The Arab Spring

Huthis? I thought Houthis was the spelling used by all.

Intresting developments in Syria. Heard that HTS took Afrin and is preparing to take Azaz. If true, TFSA/SNA is probably done for. Wonder why Turkey is allowing this.

Houthi is the more commonly used spelling, but Huthi is legit as well.

To give themselves an excuse to attack, probably. Or they are up to something elsewhere, like Iraq or with the islands near Greece.

I had meant to comment on this. The Houthis have no reason to take a deal when the government is too busy fighting themselves. There is a high likelihood that they will make for Taiz, which is largely under Islahi control (and, due to the aforementioned infighting, largely isolated from friendly forces). Given that the local Taizi populace has been under partial siege for most of the war, if the Houthis come in force, its not entirely clear the Islahi garrison can hold it.

The question then comes to timing. Do the Houthis go earlier, while Islah still controls the city in the hope for a quick victory (at the risk of uniting the government again) or does it wait for Islah to be wiped out by one of its adversaries and takes a potentially weaker (from infighting) enemy but one who is more determined to hold the city?

Looks like the Houthis are taking a third option and....attacking oil tankers instead?

The UN envoy has condemned it.

I question what the hell they think they're doing. This is not the time for asymmetrical warfare, it's time for them to get their asses in gear and make a move.

I wonder if there are behind the scenes negotiations being the reason for this particular tactic. The truce is officially over, but they haven't gone back to pre-truce dynamic warfare just yet. Maybe this is (forgive the pun) a shot across the bow.

Syria is readmitted to the Arab league.

Is it fair to consider this a massive failure on Biden's foreign policy?

Massive? Only if thinking of him as a continuaton of Obama, I guess. I don't think Biden cares that much about Syria itself. In practical terms for the US ME strategy (i.e. containing Iran) this is a wash, I would say.

Was the suspension from the Arab League even something driven by the US?

Nice to see that the Arab League leaders have put aside their differences to focus on the real enemy: the Arab people.