Washington must rejoin the Saudi war against the Houthis

An opinion piece contends that Washington ought to return to active support for Saudi operations against the Houthi movement. The author frames this as a necessary step to prevent a strategic vacuum in the Middle East that could be exploited by other powers. The argument presumes that U.S. absence would create opportunities for rivals to expand influence in the region.

Central to the column is the concern that China could fill any gap left by a diminished American presence. The author argues that allowing Beijing to strengthen ties or leverage influence across the Middle East would be an unacceptable geopolitical trade-off, even for policymakers motivated to reduce U.S. military commitments abroad.

The piece positions U.S. re-engagement not as an endorsement of all aspects of Saudi policy but as a pragmatic choice to protect broader strategic interests. It suggests that balancing the desire to lower the U.S. footprint with the imperative to limit rival powers’ gains should guide Washington’s approach to the conflict.

Ultimately, the author urges a recalibration of U.S. policy toward a more active role in the Saudi–Houthi confrontation, motivated by the aim of preventing greater Chinese influence in the Middle East rather than by advocacy for prolonged large-scale intervention.