Al-Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, February 27
The Houthis granted Yemeni citizenship to a number of Lebanese, Iranians, and Iraqis citizens. There is no real way to read this news other than through a comical lens. What benefit could a Lebanese, Iranian, or Iraqi citizen possibly get from obtaining Yemen nationality? Is it a new life opportunity? A state-of-the-art education for their children? A quiet place to retire? From time to time I check out the ranking of the best passports in the world. Passports are ranked on the basis of the number of countries they allow their bearers to enter without restriction. The above four countries are on the very bottom of this list. Yemen is down even further. In other words, the world is just fed up with these nations. Their citizens are unwanted anywhere in the world. The only reason I can possibly think of to explain this strange decision is an Iranian attempt to diversify the range of nationalities that it uses as its proxies. First Tehran targeted Lebanon. Then it took over Iraq and now, finally, it is eyeing Yemen. Providing Yemeni passports to its personnel is simply an easy way for Iran to move its mercenaries around. Ultimately, it hopes to send all of its mercenaries to Syria, where they will fight and die in sectarian wars. This tribal way of thinking goes back to the Middle Ages, when human life had no value. Robbery, forced labor, looting, kidnapping, and slavery were all common feats of everyday life. This is the kind of world Iran is trying to build: one where people’s well-being doesn’t matter, only the Almighty above. Rip people away from their families, send fighters to their deaths, and wreak havoc on entire nations. None of these matter when you frame your fight in religious existential terms. – Abdullah bin Bakhit (translated by Asaf Zilberfarb)