The same-old double standard
It has become a trend of so-called Western democracies and “free” Arab states to intervene in the politics of sovereign countries under the pretext of democracy, but in actual fact for the sake of pursuing their interests. After the fall of the Soviet Union, the United States through its effective propaganda, “liberated” Kuwait from Saddam Hussein’s aggression. The successful operation was carried out with the full-fledged cooperation of the Gulf States; Saudi Arabia was at the forefront. One must not forget, however, this very group of nations that was fighting against Saddam in Kuwait is the same group that armed and supported Saddam in his war against the Islamic Republic of Iran. Furthermore, in 2001, the same group – in the name of spreading democracy and liberating the Afghani people from the Taliban – carried out the invasion of Afghanistan. Two years later, it invaded Iraq. The list goes on. In recent years, Western governments and their loyal coalition of Arab autocracies have set their sights on destroying the Axis of Resistance. On one hand, they have spent billions funding the Syrian opposition fighting against the legitimate government of President Bashar al-Assad. Why? Because this group untruthfully claims to support democracy. On the other hand, instead of supporting the Bahraini people’s legitimate demands for reform and democracy in their country, these countries, in a blatant show of double standards, support the al-Khalifah dynasty, which rules the country with an iron fist and suppresses all dissent.
Given the history of the West’s morally questionable relationship with Arab monarchies in the Gulf, it came as no surprise when a Saudi-led coalition launched a military campaign against Ansarullah in Yemen, which, following the resignation of Abd Rabbuh Mansur Hadi from the presidency and based on the widespread approval of the Yemenis, took power. First, France, the United States, Saudi Arabia, and a few other countries closed down their embassies Sanaa, Yemen’s capital, as soon as Ansarullah (commonly known as the Houthis) took over the country. Hadi, who was under virtual house arrest, escaped to Riyadh. Guided by Saudi Arabia and the West, he formed a parallel government in Aden. Hadi’s masters sought to maintain their interests in the country through a tried and tested tactic: by creating and instigating division. The Houthis had invited all political parties to help them form a new, inclusive, united Yemeni government without Saudi Arabia interfering in its politics. The Saudis, of course, reacted by holding a meeting of their own in Riyadh with the intention of undermining this new Yemeni government. One might ask why Yemenis would internal political conflicts in Riyadh and not in their own country. We can safely say that the Saudis did not organize the meeting without the approval of their masters in Washington. In fact, as soon as the Houthis took power, John Kerry issued a statement calling on (i.e., demanding) Saudi Arabia to play a major role in dealing with the situation in Yemen.
Following the Houthis’ seizing of power, al-Qaeda suddenly became more active. It certainly wouldn’t be outrageous to claim that the West and the Gulf states are backing al-Qaeda and other terrorist groups to undermine and cripple the legitimate government in Yemen. They’ve been using the same strategy in Syria. There is already bloodshed in Yemen, and the worst is yet to come. There have already been assassinations of prominent figures involved in the formation of the new Yemeni government. Among the most recent was the assassination of Khiwani, who was an active member of Revolutionary Committee; he was among over 50 Yemenis killed in a terrorist blast after Friday prayers. Furthermore, the embassies that were closed down in Sanaa have been relocated to Aden, where Abd Rabbuh Mansur Hadi leads the illegitimate, parallel government. These unforgiveable double-standards by the United States and the West have left scars in the hearts of many nations, and the disgust in their imperialist actions only grows more intense. Yemen has unfortunately been marred by the Gulf States’ Western-backed aggression. The new government is fighting tooth and nail to limit Gulf and American influence. I hope I’m wrong, but the presence of Gulf and Western backed terrorist groups in Yemen leads me to believe that there will be a lot more bloodshed in the foreseeable future. Unless Yemen receives help from other neighboring countries, it will be tough, if not impossible, to resist the current onslaught.
