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Houthis 'take control' of key island in global shipping route

bbc.com

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Re: Houthis 'take control' of key island in global shipping route

#281

Post by ClarityJones »

737min wrote: post #227
mamonster wrote: post #208

Earlier quoted context omitted.

>Ansar Allah (Houthis) is a terrible Islamist group IMO this is kind of bad framing because it suggests that they're the minority in Yemen, when in reality they basically are the government of 70-80% population of Yemen and absorbed 60+ percent of the Yemeni regular army. They are basically at this point the de-facto Yemeni government

Their size - gained by brutal conquest - does not increase their legitimacy, it’s an Islamist group.

I decry the legitimacy of my coffee table, but my toe still hurts when I kick it.

Re: Houthis 'take control' of key island in global shipping route

#283

Post by swish-mish »

dgellow wrote: post #279
giardini wrote: post #214

Earlier quoted context omitted.

IMO it is a good thing that the USA is no longer paying for (among others): - NATO - Maintaining security on the high seas for other than USA shipping, - tariffs imposed by other countries (yes, other countries have been imposing tariffs for decades): https://wjno.iheart.com/content/2025-03-17-qa-how-many-count... The USA can use the money saved for its own citizens (possibly even lowering their taxes!)

> The USA can use the money saved for its own citizens How is that going? Any progress there? Are US citizens richer than they were before?

[dead]

Re: Houthis 'take control' of key island in global shipping route

#284

Post by ericmay »

dalyons wrote: post #256
ericmay wrote: post #178

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Iran probably wasn't following the JCPOA, denied inspectors access to certain sites, and you'd also have to say you 100% trust American intelligence to verify that Iran isn't building a nuclear weapon in secret and if you want to do that I've got a war to sell you in Iraq. Separately that doesn't resolve the other issues, funding militant groups, &c.

Do you think in the current situation they are more or less likely to try for a nuke than before?

I don't think there's any change. But I think it's less possible.

Re: Houthis 'take control' of key island in global shipping route

#285

Post by Patirckjdhej »

SmasherEpilepti wrote: post #272
Patirckjdhej wrote: post #245

Earlier quoted context omitted.

[flagged]

So you're saying nobody can criticize the actions of the government of Israel without hating Jews? That's extraordinarily myopic. What happens if a Jewish person disagrees with Israel's actions? Does that revoke their right to be Jewish?

[flagged]

Re: Houthis 'take control' of key island in global shipping route

#286

Post by rdm_blackhole »

theplumber wrote: post #165
ericmay wrote: post #146

Earlier quoted context omitted.

[flagged]

I doubt that the world will subscribe to the idiocy of the current US admin. China will just push harder for renewables while Europe and the rest of the world will try to coup with the shock but I am certain they won’t go to war with Iran because they have no reason. Eventually US will have to decide if it’s going to do anything or just live with high oil prices for long or just go back home in a British Suez fashion…

> Europe and the rest of the world will try to coup with the shock

The two major economies in the EU (France and Germany) are both facing severe recessions and a parliamentary deadlock + soon to be elections would will be most certainly won by Putin's allies and/or radical communists.

All of this to say I would not hold my breath on Europe doing much at all in the coming months/years.

Re: Houthis 'take control' of key island in global shipping route

#287

Post by mmooss »

WarmWash wrote: post #215
pphysch wrote: post #152

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Why can Israel have a nuclear weapon? It is also an insanely violent ethno-theocratic regime.

[flagged]

Attempts to claim that your side is somehow superior and not subject to the same human evils as the other side are never true, and just encourage your own people to commit evil - they are justified and the other side is evil, of course. Somehow everyone thinks that, which should tell you something about the truth of it. But of course for your side, it's actually true!

One classic method is to try to tie it to scripture, but people behave like people regardless of their scriptures, and members of every religion has done plenty of horrible things in the name of their god. The Christian Gospels are about as pacifist as scripture gets and yet many horrible things have been done in Christianities name - often justified because the victims were non-Christian.

There is plenty of religious-sanctioned violence in the Old Testament, including in the Torah, and plenty of violence against non-Jews today - so much that it's a bit bizarre to overlook it.

Re: Houthis 'take control' of key island in global shipping route

#288

Post by markus_zhang »

giardini wrote: post #171
Art9681 wrote: post #91

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Realpolitik might just be the best way to do things after all.

Please don't leave us in suspense: what would "realpolitik" be in this instance?

The greatest happiness is to vanquish your enemies, to chase them before you, to rob them of their wealth, to see those dear to them bathed in tears, to clasp to your bosom their wives and daughters.

Re: Houthis 'take control' of key island in global shipping route

#289

Post by mamonster »

adrr wrote: post #218
737min wrote: post #180

Ansar Allah (Houthis) is a terrible Islamist group that commits warcrimws against both Yemenis and people thousands of miles away. Here’s just one example, executing men for gayness: https://www.hrw.org/news/2024/03/27/yemen-houthis-sentence-m... “In addition to death sentences that include crucifixion and stoning, the Houthi court sentenced 23 men to prison for periods of up to 10 years. Three of them were also sent…

The other side is Al Qaeda. So who do you support? Wipe out the Houthis and you'll get another Syria where Al Qaeda controls the country. Edit: Downvote me as much you want doesn't change the facts. the front line fighters for Yemen government is Al Qaeda. It was same thing as Syria which is why we have an Al Qaeda leader as their president. https://www.cnn.com/interactive/2019/02/middleeast/yemen-los...

Houthis are allied/in the early stages of an alliance with Al-Shabab though

Re: Houthis 'take control' of key island in global shipping route

#290

Post by thenayr »

737min wrote: post #180

Ansar Allah (Houthis) is a terrible Islamist group that commits warcrimws against both Yemenis and people thousands of miles away. Here’s just one example, executing men for gayness: https://www.hrw.org/news/2024/03/27/yemen-houthis-sentence-m... “In addition to death sentences that include crucifixion and stoning, the Houthi court sentenced 23 men to prison for periods of up to 10 years. Three of them were also sent…

As an American, I love that the American right wing immediately point out how Islamist treat gays, as if the American right isn’t still trying to outlaw gay marriage and kill trans people. Get a grip you guys.
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