# The US should stay the fuck out of the Saudia Arabia/Yemen(/Iran?) war **URL:** \ **Category:** Great Debates\ **Created:** [September 19, 2019, 4:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-us-should-stay-the-fuck-out-of-the-saudia-arabia-yemen-iran-war/840501 "2019-09-19T16:11:51Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 15\ **Page:** 4
**Author:** ![HurricaneDitka](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/96bed5/32.png) [@HurricaneDitka](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/HurricaneDitka)\ **Post date:** [September 21, 2019, 5:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-us-should-stay-the-fuck-out-of-the-saudia-arabia-yemen-iran-war/840501/61 "2019-09-21T05:06:46Z")
[Saudi Arabia’s “coalition” (not sure what that means) have apparently struck military targets in Yemen](https://news.yahoo.com/saudi-coalition-launches-attacks-yemeni-173400902.html). ---
**Author:** ![AK84](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/85e7bf/32.png) [@AK84](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AK84)\ **Post date:** [September 21, 2019, 5:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-us-should-stay-the-fuck-out-of-the-saudia-arabia-yemen-iran-war/840501/62 "2019-09-21T05:59:48Z")
> [@HurricaneDitka](#): > > [Saudi Arabia’s “coalition” (not sure what that means) have apparently struck military targets in Yemen](https://news.yahoo.com/saudi-coalition-launches-attacks-yemeni-173400902.html). It means a bunch of countries the Saudis have financed to fight their war on their behalf. ---
**Author:** ![Little\_Nemo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/little_nemo/32/3120_2.png) [@Little\_Nemo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Little_Nemo)\ **Post date:** [September 21, 2019, 6:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-us-should-stay-the-fuck-out-of-the-saudia-arabia-yemen-iran-war/840501/63 "2019-09-21T06:18:10Z")
> [@str8cashhomie](#): > > Any discussion of the relative goodness of the Saudis vs the Iranians should take into account what Saudi Arabia is currently doing in Yemen. The Saudis are trying to starve Yemen into compliance and have put hundreds of thousands of lives in peril. > > Given this > A- I find it difficult to argue that they act more morally than Iran > B- I find it impossible to argue that the US is restraining Saudi Arabia from committing more atrocities than they do. If mass murder isn’t too far, nothing is. > > The defense for the US support of Saudi Arabia’s war (and mass murder campaign) in Yemen is typically that we prevent civilian casualties. I don’t think this is meaningfully true - it is more accurate to say we prevent direct civilian casualties. We can’t actually prevent civilian casualties while supporting a deliberate attempt to kill civilians. > > [https://www.nytimes.com/2018/11/21/world/middleeast/yemen-famine-children.html](https://www.nytimes.com/2018/11/21/world/middleeast/yemen-famine-children.html) Both sides have proxies in Yemen. Iran is backing the Houthi regime. Saudi Arabia is backing the Hadi regime and various other anti-Houthi groups. ---
**Author:** ![Little\_Nemo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/little_nemo/32/3120_2.png) [@Little\_Nemo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Little_Nemo)\ **Post date:** [September 21, 2019, 6:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-us-should-stay-the-fuck-out-of-the-saudia-arabia-yemen-iran-war/840501/64 "2019-09-21T06:22:32Z")
> [@AK84](#): > > Americans are the last people on earth who should talk about “morals”, in the ME.:rolleyes: Nonsense. There are plenty of groups and governments in the Middle East that are far worse than the United States government. That’s not saying we’re perfect. We’ve done some terrible things. And we should be trying to do better. But we’re hardly the worst thing that’s ever happened to the Middle East. ---
**Author:** ![AK84](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/85e7bf/32.png) [@AK84](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AK84)\ **Post date:** [September 21, 2019, 6:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-us-should-stay-the-fuck-out-of-the-saudia-arabia-yemen-iran-war/840501/65 "2019-09-21T06:36:58Z")
> [@Little\_Nemo](#): > > Nonsense. There are plenty of groups and governments in the Middle East that are far worse than the United States government. I am sincerely trying to think of one. ISIS maybe? I mean thats extremely faint praise. > [@](#): > > That’s not saying we’re perfect. We’ve done some terrible things. And we should be trying to do better. Done **only** terrible things would be accurate. And admittedly some very stupid things. But I guess thats susbsumed under “terrible” > [@](#): > > But we’re hardly the worst thing that’s ever happened to the Middle East. Last 20 years (ie the era which matters) you absolutley have. Its like blowing up a dam and saying _yeah we have done bad stuff, but why doesn’t anyone blame the water, thats whats doing the damege, we only used a small charge once_ ---
**Author:** ![Snowboarder\_Bo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/snowboarder_bo/32/229_2.png) [@Snowboarder\_Bo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Snowboarder_Bo)\ **Post date:** [September 21, 2019, 12:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-us-should-stay-the-fuck-out-of-the-saudia-arabia-yemen-iran-war/840501/66 "2019-09-21T12:00:45Z")
> [@](#): > > “We’re no longer the suckers, folks,” he said. And he warned that he was committed to withdrawing troops from foreign wars even when his administration’s experts object. > > “The United States cannot continue to be the policeman of the world,” Mr Trump said. > > “It’s not fair when the burden is all on us, the United States.” [He said that on 26 December 2018](https://www.straitstimes.com/world/united-states/in-a-first-trump-makes-surprise-visit-to-us-troops-in-iraq). Like everything else he says, it was a lie. [Troops and missile defense equipment heading to SA and UAE](https://apnews.com/4d4ce92397ba44a68bedd60edb2aee36). I guess we’re nothing more than their bitch now, just another dog to bark at (and maybe bite) anyone approaching the House of Saud. ---
**Author:** ![str8cashhomie](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/7cd45c/32.png) [@str8cashhomie](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/str8cashhomie)\ **Post date:** [September 21, 2019, 12:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-us-should-stay-the-fuck-out-of-the-saudia-arabia-yemen-iran-war/840501/67 "2019-09-21T12:37:54Z")
> [@Little\_Nemo](#): > > Both sides have proxies in Yemen. Iran is backing the Houthi regime. Saudi Arabia is backing the Hadi regime and various other anti-Houthi groups. I agree but only one is deliberately mass murdering people by starvation. ---
**Author:** ![WillFarnaby](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/willfarnaby/32/514_2.png) [@WillFarnaby](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WillFarnaby)\ **Post date:** [September 21, 2019, 6:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-us-should-stay-the-fuck-out-of-the-saudia-arabia-yemen-iran-war/840501/68 "2019-09-21T18:56:15Z")
> [@Little\_Nemo](#): > > Both sides have proxies in Yemen. Iran is backing the Houthi regime. Saudi Arabia is backing the Hadi regime and various other anti-Houthi groups. No. Saudi Arabia is directly involved besides its support for proxies. The Houthis are not Iranian proxies, though they have received some support. > **[The Houthis Are Not Hezbollah](https://foreignpolicy.com/2017/02/27/the-houthis-are-not-hezbollah/)** > > Donald Trump wants to ramp up Yemen's proxy fight against Iran. One small problem: Tehran doesn't really have a proxy there. “Until now, and apart from Tehran’s strong pro-Houthi rhetoric, very little hard evidence has turned up of Iranian support to the Houthis. There has been evidence of some small arms shipments and, likely, military advice from Hezbollah and Revolutionary Guard officers, who may have helped the Houthis in firing missiles into Saudi territory and targeting Saudi vessels in the Red Sea. Meanwhile, U.S. and British military and intelligence support to the Saudi-led coalition exceeds by many factors any amount of support the Houthis have received from Tehran.” “While the Houthis are tied to Iran, Iran does not control their decision-making; according to multiple interviews with U.S. officials and the Houthis themselves, Houthi leaders flatly ignored Tehran when the latter advised them not to take Sanaa. Until now, Iran appears to have done just enough to antagonize and frighten the Saudis — thus ensuring that they are bogged down in Yemen’s quicksand, spending billions of dollars on a war they are nowhere close to winning.” [https://www.researchgate.net/publication/302064592\_Iran’s\_policy\_towards\_the\_Houthis\_in\_Yemen\_A\_limited\_return\_on\_a\_modest\_investment](https://www.researchgate.net/publication/302064592_Iran's_policy_towards_the_Houthis_in_Yemen_A_limited_return_on_a_modest_investment) “Tehran’s influence in Yemen is marginal. Iran’s support for the Houthis has increased in recent years, but it remains low and is far from enough to significantly impact the balance of internal forces in Yemen. Looking ahead, it is unlikely that Iran will emerge as an important player in Yemeni affairs. Iran’s interests in Yemen are limited, while the constraints on its ability to project power in the country are unlikely to be lifted. Tehran saw with the rise of the Houthis a low cost opportunity to gain some leverage in Yemen. It is unwilling, however, to invest larger amounts of resources. There is, as a result, only limited potential for Iran to further penetrate Yemen.” ---
**Author:** ![Urbanredneck](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/ea5d25/32.png) [@Urbanredneck](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Urbanredneck)\ **Post date:** [September 22, 2019, 2:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-us-should-stay-the-fuck-out-of-the-saudia-arabia-yemen-iran-war/840501/69 "2019-09-22T02:09:14Z")
To take this another way, back here in the USA. Would you say you have known more Iranians or Saudis? I’d say more Iranians. ---
**Author:** ![Tamerlane](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tamerlane/32/7602_2.png) [@Tamerlane](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tamerlane)\ **Post date:** [September 22, 2019, 3:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-us-should-stay-the-fuck-out-of-the-saudia-arabia-yemen-iran-war/840501/70 "2019-09-22T03:12:18Z")
> [@Urbanredneck](#): > > To take this another way, back here in the USA. Would you say you have known more Iranians or Saudis? > > I’d say more Iranians. Once again, 😕. I’m not sure the relevance of this. There are indeed more Iranians in the US than Saudis. A whole lot more, by a factor of considerably more than 100:1. But that’s because there was a substantial diaspora after the 1979 Revolution. There has been no diaspora from SA because it has been relatively stable and is relatively prosperous. And? There are also a lot more Iranians in the US than Belgians. ---
**Author:** ![mandala](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mandala/32/95_2.png) [@mandala](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mandala)\ **Post date:** [September 22, 2019, 11:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-us-should-stay-the-fuck-out-of-the-saudia-arabia-yemen-iran-war/840501/71 "2019-09-22T11:01:29Z")
The US should generally stay out of conflicts for the next 20 years anywhere in the world. That includes stopping sponsoring color revolutions and trying to inch NATO towards the Russian border. 20 years of intense focus on the economy will enable the US maintain the lead over China for the foreseeable future. The Chinese can get involved in the ME shit if they want; I think they will soon realize they are trying to straighten a dog’s tail. ---
**Author:** ![Alessan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/alessan/32/465_2.png) [@Alessan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Alessan)\ **Post date:** [September 22, 2019, 11:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-us-should-stay-the-fuck-out-of-the-saudia-arabia-yemen-iran-war/840501/72 "2019-09-22T11:14:24Z")
Nations don’t prosper by looking inward and shutting off the rest of the world. You know who learned that the hard way? China. They tried it for 500 years and nearly got eaten alive as a result. Now, I’m not saying the U.S. shouldn’t apply its power in a prudent and thoughtful manner, including in the case at hand. Of course it should. But withdrawing completely isn’t the answer. ---
**Author:** ![AK84](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/85e7bf/32.png) [@AK84](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AK84)\ **Post date:** [September 22, 2019, 11:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-us-should-stay-the-fuck-out-of-the-saudia-arabia-yemen-iran-war/840501/73 "2019-09-22T11:38:49Z")
Getting into expensive, optional and unnecessary foreign conflicts is the fastest way for great nations to collapse. See Rome. Ottomans. Spain, various iterations of China. ---
**Author:** ![Alessan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/alessan/32/465_2.png) [@Alessan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Alessan)\ **Post date:** [September 22, 2019, 12:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-us-should-stay-the-fuck-out-of-the-saudia-arabia-yemen-iran-war/840501/74 "2019-09-22T12:08:02Z")
Which is why power should be applied wisely. ---
**Author:** ![Magiver](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/4491bb/32.png) [@Magiver](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Magiver)\ **Post date:** [September 22, 2019, 4:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-us-should-stay-the-fuck-out-of-the-saudia-arabia-yemen-iran-war/840501/75 "2019-09-22T16:33:23Z")
This should be dragged before the UN to certify Iran’s role. Once this is done I see no reason why Saudi Arabia can’t fight it’s own battles. We can provide intelligence support and sell them weapons. As for the region, we should collectively prevent any more boarding of ships by Iran. Put drones and AWACs in the area and remove any targets that come within 1000 yards of a ship. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-us-should-stay-the-fuck-out-of-the-saudia-arabia-yemen-iran-war/840501.md?page=3)