Thanks for the contributions. I agree with you on much of what you’ve written.

Firstly, although I didn’t mention this in the piece, I believe question marks should be raised about the initial pretext that supposedly ‘justifies’ Saudi military involvement in Saada. The official pretext was that Yemeni Houthis infiltrated Saudi borders and launched an attack against an outpost as a result of which a Saudi official was killed. This is reported to have occured on 3rd November 2009. However, take for instance the report that appeared a day earlier (2nd November) citing that Saudi territory was being used by the Yemeni army to launch attacks on Houthis:

http://www.monstersandcritics.com/news/middleeast/news/article_1510866.php/Yemen-rebels-say-army-launched-attacks-from-Saudi-territory

This is but one example, and does not even begin taking into account non-stop Saudi involvement over the years (decades to be precise) in fuelling sectarian tensions, and funding rival confederates. Mai Yamani, a critic of Saudi foreign policy, is a good reference to look into for the above (e.g. http://www.chathamhouse.org.uk/files/13932_160409remesyamani.pdf)

Therefore on the whole, the media and political elite are suffering from contextual amnesia; as happened with the Israeli pretext for justifying the war on Gaza last year.

I agree with you strongly that there are some powers in the Middle East such as the kingdom of Saudi Arabia, who wish to ‘sectarianize’ conflicts. I tried to look at some of the reasons for this in the piece “The Myth of Sectarianism in the New Middle East” which is cited in the footnotes. Some of the reasons I raise are similar, if not the same as those that you have.

This sorry situation of mis-using sectarianism for political ends does not only apply to relative ‘unknowns’ like the Yemeni Houthis, but the irony is that popular groups like Hamas are also projected through a sectarian lens. Egyptian officials often refer to the Gaza Strip as a tiny Islamic Republic of Iran, and characterize Hamas as an extension of the Iranian (and by extension Shi’ite )agenda.

As you’ve mentioned, there is a need for Arab intellectuals to be more vocal in rejecting this sectarian rhetoric. This can begin with simply stating that Yemeni Houthis, are before all Yemenis and Arabs who have legitimate grievances against the state.

Nevertheless, I think the sectarian card is a tool of diminishing utility, and the frontline against this deception will not be the intellectuals class, but rather the common (wo)man on the Arab street.

Finally, as you’ve stated, reports of US involvement in Saada if established, will prove that there is much more going on in the background than first meets the eye.

Regards,
Ali.

US fighters pound Sa’ada, kill 120

At least 120 Houthis have lost lives and 44 others sustained injuries as US fighter jets took part in air strikes in the northwestern Yemeni province of Sa’ada.

“The US air force perpetrated an appalling massacre against citizens in the north of Yemen as it launched air raids on various populated areas, markets, refugee camps and villages along with Saudi warplanes,” the northern Yemen-based Houthi Shia fighters said.
They added, “The savage crime committed by the US air force shows the real face of the United States. It cancels out much touted American claims of human rights protection, promotion of freedoms of citizens as well as democracy.”

The US military continues its air raids on Yemen’s northern beleaguered regions of Amran, Hajjah and Sa’ada which have already been the target of joint Saudi-Yemen offensive against the Houthi fighters.
The conflict in northern Yemen began in 2004 between Sana’a and Houthi fighters. The conflict intensified in August 2009 when the Yemeni army launched Operation Scorched Earth in an attempt to crush the fighters in the northern province of Sa’ada.
The Houthis accuse the Yemeni government of violation of their civil rights, political, economic and religious marginalization as well as large-scale corruption.

The Saudi air force has further complicated the conflict by launching its own operations against Shia resistance fighters.

Houthi fighters say that Riyadh pounds their positions and that Saudi forces strike Yemeni villages and indiscriminately target civilians. According to the fighters, Saudis use toxic materials, including white phosphorous bombs, against civilians in northern Yemen.

The UN High Commissioner for Refugees estimates that since 2004, up to 175,000 people have been forced to leave their homes in Sa’ada and take refuge at overcrowded camps set up by the United Nations.

http://blackpoliticalthought.blogspot.com/2009/11/president-barack-obama-bows-to-japanese.html

It is very important to point out that the so called head of Arab ‘moderate states’ like Saudi Arabia, Egypt and Jordan have decided to play with fire and feed their Arab population with lies against Shiites to use the religious divide to divert attention away from their own inability to improve people’s life and onto an imaginary ‘enemy’ meaning Iran. Saudi Arabia is working hand in hand with Israel to continue the status que where Iran is viewed as ‘evil’ and Shiites as ‘extremists’ because this situation is proven to be desirable for Arab puppet states and the empire builders.

I am surprised with lack of Arab Intellectuals protest against Saudi Arabia use of religious dive to put one against the other where is no one interest except our enemies in the region. I think those Arabs who write many articles on Palestinians unacceptable condition ought to do the same against Saudi Arabia where majority of Arab Journalists have placed their training at the service of empire through $$$$ of Saudi Arabia. Saudi Arabia as a negative force must be exposed every day.
Mr. Jawad, you ought to write about Arab intellectual’s lack of unity with other groups in the region. They must break their silence and protest against Saudi Arabia and the United States for their war crime activities against both Shiites and Sunnis in the region and ask for immediate withdrawal from the region.

US/nato warlords wanted us to accept their claims that they were on missions to fight terrorists and bring democracy in the two evil and disfunctional empires.
And, of course, to protect their women from evil men, but only evil pashtun, oops, taliban men. Tajik women did not need protecting, tho, because tajic men are good folk.
tnx