Yemen

No matter who wins the presidency in November, the United States will need a strategy that allows it to protect free and open trade in the Red Sea without becoming bogged down in an open-ended conflict in Yemen.

On September 18, AGSIW hosted a discussion on Yemen.

In the short term, increasing economic pressure on the Houthis is likely to prompt them to reignite attacks on Saudi Arabia, while in the long term it could make reuniting Yemen into a single state all but impossible.

A U.N. agreement lifting Central Bank of Yemen economic restrictions may inadvertently embolden the Houthis and bolster their capacity to project military power.

How should the United States respond to an escalation in Houthi attacks when its current approach isn’t working?

Tackling Yemen’s root problems won’t be easy, quick, or cheap, which is why no one has really tried.

On March 12, AGSIW hosted a discussion on the Houthi challenge to maritime security in the Red Sea and the Gulf of Aden.

While not yet successful, the Biden administration’s “deter and degrade” approach may prove to be an adaptable approach that can be modified into a winning strategy.