If President Donald Trump’s pick of James Mattis as defense secretary is an indication of the direction of foreign policy in the Middle East, then the U.S. stance towards Yemen will likely align more closely with the approach of Gulf states in pursuing a military victory over the Houthi-Saleh alliance in Sanaa.
While an end to the fighting in Yemen would certainly be a welcome development, there is reason to doubt the durability of a cease-fire agreement at this time.
The parties to the intractable Yemen war appear further entrenched in their enmity than ever before, despite U.S. and British efforts to push Yemeni leaders toward new negotiations.
In this week's Monday Briefing, MEI experts Ruba Husari, Charles Lister, and Charles Schmitz provide analysis on events including OPEC's upcoming meeting, Russia's bombardment of Aleppo, and the worsening humanitarian disaster in Yemen.