Just as I predicted many years ago and even told a few Arabized trolls on the old PDF who have/had no clue about Yemen, zero influence, nor is Yemen or any internal Arab affair their business to begin with, but the 2014 civil war, aside from being instigated by the Houthi terrorist cult against a weak and divided Yemeni state that was still "recovering" (it was always an incompetent regime - hence the state of Yemen) from the "Arab Spring", was/is essentially a North-South divide and civil war. The South, due to a smaller population, despite holding most of the country's resources, strategic ports, coastline and most importantly territory, always felt marginalized after the unification in 1990 and was always underrepresented politically, which caused resentment towards the more conservative, inwards looking and majority Zaydi North. While the South was always more cosmopolitan and open to the world given the deep and ancient seafaring tradition of the South and large global diaspora.
en.wikipedia.org
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Not to mention British influence in the South.
Which is why I always predicted the eventual disintegration of Yemen as a state.
Ideally KSA should annex Al-Mahra and Hadhramaut or offer them some kind of self-rule or a federal status within KSA. Much like what the Russians did in Donetsk and Luhansk. The only thing UAE can do in Yemen and anywhere else for that matter is just financial and military support. They have no geographic or demographic (less than 2 million natives) depth not to mention that they are located far away from Yemen while we share an almost 2000 km long border with Yemen.
Most locals would give their right arm and right leg to join KSA in a federal capacity given the dire economic situation of the locals.
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It is where most of Yemen's oil, gas and natural and mineral wealth is located. Sparsely populated which is another benefit. Key strategic coastline and direct access to the Arabian Sea and wider Indian Ocean.
North is barren (resource wise), overpopulated, mountainous and of no great strategic use. Also a huge economic burden for anyone to manage.
The largest Hadhrami diaspora (origin wise but now long ago naturalized) in the region is also located in KSA and they have a lot of political and economic influence. Ties with tribal leaders, elders and people of importance in both provinces are very strong.
This above is doable if their is political will or if the leadership deems it necessary in case of Yemen further fragmenting which everything points towards.
Just make a plebiscite in Al-Mahra and Hadhramaut with one single question; "Do you wish to join KSA in a federal capacity, yes or no" and I am almost certain that the vast majority would agree. If the case, use this as an incentive to establish yourself further and establish sovereignty. Use the Russian playbook but without the military/killing part.
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What should never be accepted is for Yemen to be "eaten" by others (even fellow Arabs) right in front of our own noses. We are the ones with the biggest stakes in Yemen long-term and the ones with the closest historical ties to it as well. Having a perpetually failed state of this size, population (Yemen will have a huge population in the future), historical depth and ties with us, highly strategic location, is simply not acceptable.
Moreover everything that works towards the unification of Arabia into a single powerful nation, regardless of under which banner this occurs short-term, is always a good thing.
Whether we like it or not our destiny and future are intertwined therefore the first and most important priority should be to create a strong, prosperous and secure Yemen and if KSA annexing parts of a Yemen that is breaking apart by itself, helps this, short and long-term, while also gives KSA certain benefits, this should be pursued.
@The SC opinions?
