing shipping routes does not necessarily require billions. Somaliland’s coast guard has effectively protected its shores from smugglers and terrorists. Just a few million dollars, along with training and perhaps modern patrol boats, could enable the Southern Transitional Council to block weapons from reaching the Houthis, al-Qaeda, and Islah militants—who are increasingly working together."

The analysis further suggested that "the United States could go even further by establishing small naval and air bases in Aden and Berbera. But the only obstacle to this approach is the reluctance of the U.S. State Department, which tends to side with Mogadishu and Sana’a at the expense of American interests."

It concluded by stating that "since Trump takes pride in breaking diplomatic norms, it is time to adopt a simple and cost-effective solution—directing the Secretary of State to formulate a plan to train and fund the coast guards of Somaliland and South Yemen."