March 27, 2025 - 6:30pm
The frenzied discussion over “Signalgate” misses a fundamental point. Once again, concern with form crowds out questions of policy. Although this leak was a huge lapse in security, the bigger question is: Why is the US, yet again, making war on Yemen?
Trump ran against the forever wars. Love him or hate him, his first administration was relatively peaceful, at least by recent American standards. In 2024, the then-GOP candidate was highly critical of Biden’s attacks on Yemen, saying: “We’re bombing Yemen. You know, here this idiot is again bombing, bombing. When I came in, they were bombing. I got it stopped. You don’t have to bomb. Every bomb is a million dollars, you know that. One million, every time you see a little flash it’s a million. But more importantly, you’re killing a lot of people. You don’t have to kill the people. We don’t wanna kill people. We want a solution to things.”
Now Trump is doing the exact same thing. And in the process, he runs the risk of starting a wider war with Iran. Why? One reason is that Israel wants it. Shortly after Israel began bombarding Gaza in retaliation for the attacks of 7 October, the Houthis, or Ansar Allah, began attacking Israeli ships in the Red Sea. Before long they were also hitting non-Israeli ships suspected of carrying cargo for Israel. The Houthis also launched occasional missiles and drones at Israel, but most of these were shot down by Israeli defences. Israel in turn struck Yemen on a few occasions.
The Houthis may be a ragtag Shia militia controlling only a third of Yemen, but they exercise significant control over a crucial chokepoint in global trade — the mouth of the Red Sea, which leads to the Suez Canal and the western end of the Mediterranean. Powerful interests all over the planet would like to see these shipping lanes reopened, and so far the US has been unable to reassert itself in the region. Starting in 2015 the US supported Saudi Arabia’s war against Yemen. In 2023 the Biden administration launched its own “Operation Prosperity Guardian” on Houthi soldiers. But that campaign was very expensive, made little progress, and occurred in the run-up to a tight presidential election. Unsurprisingly, it quietly tapered off in the late summer of 2024.
Trump’s relationship with Israel — stronger than Biden’s — is likely the main driving factor behind his resumption of war against Yemen. Israel has a vast influence in DC, and there is no question that US intervention in the Middle-East benefits them. But for Trump, the benefits are less clear. Perhaps he thinks that subduing the Houthis, and significantly degrading Iran’s industrial and military power by way of a larger war, will enhance US power on the global stage and thus strengthen his negotiating position, vis-à-vis China and Russia. He might also think it can assist in his efforts to create a new multipolar international order and re-industrialise the US economy.
But whatever the case, America’s latest war with Yemen is a disaster. It is a nightmare for the innocent civilians being killed. It is very unlikely to succeed. It will very likely be frightening, alienate powers like China and Russia and thus undermine Trump’s efforts for international reset. It will certainly undermine the President’s far-fetched desire to win a Nobel Peace Prize.
Trump no doubt imagines that he can control the situation. Alas, many a huge and terrible war have started as “limited operations” by politicians and generals who knew with total certainty that they could limit the damage, only to then have the violence spin wildly out of control. This is an extremely precarious situation. Trump should reverse course and bring the ships home. Americans are sick of foreign wars.
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SubscribeUSA is not “making war against Yemen”. It’s protecting shipping from Houthi terrorists.
By bombing an apartment building full of innocents to maybe get one guy?
Ah, yes. This is the new normal because it’s what Israel does. Got it.
I wonder if Iran blew up a tel aviv apartment block because the Mossad agent who carried out the Assassination in Damascus – that killed an Iranian general – lived there, and hundreds were dead. Would Iran be acting justly?
Never forget just who started this particular conflict!!
Tell me genius.
Who?
One word answer to all these questions: Hamas.
Brilliant
You object to the violence, cruelty, and randomness of war. I object to strong-arm robbery. My response is not to disband the police. Your response to war is to decry the means necessary to deter the thuggish governments.
Right. So you obviously object to Israel ‘s strong armed robbery of the West Bank? Do the Palestinians there have a right to respond? I mean, you hate thieving so much.
Is this actually a question? The Houthis have been taking pot shots at American ships. The question is why WOULDN’T you bomb them? If an enemy attacks you, it almost always behooves you to shoot back.
””If an enemy attacks you, it almost always behooves you to shoot back.””
Cool!
Argument by sound bite, you should be in government.
OR….. Do not antagonize someone to make them shoot at you. Do not start wars. (Anyone recall when we started blowing up Houthies? 2014? – so did we attack first?)
Lets take 2014 and Cia/MI6 causing the Midan Revolution to get anti Russian puppets in Ukraine, and then Billions of weapons and training to make Europe’s most poor, And corrupt country, have the biggest and most modern Military in Europe. Then… tell Russia they are due to join Nato and Then… Nato weapons, Nuc capable ones will be deployed there right on your border… to make Russia invade Ukraine. Then spend 350$$$ Billion, and 1 Million dead Ukrainian soldiers and 20 million refugees and the country reduced to a rump state, and Europe now economic basket case for loss of cheap Russian gas (Blow up Nordstream).
”If an enemy attacks you, it almost always behooves you to shoot back.”
Did it really behoove Ukraine to shoot back? Now they are destroyed?D
OR, lets take the Middle East – , (Aipac)…. and then give Israil Billions and billions of dollars and thousands and thousands of 2000 pound bombs to commit genocide in Palestine over the Oct7 – and Then Bomb Yemen when they try to blockade Bab-el-Mandeb in response to the genocide, and try to get a war with Iran going, and give Syria to Al Quisd and ISIS, and so on….AND risk a carrier group as War is now a entire different animal, and get all the world teetering on WWIII and total annihilation via Nuclear exchanges as everything is insane – and the global oil to lose 25% supply as the Hormouz gets closed, and on and on.
And all for Nothing!
Or as your argument goes – if you goad someone till they shoot at you, as it behooves them to do so, then it behooves you to shoot back with all you have, and it behooves them to get every weapon they can and shoot them all back, and then it behooves you to use a battlefield Nuke, and then it behooves them to use a real nuke, and then it behooves you to send all your nukes, and then it behooves them to send all their’s – and then…….
So, Palestinians on the West Bank have a right to murder the settlers?
This. The Houthis shot at an American destroyer, not a cargo ship flying the flag of Israel or any neutral party. They shot at an American military asset. In this case, failing to retaliate would show weakness and signal that it’s OK to shoot missiles at American warships. It also undermines the morale of the military personnel who are in the line of fire and expected to sit there and do nothing.
This isn’t about accomplishing anything beyond sending a political message. Is it pointless to bomb the Houthis? Yes. Is there any prospect of defeating them this way? No. The point is to send a message, and its an expensive message but it is important. All the tanks, bombs, and planes are meaningless if the enemy believes you won’t use them. The threat has to be believable, and enemies have to know what lines can’t be crossed without consequences. Nations can’t unilaterally avoid military engagement and protect their interests at the same time. There will always be enemies who push the boundaries. Trump has loudly signaled in his campaign and since that he wants to avoid military engagements. People like Iran are thinking “I wonder how badly he wants to avoid military engagements” and wondering if they can get away with things they couldn’t get away with before. Trump has to establish that he won’t be a pushover just because he doesn’t want warfare, and the best way to do that is to bomb some villages, kill some people, and then step back and say, “these are the consequences, don’t do it again”.
This is just how geopolitics works. It’s ugly, and people get killed for no other reason than the sending of political messages. It’s unfortunate but it is what it is. . I much prefer solving things diplomatically when possible, but given the enemy in question, there’s little reason to believe diplomacy will achieve anything. Thus, it’s simply a matter of what retaliation is appropriate for what provocation in order to maintain a credible military threat to anyone who might try to take advantage of the President’s declared aversion to foreign conflict. The actions so far have been appropriate for the situation. If the US is still bombing the Houthis a month from now, I’ll probably be complaining as loudly as this author is.
It wouldn’t be pointless if you killed enough of them.
Say that about Jews and see what happens. This casual toughness I read on here. All you little boys got ur general hats on, and your little soldiers set up on ur tables yeah.
Psychos.
Pretty funny, the us shouldn’t return fire because Russia and China won’t like it.
That’s pure comedy.
This band of crazies can not be allowed to shut down a shipping route as critical as Red Sea/Suez. That’s simply untenable and any political decisions must start with that truth. The only question is who – US or Europe (or the Saudis?). We bomb away because of America’s historical position as guarantor of peace at sea, but we don’t like it (as Vance made clear), but in the meantime, something must be done. This author’s disconnect from that reality is difficult to fathom.
Seems like this guy is happy to have a bunch of terrorists effectively control shipping through the Suez canal.
Seriously?????
A professor from CUNY…of course.
The Houthis recently legalized slavery in Yemen, doing a brisk trade in Ethiopian women.
Though it’s haram to enslave a fellow Muslim, a Houthi spokesmen explained this by saying, “yes, but they’re Kaffirs,” which is their version of the n word.
So, besides being pirates, terrorists, and slavers, they’re racist, too.
They’re threatening world shipping, and seem unaware that both Iran and Syria have been badly weakened by Israeli offensives against their allies, so perhaps levelling some of their missile batteries and drone sites will get their attention.
By the way, they’re called Ansar Allah because both of the Houthi brothers were murdered by their followers, during a power struggle.
But whatever the case, America’s latest war with Yemen is a disaster. It is a nightmare for the innocent civilians being killed
.
I especially like this passage. They are all a storehouse of virtue.
.
A Jewish mother listened with big interest in an Israeli hospital as an Arab mother from Gaza, not knowing that Jewish mother knows Arabic, explained to her little son, “When you cut a watermelon, put all your strength into it. That’s how you’ll cut Jews when you grow up.”
A very shallow analysis. The Suez Canal is vital to Chinese trade. The Houthis are not (deliberately) targeting Chines shipping, showing that the Chinese have influence, presumably via Iran, and could stop the attacks if it wanted.
The Chinese Navy is growing very rapidly and flexing its muscles well beyond its own waters. Recent naval exercises in the Gulf of Oman involved Chinese, Russian and Iranian forces – all three of Trump’s key betes noir. If the USA doesn’t take action to restore freedom of navigation throught the Red Sea, this leaves an opening for the Chinese Navy to sweep in and do the job. Maximum kudos to Xi, humiliation for Trump.
Now do you see, Professor Parenti?
Absolutely agree that Trump is talking out of both sides of his mouth here. Every attempt to dislodge the Houthi’s has ended in failure. You have to cut off financial aid to the Houthi’s and that runs through Iran. The U.S. needs to exert maximum economic pressure on Iran. Maybe that means destroying its oil production capacity. I don’t know, but Iran is the bigger problem here.
Or tell Israel to wind its neck in and see if the Houthis stop attacking ships as they promised to do, which would be much cheaper for all involved
Seems like the Global Left is awfully critical of the Jewish State. Or would they just like to affect another regime change in the name of Democracy?
I am pretty Hard Right, a MAGA, but dislike Genocide. I also have a lot of experience in the Middle East so know this is a very wicked war we (the West) bring to the world. Both of them, Ukraine AND the Middle East.
Watch some Jeffery Sachs, Mershimer, Scott Ritter, Macgregor, Watch The Duran, Dialogue Works, Judging Freedom, and a very great many REAL experts not 100% in thrall to the MSM and Globalist agenda.
The Houthi’s – love em or hate em – have said that they will continue to attack Israelii cargo ships as long as the Israelis continue their wanton murder and destruction. When the cease fire began, they stopped. When the isrealis broke the ceasefire – per usual – they resumed. “Terrorism” is action. Are not the Palestinians in the Gaza and West Bank being terrorised?
And why don’t Israel have to take any blame. Ever. The UK and the US are lap dogs. Pretty interesting that you can criticise any country in the world, including yr own country, but you can’t criticise Israel, for if you do, then surely you are revealing ur innate anti- Semitism. What a handy get out.
Cmon, let’s hear all the free speech absolutists who railed against the woke crackdown on speech.
Now we have goons arresting students for a written opinion, in the streets of New York.
Thanks “free speech is back” Orange McCarthy.
“Students.” Obviously that nice young man that just wanted a piece of the American dream!
Fool. So we kick out everyone who disagrees with our foreign policy. Or only where Israel is involved? It’s speech. Grow a pair.
Carrot and stick. With some countries/groups Trump is using a carrot – Russia to get peace in Ukraine – while with others he is using the stick – Iran with sanctions, assassinations, and bombing their allies. Both are useful and can be used in tandem. It’s the same as he does with his negotiations, except there the sticks are merely words – annex Canada!
Not Columbia?
Why is Trump launching strikes on Yemen anyway?
Because the Houthis are striking US and other commercial shipping. Simple! Doah!
Trump isn’t particularly ideological, but all indications are that he is very anti-Iran. That coupled with the fact that he is pro-Israel probably explains the attacks.
I wonder how much Yemen paid Mr. Parenti to publish this BS propaganda hit piece. Peace in the region? Wow, I don’t have to go any farther.
Mr Parenty is not considering that Trump has made Saudi Arabia the centre of his Middle East policy. Since the Houties are a nagging element disturbing Saudi Arabia, they have to be removed. It is the last proxy leeft to Iran and according to this thinking it has to go. Then a peaceful ME, maybe will show up.
Presumably to keep the sea lanes open. The Israel/Palestine dispute cannot be allowed to block sea lanes. That remains the core problem in the area but not the only one.
Nah, not starting a forever war. It’s not like we will ever have boots on the ground in Yemen or Iran. Under Biden, the US was passive, allowing Houthi terrorists(Iran) to threaten international shipping at a cost of hundreds of millions of dollars. Biden wasted hundreds of millions intercepting attacks rather than taking the offensive. President Trump is the exact opposite. He operates from a position of strength. Sure we will not likely eliminate them, but they will pay a price that Biden was too weak to inflict and send a message to the rest of the world.
‘ the mouth of the Red Sea, which leads to the Suez Canal and the western end of the Mediterranean’
it’s the eastern end of the Mediterranean, obviously
Who ships what to whom and who pays the higher price? If the goods flow from India and China to Europe then the costs are absorbed by the manufacturers, distributors, retailers or consumers. Not sure the Americans suffer at all, this is not the Panama Canal. Shooting Yemeni radicals screaming death the America and waving AK47s at the sky in a futile gesture is probably just a bit of fun.
Bit of fun for the empire eh? How many innocents died? Doesn’t matter does it?
I’m sure they’re evil.
But a western/Israeli hair gets harmed and it’s bloodthirsty terrorism.
The Houthi’s Aimed at cargo, Israeli mostly. What/ who does the bombing serve? Tan Salon don decried it when Obama and Biden bombed Yemen.
But once in charge it seems other players/states have the final say.