To be clear, I'm not questioning KSA's motives. Morally, I don't really care, but strategically, it makes sense why KSA went into Yemen: having an Iranian proxy on KSA's border would be absolutely disastrous.
Those mercs were conducting direct combat missions against Houthi militants, you don't do that if you're mere guards. So far as its been confirmed, the only ones who're saying they're guards are the UAE, and with zero evidence to back that up. Meanwhile there is plenty of reports supporting the fact that these mercs are conducting military operations across Yemen.
Next, Morocco and Sudan both supported the KSA intervention in Yemen, but they only presented token forces, nothing more. Their contribution has amounted to practically nothing substantial on the ground.
On the topic of KSA and Yemen, it's very clear that the KSA has failed to achieve its objectives in Yemen. Its gotten so bad for KSA that they're now trying to get out of Yemen. UAE has already left, along with a number of other partners.
I feel I need to emphasize this, because I don't want there to be bad feelings between us, this entire conversation isn't me presenting my feelings or morals, its simply a cold cut analysis based upon my own research into the subject. I think KSA has legitimate reason to intervene in Yemen, but from what I've read, they've gone about it the completely wrong way.
I agree but beg to differ on both the alleged mercenaries and the objectives..
"The Latin American force in the Emirates was originally conceived to carry out mostly domestic missions — guarding pipelines and other sensitive infrastructure and possibly putting down riots in the sprawling camps housing foreign workers in the Emirates — according to corporate documents, American officials and several people involved in the project.
A 2011 intelligence briefing for senior leaders involved in the project listed Al Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula, Somali pirates and domestic riots as some of the biggest threats to Emirati stability.
The troops were told that they might one day be called for foreign combat missions, but until the deployment to Yemen the only external missions they were given were to provide security on commercial cargo vessels.
Those missions were rare, and soldiers involved in the project describe years of monotony at the desert camp, housed within a sprawling Emirati military base called Zayed Military City. They rise every day at 5 a.m. for exercise and military training — including shooting practice, navigation and riot control. A number of Westerners, including several Americans, live at the camp and serve as trainers for the Latin American troops."
https://www.nytimes.com/2015/11/26/...-colombian-mercenaries-to-fight-in-yemen.html
As for the main objective..it was to secure the borders and the legitimate government in Yemen and that was a success otherwise we would be having clashes on the borders instead of these missiles and drones which show that the Houthis have been contained on the ground.. so they have resorted to attack from far away,, in fact the farthest they can..
The dramatic language is of no use in a real evaluation..
- Effective interception of all air threats.
- Air operations in all conditions and climates, with great success.
- Air campaign management as well as automated air defense.
This is modern war and KSA is successful in it.
Crowd language is not interesting to hear, nor does it make a real impression when reality on the ground is there for all to see..
No bad feelings buddy,, as we are exchanging information ..not even my opinion.. just facts,,
Now I'm really glad to hear that the UAE is getting what it wanted as the negotiations went for more than 8 years for the procurement of the F-35..