Saudis Send Tank 'Strike Force' To Yemen Border
Source: Sky News
Hours after Saudi Arabia forces and Houthi rebels traded heavy artillery fire, Saudi-owned media reported the country is sending a "strike force" to its border with Yemen.
Al Arabiya Hadath TV broadcast pictures of a column of tanks loaded onto military trucks and described it as "the arrival of reinforcements from the strike force to the border".
The fighting between Yemen's Shia rebels and Saudi forces in border areas came a day before a humanitarian ceasefire was due to take effect.
Also on Monday, a Moroccan F-16 fighter jet taking part in the Saudi-led coalition against the Shia rebels, known as Houthis, has gone missing, Morocco said.
Read more: http://news.sky.com/story/1481722/saudis-send-tank-strike-force-to-yemen-border
= new reply since forum marked as read
Guess once they're done killing the entire country they will hire the war profiteer contractors to 'clean up' everything and rename the country. Have a million died? 2 million?
who could survive 100 fighter jets and then the coming ground wave of tanks & hired mercs ground troops? 
Last edited Mon May 11, 2015, 03:35 PM - Edit history (1)
First Cluster bombs are "Area Denial Munition" i.e. bombs design to lay on the ground for all to see, so that people do NOT travel in those areas. Best used on highways. Excellent in Libya for the desert to the south of the coastal Highway is usable by people on foot, on camels and horses, light vehicles (Vehicles light enough for two men to push out of a sand trap) and tracked vehicles (i.e NO WHEELED VEHICLES on those desert sands).
The "Deserts" of Yemen are different,wheeled vehicles can travel on such terrain and by pass cluster mines. The hills provide "cover" from observation from the air (and provide locations for AA positions to overlook any movement of troops, thus forcing any air craft to fly high enough to stay out of range of the AA guns (which includes 12.7, .50 caliber, Machine guns) forcing them further from any movement of troops.
Furthermore the Hills of Yemen traps the water coming off the Red Sea and Sea or Arabia, so that some farming occurs, this means wheat fields people can hide in and even "forests" for additional cover (No tall trees like we have in the Eastern US, but trees tall enough to hide under). In many ways these are more similar to Syria then Libya (While the interior of Saudi Arabia is more like Libya, no mountains, no trees, some scrub-lands and that is all).
Second, bombing is most effective against centralized positions and choke points. If you rely on horses and camels, choke points are limited in Yemen (they do exists if you rely on Tanks or wheeled vehicles) and the tribes in revolt are well known NOT to have any centralized positions, other then temporary meetings to decide tribal and inner tribal events.
It is for the above reasons the bombing campaign in Northern Yemen has failed to stop the advance of the rebels. Limited Choke Points, and limited positions whose destruction will harm the attacking Shiites.
Armies, even in the 1960s, were trained to fight with the other side having Air Superiority. You do this by dispersing your troops and keeping them under cover. Even during the German Advance of WWII, the Russians never kept troops at a river crossing, but in some nearby forest and then moved the troops to the river crossing when the German Land Forces neared that crossing. The Germans did the same when the Russians, and later Western Allied were on the offensive. Thus there is nothing to hit, till your ground forces near where the enemy wants to engage those ground forces. This seems to be what is happening in Yemen, the Saudi Arabian Air Campaign are hitting all types of targets, but nothing critical to the defense of the Shiites in revolt. Worse, the Air Attacks have NOT prevented the advance of those Shiites, for once the Air Planes made their sortie they had to return to base to be refueled and re armed. Five minute attack followed by 55 minutes of advance by the rebels. When another air attacks occur, the trucks hit into the surrounding country side, everyone opens fire on the Saudi's Planes, they hit one of two trucks, and then the survivors resume the offensive.
Saudi Arabia's only real ally in Yemen, Al Queda of the Arabia Peninsula, is to busy expanding the area it control in South Yemen, to worry about what is happening in North Yemen. The Saudi Arabia troops right across the border tend to be pro local Shiites, so NOT reliable. I suspect the Saudi Arabia Army is also not reliable, thus the recent upgrade of the Saudi Arabia National Guard (made up of tribal groups, Loyal to the House of Saud, but under the command of the son of the Former King Abdullah). The Regular Saudi Arabian Army are under the command of the son of the present king.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saudi_Arabian_National_Guard
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Armed_Forces_of_Saudi_Arabia
Please note the Saudi Arabian National Guard is NOT a reserve unit like the US National Guard, but a full time military force NOT under the command of the Armed Forces of Saudi Arabia.
Head of Armed Forces of Saudi Arabia. Mohammad bin Salman Al Saud or " Mohammad son of Salman of the House of Saud :
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mohammad_bin_Salman_Al_Saud
The term bin Salman, is generally translated as "Son of Salman", "Al" is generally translated as "of the house of".
king of Saudi Arabia, Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud i.e. "Salman son Abdulaziz of the house of Saud (Generally King Saud I of Arabia is known by that name, but his "real" name was "Abdulaziz", thus his sons are all "sons of Abdulaziz"
.
Salman is one of the Sudairi Seven, Sevens sons of King Saud I and his wife, Hassa bint Ahmed Al Sudairi. Three of the sevens became King of Saudi Arabia:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Salman_of_Saudi_Arabia
King Abdullah was the son of another wife of King Saud I, and unlike the Sudairi Seven, his family has reputation for being honest (Thus why he had been elected "Crown Prince" when King Fhad had Stroke and became incapacitated, when King Fhad died later on King Abudullah just continued what he had been doing, but this time signing his name as "King" instead of "Crown Prince".
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Abdullah_of_Saudi_Arabia
Abdullah apparently wanted one of the younger sons of King Saud I to be in line to inherit the throne after his death, but when he died, the present king removed that younger son of King Saud I and picked a son of another of the Surdairi Seven:
Son of King Saud I removed from the line of succession:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Muqin_bin_Abdulaziz
Grandson of King Saud I who is now in line to succeed to the throne:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Muhammad_bin_Nayef
Muhammad bin Nayef is the son of the previous Deputy Crown Prince, Nayef bin Abdulaziz Al Saud, who died in 2012 while Abdullah was still alive. He had been another of the Sudairi Seven:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nayef_bin_Abdul-Aziz_Al_Saud
I bring this up, for much of what is happening in Yemen reflects what is happening in the fight to succeed to the throne. The present king is NOT viewed as a long time holder of the throne, but a short timer. Salman is considered to suffer from Alzheimer, but the report is unconfirmed but if that is the case, his nephew (A nephew not only through his father but his mother) is actually running Saudi Arabia but his base is weak (if it was stronger, he would make himself King).
When King Abdullah purchased German Leopard II tanks for the Saudi Arabian National Guard, he made the National Guard equal in power to the Saudi Arabian Army (which have M1 Tanks, roughly the same fighting equivalent). You do NOT buy a different model of tank of the same generation unless you either have no way to buy more of what you have OR you need them NOW, waiting for them is not possible. I suspect that later and the reason was to build up his son's power within the House of Saud.
Recent reports was the Leopard II tanks purchased was cancelled by Germany:
http://www.defenseindustrydaily.com/desert-leopards-germany-selling-heavy-armor-to-the-saudis-06993/
I suspect the purchase is an attempt to strengthen the hands of the King Abdullah's sons at the expense of the Sons of the Sudairi Seven. There is massive infighting inside the House of Saud over who will rule Saudi Arabia and the Fighting in Yemen, Syria and elsewhere in the Middle East is part of that infighting (like the Soviet intervention in Afghanistan had more to do with the infighting involved with who was to succeed Brezhnev and the rest of his generation in the ruling of the Soviet Union, through in the case of the USSR, the infighting lead to the dissolution of the USSR).
The House of Saud is in an internal fight over who will rule Arabia over the next 20-30 years. Al Queda is part of that fight. Al Queda main source of revenue is Arabia and it is suspected to be from members of the ruling House of Saud. Some times the they fight Al Queda, some times they are allies.
The rest of Yemen want nothing to do with the House of Saud, even as they fight among themselves. Most of the attacks by US drones have been against the Shiites in North Yemen NOT Al Queda in South Yemen.
Lets look at the players in Yemen:
First the Zaidy, this is the Shiite group of Northern Yemen. It is NOT the same as the Shiites in Iran, they accept Sunni Islamic traditions, and claim to be the first supporters of Ali, the son in law of Mohammad (Shiite means "party of Ali). Zaidy are often referred to as "Fivers" for they accept the first four Caliphs (including Ali) and Ali's son as Valid Caliphs, but no others (and maintain a belief it is good to revolt against tyrants, which comes into play in the present fight).
Iran was "Twelvers", they do NOT accept the first three Caliphs as valid, but start with Ali and to his 12th decedent who they believe is in "Hiding" and will reappear with Christ on Judgement Day (Yes, it is a position of Islam that on the day of Judgement, Christ will come back to judge the living and the dead, this belief is one of the reason in the Middle Ages Christians viewed Moslems as heretics not a different religion).
Another school are called the "Seveners", the Assassins of the middle ages were Seveners. They only accept the first four Caliphs, Ali, his son, grandson and Great grandson. It is believe they are no Seveners today.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Zaidiyyah
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sevener
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Twelver
Another group are the Ismaili Shias, who believe Ismail was the sixth Iman (Ali being the First) instead of the his brother Jafar (who the twelvers say was the rightful 6th Iman). Ismaili Shias says there were 21 imans
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mustaali
I did the above to get a better feel for the RELIGIOUS angle in Yemen. The key is Northern Yemen are Zaidy NOT Twelvers (Thus Iran do not see them as true believers of Islam) AND Zaidy Islam supports the idea of revolting against Tyrants, not only as a right but a duty, even if you are benefiting from the Tyrant.
The tribal situation is more complex. First we have to define "Tribe" as that term is used for groups inside Yemen.
Following is a paper on the "Tribes" of Yemen, and difines tribes as a group of people who think as one group, generally male blood relations but most members of the tribes are viewed as equal. Now, around and in the tribe on non-tribal members, called "Weak" people in the paper. They are "inferior" to tribal members, but the Tribal members have a duty to protect them.
A foot note from the paper:
of the tribe, whereas the amount of such a compensation often exceeds four-fold (and sometimes [though very rarely] eleven-fold) the fine for a similar offense committed against a tribesman (Dresch 1989: 118, 407). In addition to that, "the call to right wrongs committed against them will generally be answered by large numbers of men from the tribe in question, whereas the call to support a fellow tribesman may be far less compelling" (Dresch 1984b: 159; see also e.g. Obermeyer 1982: 36). Also "it's forbidden for a person of superior rank to tease the "anaḍil" (one of the designations of the "weak" – A.K.) or to wrong them. If such a thing happened then the whole society would take their side to obtain justice from their oppressor" (Chelhod 1979: 55; 1970a: 75; see also e.g. Stevenson 1985: 44)
http://cliodynamics.ru/download/Korotayev_Social_History_of_Yemen_Russian_EnglishSummary_pdf_2.pdf
Now the paper calls what were called tribes in Iraq "Chiefdoms" for such "Chiefdoms" are much more hierarchy then a tribe. In the past some Yemen Tribes have evolved into Chiefdoms (and the generally rule it is Tribes to Chiefdoms, to Kingdoms) but have evolved back to being "Tribes".
The differences between "Tribes" and "Chiefdoms" are important. For example, in the settlement of the American West, the Colonial Governments and later the US Government adopted a policy of converting the tribes from tribes to Chiefdoms, by providing Chiefs that the Colonial Governments and later the US Government liked goods to disperse to their people. This strengthened those Chiefs within the tribe and ended the previous all being equal that was typical of Native American Tribes. The US tended to still call them tribes, but an effort was made to weaken religious leaders within the tribe and strengthen the Chiefs. This was official US policy and it tended to work, for it made the Chiefs depended on those Goods being provided, and developed a hierarchy within the tribe that prevented any popular revolt (popular revolts were popular among tribes even against their own chiefs, for in tribes a Chief was a temporary leader, who held the position only as long as he had popular support, thus the US wanted Chiefdoms not tribes and did all they could to convert the Tribes to Chiefdoms).
Notice one of the requirements of being a member of a tribe in Yemen is to protect the "Weak" those people living in the tribal area but NOT members of the tribe (This is also a rule in Native American Tribes and all tribal societies for otherwise they do nor work. in Cheifdoms this tendency tends to die out in favor of protecting the hierarchy). Thus in Yemen tribal society it is more important to protect a farmer, for farmers tend NOT be be members of the Tribe and thus a "Weak" person, then another tribe member. This same rule applied to other non tribal members, including women, merchants, smiths, tailors etc.
The Hasdid is either the largest or second largest tribal confederation in Yemen. It controls the area of what use to be Southern Yemen that borders Saudi Arabia, i.e. the area to the north of Yemen but NOT what was Northern Yemen. The members of the Tribe have been traditionally Shiite, but recent leadership has been Sunni.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hashid
The Bakil is the another tribal confederation, but its strength is in what use to be called North Yemen. It is still Shiite.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bakil
Please note, these two tribal confederation are interrelated and have existed for at least 2000 years, both trace themselves to two brothers who are believed to have lived sometime before 1 BC, but the exact date or even century is unknown.
Its leader is Sadeq Abdullah Al Ahmar and influential members include his brother, the prominent businessman and opposition leader Hamid Al Ahmar, plus another brother, Himyar Al Ahmar, the former deputy speaker of parliament.
The confederation is concentrated around the north-east governorate of Amran and associated tribes and clans include Al Osaimat, Othar, Kharef, Bani Suraim, Hamdan and Sanhan, which is the clan of the former president, Ali Abdullah Saleh.
Bakil. This has the largest population, with hundreds of thousands of followers.
Its leaders are from Abu Lahoum and Nihm tribes and it is concentrated north of Sanaa.
Associated tribes and clans include the Khawlan, Arhab, Al Hada, Al Jidaan, Anis, Dihm, Bani Mata and Al Haimatyeen.
Madhaj. This confederation is geographically dispersed but concentrated in the central part of the country.
It is known for its business professionals and educated elites, and associated tribes and clans include the Murad, Abidah, Ans, Al Zaraniq, Al Awaliq, Kaifah, Al Bakzm, Al Sabyha, Al Abadil, Al Alhasani and Al Fadhli.
http://www.thenational.ae/news/world/middle-east/yemens-tribal-confederations
http://www.globalsecurity.org/military/world/yemen/tribes.htm
The Madhaj have NOT been a signicant player in the present war. While it is the third largest Tribal group, prior to 1980 it was in South Yemen, that made an effort to undermine Tribal power but emphasizing its one party state. The Hashid, survived for it was on the border with Saudi Arabia and could get aid from the House of Saud (and given its member became President of North Yemen, then a united Yemen in 1990, members of that tribe saw a massive increase in power.
The Bakil tribe is the majority tribe in what was North Yemen. It is the tribe providing the troops for the Houthi movement. During the Civil War in the 1960s, it had supported the King of Yemen, but between Saudi Arabian money, Egyptian troops and a desire for peace, once the king had been defeated they accepted the loss and agreed to leaving a Hasdid become President. The Bakil tolerated this situation till about 2000 when the Houthi Movement started do to the massive discrimination against that tribe by the Government of Yemen.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Houthis
The Houthis is a a Zaidi movement to improve conditions in Northern Yemen, they dogma is related to improving conditions within the country NOT to force anyone to change religions. They acknowledge they are the minority religion in Yemen (through the majority in North Yemen) but they want a united Yemen and a government elected by the people.
Thus the Houthis are religious in formation, it is not for religion they are fighting.
Other factors: The present leaders of the Hashid were influence (if not part of) the Moslem Brotherhood. Saudi Arabia had financed those leaders till the overthrow of the Moslem Brotherhood in Egypt. The Hashid controls the mountains between Saudi Arabia and Yemen, and the leaders of that Tribal Confederation had embraced the Moslem Brotherhood and thus after the Coup in Egypt, Saudi Arabia cut off all money to anyone having connections with the Moslem Brotherhood.
Moslem Brotherhood: The Moslem Brotherhood was embraced by the three sons of the leader of the and this seems to have cause Saudi Arabia to cut off funds right after the coup in Egypt. Saudi Arabia wanted supported for the Salafism movement (Wahhabism) instead of the Moslem Brotherhood.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Salafi_movement
The Horthi of northern Yemen rejected Salafism for it was to Sunni even for them (Zaidy Islam tends to follow the Shia tradition of tolerance more then the Sunni Tradition of suppression of non Sunni and Islamic religions).
Thus you had a split in the traditional two tribal confederations that have ruled Yemen for the last 1000 years (and maybe 2000 years, the record is unclear). Such breakup of long term alliances are not uncommon in history, but they tend to be bloody (Spain sent the Amanda to England to restore the traditional Spanish-English Alliance against France NOT to conquer England is one of the best known example of what happens when a long term alliance breaks up).
Al Queda is tied in with the Salafist movement (and can be seen as the armed movement of the Salafist Movement). Al Queda in Saudi Arabia has operated SOUTH of the area controlled by the Hashid tribal alliance, but never came near to the area under Bakil tribal alliance control nor in areas under Houthi Control.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Template:Yemen_Insurgency_detailed_map
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Houthis
At the present time you have President Hadi. He is a native of Abyan province of what use to be called South Yemen. It is an rich agricultural area and thus people are tied in with towns NOT tribes (unlike Northern Yemen and the mountains between South Yemen and Saudi Arabia). Like former president Saleh he is a Sunni Moslem.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Abd_Rabbuh_Mansur_Hadi
Please note 75% of the population of Yemen live in Tribal areas, 25% live in farming and urban areas.
Former President Saleh is of the Sanjah tribe, which in turn part of the Hashid tribal confederation. He is a Sunni Moslem.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ali_Abdullah_Saleh
Aden is important, for it is the main port of Yemen. It has existed for hundreds of years, but of a town of at best a couple of hundred people, then in 1839 the British took it over and made it a major refueling stop for ships sailing from India to Egypt (and after 1869 via the Suez Canal).
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Aden
Aden is a modern city with a diverse population, its main claim to fame today is it has a oil refinery so that ships going from via the Red Sea can refuel in Aden. Given the the population of Yemen, outside of Aden, is tribal not Chiefdoms, the people of Aden have loss whatever connections they had to such tribes and reverted to being either farmers or city workers. Given Aden was controlled by the Turks before 1839, the population tends to be Sunni not Shiite.
Al Queda in the Arabia Peninsula has had concentrated its efforts in what use to be Northeast central South Yemen. It is NOT Aden or the surrounding agricultural area, nor the Northwest where the Houthi are active.
Al Queda has also made just limited attacks in Aden and the surrounding area.
Right now Houthi hold what use to be North Yemen AND Aden and the surrounding area around Aden (which use to be in South Yemen). Only now are the Houthi coming in contact with Al Queda. Al Queda seems to be concentrated in what had been the Madhaj Tribal Area, and appears to either be Madhaj tribal based OR members of that confederation are seeing Al Queda as they best leaders (Remember we are talking tribal situation hear, and in tribes people support other members of the tribe AND people who they believe will lead to success, none of the tribes in Yemen are Chiefdoms, they are true tribes and as tribes they support who they want to support and that appears to be Al Queda right now.
Al Queda has a long history of NOT holding areas it can not hold. The general military rule is it takes three times the troops to hold an area then to take an area. Al Queda support in South Yemen appears to be decent, but not strong (but also not weak), Thus when attacked they will retreat, to attack someplace else.
I went into the above to show that Saudi Arabia has never aimed any attacks on Al Queda that Al Queda could not bounce off (i.e. retreat to a safe location). Such Attacks are NEVER followed up with a massive chase to destroy the Al Queda Units (like how Grant Followed Lee, after Lee Abandoned Richmond in April 1865, Grant Chased Lee and bloke Lee's retreat and forced Lee to Surrender, such a chase of follow up attack is missing in Saudi Arabia's attacks on Al Queda. You do NOT leave such troops escape, you destroy them unless you do not want to (An example of this is the Battle of Chalon between Attila the Hun and the Roman General Aetius, after he had defeated Attila, Aetius decided NOT to destroy Attila for Aetius seems to have wanted to be able to use Attila's army either against his Visigoth Allies or the Roman Emperor himself).
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Attila
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Battle_of_the_Catalaunian_Plains
Grants chasing of Lee to Appomattox:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Appomattox_Campaign
