Saudi Arabia and the Emirates Involvement in Yemen War: A Comparative Analysis

Abstract

The dissertation compares the unique involvement of Saudi Arabia and the Emirates in the Yemeni war. The scholarship has yet to provide a comprehensive account on the Saudi and Emirati involvement in Yemen that explains their choice to get involved on such a massive scale military intervention. In comparing the cases of their involvement in Yemen war - this research aims to reflects on intangible aspects of power. That is, the ability to use state resources in order to reach political aims. Never before had we the opportunity to contrast the abilities of the two states to exercise power for political aims on such massive scale. In order to explore these aspects, and further advance the literature around the coalition framework in Yemen, this research mirrors one state, Saudi Arabia, in front of its coalition ally, the Emirates, in a deliberate attempt to value, assess and analyse the state interests in Yemen and the measures to reach them. This is accomplished by linking the national interests with the actual involvement in Yemen. Without making a connection between the incentives in the context of national interests, and the tactical level of the operations, assessment of their power capabilities in this case study remains largely limited in scope and constrained within tactical walls. The...