tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8304928500646903522.post5281361361136252496..comments2024-03-28T18:32:05.933-04:00Comments on bensozia: About Yemen, Pakistan is Smarter than WashingtonJohnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01037215533094998996noreply@blogger.comBlogger2125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8304928500646903522.post-70827967151766334122015-04-12T09:28:21.346-04:002015-04-12T09:28:21.346-04:00I think the politics of the Yemen situation are ac...I think the politics of the Yemen situation are actually fairly simple. With the US negotiating with Iran on the nuclear issue and backing what the Saudis must see as an Iranian-allied Shi'ite revanche in Iraq, the new Saudi king has to be seen at home to do *something* to act like the leader and defender of Sunni Arabs that Saudis want to see themselves as being. The US likewise has to be seen to back the Saudis in *something*, lest the Saudis, in order to act like they're defending Sunni Arabs, either 1) start building their own nuclear bomb or 2) support ISIS even more than they're already doing.<br /><br />As for Yemen, I think the mostly plausible scenario is several years of violence followed by going the way of Lebanon (an indefinitely extended more or less unhappy armed truce) or Yugoslavia (separation into more or less ethnically homogenous ministates).Davidhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08993570411881726772noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8304928500646903522.post-43999057716301794222015-04-11T22:00:42.841-04:002015-04-11T22:00:42.841-04:00Pakistan spent $5,685,000,000 on their military in...Pakistan spent $5,685,000,000 on their military in 2011.<br /><br />The USA spent $689,591,000,000 on theirs military in 2011.<br /><br />When you only spend <b>1/121th</b> of what the USA spends on your army, it's not truly being "sensible" in comparison to avoid getting involved.<br />G. Verlorennoreply@blogger.com