Great Power Competition in the Red Sea
For the United States, the Houthi threat in the Red Sea should be treated as part of strategic competition instead of merely a local or regional challenge.
For the United States, the Houthi threat in the Red Sea should be treated as part of strategic competition instead of merely a local or regional challenge.
No matter who wins the presidency in November, the United States will need a strategy that allows it to protect free and open trade in the Red Sea without becoming bogged down in an open-ended conflict in Yemen.
On September 18, AGSIW hosted a discussion on Yemen.
In the short term, increasing economic pressure on the Houthis is likely to prompt them to reignite attacks on Saudi Arabia, while in the long term it could make reuniting Yemen into a single state all but impossible.
A U.N. agreement lifting Central Bank of Yemen economic restrictions may inadvertently embolden the Houthis and bolster their capacity to project military power.
How should the United States respond to an escalation in Houthi attacks when its current approach isn’t working?
Tackling Yemen’s root problems won’t be easy, quick, or cheap, which is why no one has really tried.
On March 12, AGSIW hosted a discussion on the Houthi challenge to maritime security in the Red Sea and the Gulf of Aden.
While not yet successful, the Biden administration’s “deter and degrade” approach may prove to be an adaptable approach that can be modified into a winning strategy.
Given how Syria after 2011 became a cockpit for external intervention in domestic affairs, the early signs this time for engagement of Gulf states appear more promising, particularly due to their ability to convene and lead in regional affairs.
Learn MoreThrough its careful examination of the forces shaping the evolution of Gulf societies and the new generation of emerging leaders, AGSIW facilitates a richer understanding of the role the countries in this key geostrategic region can be expected to play in the 21st century.
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