Yemen's Houthis, Just Like Their Iranian Backers, Are a Bunch of Yellow-Bellied Pussies

I've said it many times that those most chickenshit fighters in the world are Iranians.  A close second would be their inbred cousins, the Houthis in Yemen.

Well, the Houthis now are clamoring for some sort of peace settlement.  They got their asses kicked for two straight months and are waving the white flag.  Wusses.

And these are the types of spineless cowards that John Kerry bowed to?

The story comes from DAWN.

Yemeni rebels’ chief says he’s ready for political settlement


SANAA: The leader of Yemen’s Iran-backed rebels said a political settlement with the exiled government was still possible after what he called the “short-term” setback of their ouster from second city Aden.

Abdulmalik al-Houthi said the rebels would welcome a new attempt by a third party to broker a deal after the failure of UN-brokered peace talks in Geneva in June.

“A political settlement is still possible,” Houthi said in a speech broadcast by the rebels’ Al-Masira television channel late on Sunday.



“We would welcome any (mediation) effort by a neutral party — Arab or international,” he said.

Houthi played down the withdrawal of the rebels and their allies from Aden in mid-July after four months of ferocious fighting. “The advance made by the enemy in Aden will collapse,” he said.

“It is a short-term situation which we will overcome despite all the money of Saudi Arabia”. Yemen’s oil-rich neighbour has led an air campaign against the rebels since March and has also trained and equipped ground forces that were instrumental in securing Aden.

It was the rebels’ entry into the southern port that forced President Abd-Rabbu Mansour Hadi and his internationally recognised government into Saudi exile in March.

Riyadh has justified its military intervention against the rebels and their allies, saying that they posed a threat to the kingdom’s security.

But Houthi said that after more than four months of devastating bombing, the threat was the other way round.

“With the crimes that you are committing you pose a danger to Yemen,” he said.

“To guarantee your security, you have to be a good neighbour”. The rebels have fired mortars, rockets and even Scud missiles across the border but say that they only did so in response to the Saudi-led air war.

A Saudi civilian was killed on Sunday but the majority of the 49 deaths so far have been soldiers.

Saudi-led air strikes kill 44 in attack on Yemeni army compound: agency

From DAWN.

Saudi-led air strikes kill 44 in attack on Yemeni army compound: agency


SANAA: Saudi-led air strikes killed at least 44 people during an air raid on the main headquarters of the Yemeni army in central Sanaa on Sunday, the Houthi-run state news agency Saba said.

The agency said that more than 100 people, including civilians, were also wounded in the attack which also destroyed private houses in the Tahrir district in central Sanaa.

Residents had earlier said that four explosions shook the compound, where soldiers allied with the Houthi group that dominates Yemen had gathered since Saturday evening to get their pay cheques.

“More than 44 citizens were martyred and 100 others including women and children, according to preliminary figures,” the agency said.

The agency quoted a source at the Health Ministry as saying that rescue teams were working to find people believed to be still under the rubble of houses destroyed by the raids.

The escalation of the violence came despite progress toward convening United Nations-backed peace talks this month in Geneva.

The exiled Yemeni government in Riyadh and the Houthis have agreed to attend the talks which start on June 14.

SANAA: Saudi-led air strikes killed at least 44 people during an air raid on the main headquarters of the Yemeni army in central Sanaa on Sunday, the Houthi-run state news agency Saba said.

The agency said that more than 100 people, including civilians, were also wounded in the attack which also destroyed private houses in the Tahrir district in central Sanaa.

Residents had earlier said that four explosions shook the compound, where soldiers allied with the Houthi group that dominates Yemen had gathered since Saturday evening to get their pay cheques.

“More than 44 citizens were martyred and 100 others including women and children, according to preliminary figures,” the agency said.

The agency quoted a source at the Health Ministry as saying that rescue teams were working to find people believed to be still under the rubble of houses destroyed by the raids.

The escalation of the violence came despite progress toward convening United Nations-backed peace talks this month in Geneva.

The exiled Yemeni government in Riyadh and the Houthis have agreed to attend the talks which start on June 14.

It was the first reported use of a ballistic missile in the conflict. The Saudi military said it had targeted the city of Khamees Mushait in the kingdom's southwest and was intercepted by two Patriot missiles.

Arab air strikes and shelling after the attack killed 38 Yemenis in provinces near Saudi Arabia, according to Saba reports which could not be immediately confirmed.

The U.S. Cruise Missile Attack On Al Qaeda In Yemen

More and more details have come out about the U.S.'s participation in the attacks on the al Qaeda camps inside of Yemen - not only did American cruise missiles contribute to the deaths of 34 al Qaeda jihadists in those camps but it is verified that U.S. special ops forces are in Yemen helping to confront what is being heralded as the newest stronghold of al Qaeda.

From The Long War Journal:

The US military carried out cruise missile attacks against two al Qaeda camps in Yemen, killing several terrorist commanders and fighters as well as civilians.
The attacks, which took place on Dec. 17, were carried out in conjunction with the Yemeni military, who targeted al Qaeda bases in the provinces of Sana'a and Abyan. The Yemeni government and the US launched the raids after intelligence indicated that al Qaeda was planning to conduct attacks against Yemeni and US installations in the region.

it was disclosed that US Special Forces have deployed to Yemen to work with the country's army. The US has also recently deployed unmanned Reaper strike aircraft in the region, under the guise of supporting anti-piracy operations off the coast of Somalia. Reapers and Predators are used extensively in the covert US air war in Pakistan's tribal areas.

Now, as most of you know, I'm all in favor of going after al Qaeda wherever they are...I don't care where it is. And no one appreciates the fact that we launched cruise missiles more than me - hell, I'd be all for it happening each and every day. The issue with Yemen tho, is....it's Yemen. This is the same country that gave safe haven to Osama bin Laden. Add in the fact that Yemen is in the middle of more battles than you can shake a stick at - I mean hell, you've got Saudi troops in Yemen battling Houthi rebels, you have al Qaeda there killing Yemeni troops, and there are rumors that Iran has sent in forces to assist the Houthis. I mean, if you looked up the word "clusterfuck" in the dictionary, you'd probably see a picture of Yemen.

All I am saying is that this situation is full of landmines and I hope we are prepared for that - if our special ops people are on the ground (even if they are supposed to only be training Yemeni troops) and run into Iranian forces, what are their rules of engagement? If our predator drones spot a movement of al Qaeda forces but they are mixed in with Houthi rebels, what then? What happens if our boys, who are after al Qaeda, run into the Saudis who are after the Houthis?

Don't mistake my questions with any hesitation to bomb the piss out of al Qaeda in Yemen but at the same time, I have some major concerns that we're playing in a country with more opposing forces than you can shake a stick at.

US launches cruise missile strikes against al Qaeda in Yemen


The US military carried out cruise missile attacks against two al Qaeda camps in Yemen, killing several terrorist commanders and fighters as well as civilians.
The attacks, which took place on Dec. 17, were carried out in conjunction with the Yemeni military, who targeted al Qaeda bases in the provinces of Sana'a and Abyan. The Yemeni government and the US launched the raids after intelligence indicated that al Qaeda was planning to conduct attacks against Yemeni and US installations in the region.
Abyan is a known al Qaeda haven. The terror group opened a large training camp in Yemen this year, which reportedly housed more than 400 al Qaeda fighters from the Middle East [see LWJ report, "Al Qaeda opens new training camp in Yemen"]. Many of the fighters were Yemenis, Saudis, and Somalis.
The Yemeni government claimed 34 al Qaeda fighters were killed and 17 more were captured in the joint air and ground strikes. Muhammad Salih al Awlaqi, al Qaeda's leader in Abyan province, and commanders Muhammad al Amburi and Munir al Amburi were also reported killed in the Abyan strikes, according to reports in Quds Press and Al Sahwah.net.
Qasim al Rimi, a member of al Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula's shura, or executive council, was reportedly the main target of the strike. He is thought to have escaped. Al Rimi is a senior lieutenant to Nasir al Wuhayshi, the leader of al Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula, a senior US military intelligence official told the Long War Journal.
Leaders in Abyan disputed the government's claims that only al Qaeda fighters were killed, and claimed more than 60 civilians have died in the strikes. Ali Husayn Ashal, a member of Parliament and a leader in the opposition Islah Party, accused President Ali Abdullah Saleh's government of intentionally targeting civilians.
"The government took pride in saying that some al Qaeda members have been targeted in this monstrous operation, while it knows very well where do these wanted elements move around," Ashal said, according to Al Sahwah.net. "These elements move around openly and publicly before the government's eyes. The government can, at any given time, target those who are believed to be outlaws, without inflicting dozens of innocent casualties."
The Islah Party is closely aligned with the radical cleric Sheik Abdulmajid al Zindani, who has been designated a terrorist financier by the UN's 1267 committee and labeled a spiritual adviser to bin Laden by the US Treasury. Zindani is also a close ally to the Yemeni government.
Saleh and the weak Yemeni government are also known to collude with al Qaeda, including using the terror group's foot soldiers to battle the Houthi rebels in the North in exchange for safe haven.
Al Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula retaliates
Al Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula [AQAP] has reportedly battled back after the cruise missile strikes and ground operations in Abyan. According to a report in Al Hayat, AQAP "raided government centers" in the Ludat district in Abyan.
Heavy fighting took place between AQAP and government forces, and AQAP apears to have gained the upper hand in much of the province. "Parts of the governorate, which is one of the hard-line groups' strongholds, fell into the gunmen's hands," Al Hayat reported.
Latest covert strike in Yemen
The cruise missile strikes, which were first reported by ABC News, took place within a week after it was disclosed that US Special Forces have deployed to Yemen to work with the country's army. The US has also recently deployed unmanned Reaper strike aircraft in the region, under the guise of supporting anti-piracy operations off the coast of Somalia. Reapers and Predators are used extensively in the covert US air war in Pakistan's tribal areas.
The US has conducted at least one other covert strike in Yemen. In November 2002, Abu Ali al Harithi, an al Qaeda operative who was the mastermind of the suicide attack on the destroyer USS Cole; Ahmed Hijazi, a US citizen; and four other al Qaeda fighters were killed in a Predator strike in Marib.
Yemen is an al Qaeda stronghold
Yemen has become one of al Qaeda's most secure bases and a hub for its activities on the Arabian Peninsula and on the Horn of Africa.
Al Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula is based in Yemen and carries out its attacks against the Saudi government from there. The group is also known to operate terror camps in Aden, and in the Alehimp and Sanhan regions in Sana'a. It has conducted attacks on oil facilities, tourists, Yemeni security forces, and the US embassy in Sana'a.
The terror group has also been instrumental in supporting al Qaeda's operations in Somalia, US intelligence officials told The Long War Journal. Yemen serves as a command and control center, a logistics hub, a transit point from Asia and the Peninsula, and a source of weapons and munitions for the al Qaeda-backed Shabaab and Hizbul Islam.
"Yemen is Pakistan in the heart of the Arab world," one official said. "You have military and government collusion with al Qaeda, peace agreements, budding terror camps, and the export of jihad to neighboring countries."

The Newest Middle East Powderkeg - Saudi Arabia Battles Yemeni Houthis

The battles that Saudi Arabia has found itself in the middle of in Yemen against the Shiite rebel forces, called Houthis, have progressed to the point where we could be seeing a powderkeg in the Middle East that could literally blow up. What's at issue is the involvement of Iran on the side of the Houthis - imagine that, the Iranians meddling in another country's shit! Real shocker, huh.

Well, as almost always, this confrontation in Yemen comes down to a Shiite group, the Houthis, battling the Sunnis of both governmental Yemen and the Saudis.

What I find interesting about this pitched battle is the fact that Saudi Arabia has been on pins and needles for a long time over the nuclear weapons program of the Iranians - the Saudis definitely feel threatened by their Shia brethren in Tehran. The other interesting aspect to this whole situation is the presence of al Qaeda in the fight. There is no question that al Qaeda forces are in Yemen, fighting away but as you read the article here from the CS Monitor, you will see that both sides are claiming that al Qaeda is fighting for the other side!

I have to admit I'm at a loss here - first off, the Saudis have been battling al Qaeda for years on their own soil - Osama bin Laden has made no bones about the fact that he wishes to see the ruling family of Saudi Arabia fall, but at the same time, al Qaeda IS Sunni and to think they have joined forces with the Shia Houthis, is a bit of a stretch.

I would say it is more reasonable to think al Qaeda is in Yemen to try and take out the government there - Yemen would be quite a prize to take for the terror group.

Saudi Arabia steps up fight against Yemen rebels

Saudi Arabia said Saturday it has cleared a mountain foothold used by Yemeni rebels along the Saudi Arabia-Yemen border, in what appeared to be part of a larger battle against Al Qaeda's expansion.
The rebels, called Houthis, are followers of the Zaidi sect of Shiite Islam, and the Saudis believe both that they have ties to Shiite-dominated Iran and have Al Qaeda members within their ranks. Saudi Arabia fears they may destabilize Yemen, posing a major security threat to the world's largest oil exporter, reports Reuters.
The fighting near Jabal al Dood began earlier this month after the rebels announced they had killed two Saudi border guards. Last week, nine Saudi soldiers were taken prisoner, apparently by Houthis. The Jeddah-based Arab News said Sunday they had reportedly turned up and were receiving medical treatment inside Yemen, but couldn't confirm those reports.
A recent statement of the Ministry of Defense and Aviation said King Abdullah, the supreme commander, directed all military sectors to clean every inch of Saudi land of infiltrators without touching a single meter of the Yemeni territory.
The ministry denied media reports that the Saudi armed forces were "creeping" their way toward Yemen and said such heinous reports were circulated by parties hostile to both Saudi Arabia and Yemen.
The Houthis have been battling the Yemeni government of Ali Abdullah Saleh since 2004, "citing political, economic and religious marginalization," reports Al Jazeera. The Houthis also accuse Saudi Arabia of allowing the Yemeni military to launch strikes against the rebels from within its territory, a claim denied by both nations, according to the BBC.
The Yemeni government launched a new offensive against the rebels in August 2009, the BBC says, leading to a wave of intense fighting. Reuters reports the Yemeni military tried to rout Houthi rebels near Saada, Yemen, leading up to the weekend.
Yemeni forces and Shiite rebels waged pitched battles on the outskirts of Saada on Saturday after regular troops thwarted an attempt by the insurgents to enter the northern city, a Yemeni military official said.
The Army stopped the rebel advance on Friday and fighting was still taking place in the suburbs of the capital of the rebels' mountainous stronghold province, the official told Reuters.
A Saudi official said Saudi planes carried out renewed strikes in the Jabal Dukhan area on Friday, where rebels carried out a cross-border incursion earlier this month in which two Saudi border guards were killed. ...
The rebels said on their website Saudi air raids in an area outside Saada killed an unspecified number of civilians.
According to PRESS TV of Iran, which denies any involvement with the Houthis, the rebels accuse Riyadh and the Yemeni government itself of funding Al Qaeda and Wahhabi extremists to help quell their resistance – countering the kingdom's claims.
The United Nations says over 175,000 people have been displaced by the fighting in northern Yemen, PRESS TV reports.