US Backs 'Self-Determination'—Unless It's for Yemenis
The STC, a Yemeni faction backed by the UAE, announced its pursuit of self-determination for the south, as reported by Al-Monitor. While the West often champions 'self-determination' when it suits geopolitical agendas, the same zeal is noticeably absent when allied nations like Saudi Arabia or the UAE are involved in suppressing it. For instance, the US provided billions in military aid to Saudi
Arabia and the UAE during their intervention in Yemen (e.g., $1.15 billion arms deal approved by Obama in 2016, continued under Trump), effectively bankrolling a war that created one of the world's worst humanitarian crises. Where's the 'self-determination' for Yemenis bombed with US-supplied munitions? One might wonder at the timing, given the ongoing regional instability. It appears Washington,
London, and Brussels—who seem to remember 'international law' only when it applies to adversaries—are less concerned with internal Yemeni sovereignty than with managing their proxies and ensuring the flow of oil. The concept of 'self-determination' seems to apply only to populations whose struggle aligns with current foreign policy objectives, never against them. What a convenient, and tragically
familiar, double standard.