Destroying Yemen : What Chaos in Arabia Tells Us About the World

Since March 2015, a Saudi-led international coalition of forces—supported by Britain and the United States—has waged devastating war in Yemen. Largely ignored by the world’s media, the resulting humanitarian disaster and full-scale famine threatens millions. Destroying Yemen offers the first in-depth historical account of the transnational origins of this war, placing it in the illuminating context of Yemen’s relationship with major powers since the Cold War. Bringing new sources and a deep understanding to bear on Yemen’s profound, unwitting implication in international affairs, this explosive book ultimately tells an even larger story of today’s political economy of global capitalism, development, and the war on terror as disparate actors intersect in Arabia. The objective of Destroying Yemen is to put South Arabia within a framework of analysis that permits new ways to explore the global transformations driven by “liberalism and market economics” during the 1900-2017 period. Of concern are the kinds of interactions between external parties, primarily driven by globalist doctrines seeking to extract the considerable surplus wealth produced in South Arabia. Crucially, the response from Yemen’s indigenous peoples appears to have global significance. Long self-sufficient and often themselves actively engaged in dynamic trans-regional relations that pre-date the ascendency of global capitalism, looking closely at how Yemenis confront and until now, resist globalist encroachments presents us an opportunity to reinterpret recent events in Yemen and the larger world since the Cold War. In particular, this book analyzes post-war Yemen through its close association with, among other things, a neo-liberal model of economic “development” that ultimately arrives in Yemen via various channels—Egypt’s invasion in 1962, Takfiri violence with Saudi support, and neoliberal “reforms” introduced by stealth over a period of 30 years. The fact that Yemen played an important role in shaping the trajectory of what were global visions for imposing Euro-American power throughout the Middle East, may prove invaluable to a broad range of scholars interested in studying the modern world from the perspective of indigenous agents Since March 2015, A Saudi-led International Coalition Of Forces--supported By Britain And The United States--has Waged Devastating War In Yemen. Largely Ignored By The World's Media, The Resulting Humanitarian Disaster And Full-scale Famine Threatens Millions. Destroying Yemen Offers The First In-depth Historical Account Of The Transnational Origins Of This War, Placing It In The Illuminating Context Of Yemen's Relationship With Major Powers Since The Cold War. Bringing New Sources And A Deep Understanding To Bear On Yemen's Profound, Unwitting Imbrication In International Affairs, This Explosive Book Ultimately Tells An Even Larger Shock-doctrine Story Of Today's Political Economy Of Global Capitalism, Development, And The War On Terror As Disparate Actors Intersect In Arabia.--provided By Publisher. The Quest For Global Hegemony Starts There -- The Region That Pumps The Heart Of The Cold War, 1941-1960 -- Birthing Revolution: A Genealogy Of The 1962 Coup -- Wrong From The Start: Modernization And Development And The Violence They Spun -- Making Yemen Dance: The Regime And The Politics Of Chaos -- Plundering Yemen And Its Post-spring Hiatus -- Coda: Yemen's Relevance To The Larger World. Isa Blumi. Includes Bibliographical References And Index. Since March 2015, a Saudi-led international coalition of forcessupported by Britain and the United Stateshas waged devastating war in Yemen. Largely ignored by the world's media, the resulting humanitarian disaster and full scale famine threatens millions. Destroying Yemen offers the first in-depth historical account of the transnational origins of this war, placing it in the illuminating context of Yemen's relationship with major powers since the Cold War. Bringing new sources and a deep understanding to bear on Yemen's profound, unwitting imbrication in international affairs, this explosive book ultimately tells an even larger shock-doctrine story of today's political economy of global capitalism, development, and the war on terror as disparate actors intersect in Arabia Cover 1 Contents 10 List of Illustrations 12 Acknowledgments 14 Note on Dates, Abbreviations, and Transliteration 16 Introduction 18 1 The Quest for Global Hegemony Starts There 45 2 The Region That Pumps the Heart of the Cold War, 1941–1960 74 3 Birthing Revolution: A Genealogy of the 1962 Coup 102 4 Wrong from the Start: Modernization and Development and the Violence They Spun 130 5 Making Yemen Dance: The Regime and the Politics of Chaos 159 6 Plundering Yemen and Its Post-Spring Hiatus 187 Coda: Yemen’s Relevance to the Larger World 218 Notes 230 Bibliography 282 Index 304 A 304 B 305 C 305 D 306 E 306 F 306 G 307 H 307 I 307 J 308 K 308 L 308 M 308 N 308 O 309 P 309 Q 309 R 309 S 309 T 310 U 310 V 310 W 310 Y 311 Z 311