Saudi-UAE 'Rift': How Many Wars Before it's About Money?
The New Arab reports on the Saudi-UAE alliance 'rupturing' over the Yemen war, citing 'competing visions for the region.' This geopolitical drama, however, conveniently overlooks the shared vision of profit. While the Saudis and UAE have been collectively devastating Yemen since 2015, the recent 'differences' largely emerge as the spoils of war – literally, the rebuilding contracts – become a more
tangible prize than further destruction. Both Riyadh and Abu Dhabi have heavily invested in military hardware from Western powers, turning Yemen into a tragic testing ground, fueling a proxy war that has seen millions displaced and a humanitarian crisis unfold. It appears that eight years of shared war crimes were perfectly fine, but a slight disagreement over who gets the lion's share of post-war
reconstruction (or resource control) is where the 'fault lines' truly appear. One might wonder if the 'rupture' would have been reported with such gravitas if it didn't involve potential billions in reconstruction contracts for eager international bidders. It’s less about ethics, more about economics, as the region’s strongmen jockey for market share after years of collective devastation.